Fractional CFO

Exciting Opportunity Fractional CFO (South Africa–Based)

GCO Partners is supporting a boutique strategic finance firm in identifying a
Fractional CFO
to lead high-impact portfolios across the US and Canada. This opportunity is positioned for a senior finance leader who can operate confidently within an international, remote-first environment while driving strategic value for growing SMEs.

Role Overview

The Fractional CFO will take full ownership of the finance function for a defined portfolio of clients, providing strategic direction, operational execution, and commercial insight. The engagement begins at
10–20 hours per week
, with scope to scale based on client demand and performance. As the portfolio grows, the CFO will also build and lead a small accounting pod (senior + junior).

Key Requirements

• CA(SA)
  required, with robust post-articles experience in
  CFO, Head of Finance, Strategic Finance, or Outsourced CFO
  capacities.
• Strong exposure to
  SMEs, scale-ups, and international clients
  , ideally within US-facing environments.
• Proven ability to operate in
  remote, distributed teams
  and manage cross-border workflows.
• Proficiency in
  QuickBooks Online
  and cloud-based finance systems.
• Strong communication capability to translate complex financial insights into practical business decisions.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end finance operations for assigned clients, covering cash flow, forecasting, scenario modelling, pricing, and long-term planning.
• Deliver high-quality financial advisory and partner closely with client leadership to support growth and decision-making.
• Build, mentor, and oversee a small finance team as the portfolio expands.
• Work seamlessly within a flat, collaborative structure and adapt to evolving processes.

Cultural & Working Style Alignment

The ideal candidate demonstrates:

• Strong ethical grounding, reliability, and professional discretion in a high-trust, remote setting.
• A
  roll-up-your-sleeves
  approach—comfortable balancing strategic leadership with operational tasks.
• Adaptability to a fast-paced, evolving environment with minimal hierarchy.
• Excellent time management and willingness to align with
  US West Coast hours
  (late SA afternoons/evenings).

Working Model

• Fractional engagement:
  ±10–20 hours weekly, with growth opportunity.
• Time zone:
  Required overlap with US West Coast.
• Workload cycle:
  Intensive first two weeks of each month; greater flexibility thereafter.
• Public holidays:
  May align more closely with US calendars.

If you are a CA(SA) with international exposure and a proven track record in strategic finance leadership, GCO Partners invites you to apply for this high-impact fractional opportunity.