About Our Outside IR35 Head of Finance Contract Roles
What does a head of finance contractor do?
As a contract Head of Finance, you are hired to provide senior finance leadership within organisations where the Head of Finance role represents the most senior finance position, typically in mid-market businesses where the scale does not yet justify a full CFO. The role encompasses ownership of the finance function's operational delivery, including management and statutory reporting, financial controls, cash management, and team leadership, alongside more strategic responsibilities such as financial planning, business partnering with operational leaders, and providing commercial financial counsel to the CEO and board. Interim Heads of Finance are brought in when the permanent role is vacant, when the existing finance capability needs to be reset or strengthened, or when a specific financial challenge requires dedicated senior leadership.
The profile expected for an interim Head of Finance engagement combines the technical accounting rigour of a strong Financial Controller with the commercial acumen and stakeholder management skills of a Finance Director. Professional qualification with ACA, ACCA, or CIMA is expected as a baseline, alongside solid experience at a senior finance management or controller level in a business of comparable scale and complexity. The ability to quickly establish credibility with a CEO and board, provide clear and honest financial counsel, manage and develop a finance team, and deliver accurate and timely financial information during what is often a period of organisational uncertainty is the primary measure of success. Most interim Heads of Finance are found through specialist finance interim firms and the professional networks of finance leaders in the relevant sector.
What is the market like for head of finance contractors?
Interim Head of Finance contracting is an active segment of the senior finance interim market, most concentrated in the SME and mid-market, where the Head of Finance is typically the most senior finance leader and the consequences of a vacancy are immediate and material. Private equity-backed businesses, owner-managed businesses undergoing transition, and growing businesses where the finance function has not kept pace with the rest of the organisation are the most active buyers. The market is less deep than the interim FD or CFO markets in terms of absolute volume, but the demand is consistent and the ability to move quickly into a complex senior finance role from day one is highly valued. Rates reflect the seniority and breadth of the role.
What does Outside IR35 mean?
IR35 is UK tax legislation that determines whether a contractor is genuinely self-employed or working in a manner that resembles employment. When a contract is classified as outside IR35, the engagement is treated as a business-to-business arrangement. The contractor operates through their own limited company, invoices for services, and manages their own tax affairs including corporation tax, self-assessment, and VAT where applicable.
Outside IR35 engagements are assessed against three key factors: the degree of control the client exercises over how the work is delivered, whether the contractor has a genuine right to provide a substitute, and whether there is a mutuality of obligation between the parties. Contracts that demonstrate contractor autonomy, project-based delivery, and the absence of ongoing employment obligations are more likely to sit outside IR35. Since April 2021, responsibility for making this determination sits with the end client for medium and large private sector organisations.
On QualityContracts.co.uk, approximately 28% of roles with a stated IR35 status are classified as outside IR35. The proportion varies by sector and role type, with some disciplines seeing a significantly higher or lower share of outside IR35 opportunities. Each listing on this page displays its IR35 status where provided by the hiring organisation.
What head of finance roles are usually Outside IR35?
Interim head of finance engagements sit at around 40% outside IR35 among those with a stated status. Outside IR35 applies when the engagement involves a specific mandate: restructuring the finance team, leading a system implementation, or preparing the business for a transaction. PE-backed portfolio companies and growing mid-market businesses at financial inflection points hire most actively on this basis. The interim's autonomy over how the finance function is reshaped supports the outside IR35 case.
How much do head of finance contractors usually earn when working Outside IR35?
Contract rates for head of finance roles typically range from £650 to £1200 per day, depending on the scope of the role, required expertise, and the delivery expectations of the engagement. Rates shown are for outside IR35 engagements and reflect the gross day rate paid to the contractor's limited company before any personal tax obligations.
How many Outside IR35 head of finance vacancies are there on Quality Contracts?
Over the past twelve months, we have tracked over 100 head of finance contract roles across the site. Of the roles currently listed on our site, around one in four are Outside IR35. Data reviewed up to May 2026.