What a Head of Finance typically owns
- Finance function leadership and team development
- Month-end, year-end, audit and controls ownership
- Budgeting, forecasting and cash management
- Commercial decision support for the leadership team
Typical profile
Qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA with senior finance leadership experience.
Every shortlisted Head of Finance is assessed against the Gravitate Baseline, with the role's technical must-haves agreed in the brief.
Salary guide 2026/27
Qualified hires, permanent base salary excluding bonus and benefits, South West excluding Bristol. Compiled October 2026. How we built these bands.
Get a salary benchmark and a hiring plan.
30 minutes, no obligation. Silver Search has no upfront fee.
Eliot: A recent placement was a Head of Finance in London, alongside qualified finance hires across the South West since 2017.
Book a callGetting a Head of Finance hire right
Between FC and FD
A Head of Finance role commonly covers the whole function and partners the leadership team, without the board, funding and investor scope of a Finance Director. It's broader than a Financial Controller role, which centres on reporting and controls.
Getting the title right
If the role is mainly controls and month-end, a Financial Controller title may attract better-matched candidates. If it includes strategy, funding and board work, it may be an FD role. It's worth testing this before you advertise.
Example assessment
Ask them to present how they'd structure the finance function for your next two years, including the first hire they'd make.
Got a finance role to fill?
A 30-minute call: the role, a salary benchmark, a realistic timeline and which search option fits.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to hire a Head of Finance in the South West?
We run a structured two-stage interview process that targets shortlist to offer within two weeks. Sourcing and screening happen before the shortlist, and the timeline relies on prompt interview slots and decisions on your side. The start date then depends on the candidate's notice period, so allow for that in your plan.
What salary should I offer a Head of Finance in Devon or the South West?
Our Gravitate South West salary guide 2026/27 puts a qualified Head of Finance at £70k–£95k base in an SME and £85k–£115k in a larger or group business, excluding bonus and benefits. Sector, scope and qualification move it within that range, so we benchmark every role on the first call.
How much does it cost to recruit a Head of Finance?
Fees are agreed per role and depend on whether you choose Platinum, Gold or Silver Search. Silver Search has no upfront fee. Book a call and we'll share our terms.
Which areas do you cover?
Exeter, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bath. We don't actively cover Bristol.