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Need support for financial planning, cash flow control, reporting, ERP transitions, or an interim finance setup? Get matched with vetted, available freelance finance leaders fast and precisely.
About the role
Finance leadership
A Head of Finance takes ownership of the finance function and keeps the numbers useful for decisions. This role is often called Finance Director, Finance Lead, or Interim Head of Finance. In practice, the work sits between hands-on finance control and leadership of the wider accounting and FP&A setup.
Typical delivery
- Monthly close, management reporting, and variance analysis
- Budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow planning
- Team leadership across accounting, controlling, and payroll interfaces
- Process design for approvals, controls, and finance workflows
- Support for audits, tax coordination, and investor reporting
- ERP or reporting tool rollouts, including S/4HANA environments
When companies bring one in
Companies usually hire a freelance Head of Finance when they need senior finance ownership without a long hiring cycle. That can mean a transition period, a growth phase, a restructuring, a reporting gap, or a temporary replacement. In Germany, this is common in scale-ups, family businesses, and international groups that need clear finance control and local communication.
Core strengths
Strong professionals combine technical depth with calm leadership. They understand accounting principles, controlling, cash management, and stakeholder reporting, but they also know how to make decisions move.
- Clear monthly and board-level reporting
- Practical budgeting and forecasting discipline
- Strong Excel, ERP, and BI tool handling
- Ability to align finance, operations, and management
- Hands-on approach in lean teams
- Confidence in German and international working environments
What sets the best apart
The best Heads of Finance do more than close the books. They improve the quality of data, tighten processes, and give founders, CFOs, and management a finance view they can act on. They know when to step in on-site, when remote work is enough, and how to adapt to local expectations in Germany without slowing the business down.
Projects and scope
Freelance Heads of Finance are often used for urgent or defined assignments. Common scopes include interim leadership, finance function setup, reporting redesign, integration after acquisition, and support for funding rounds or audits. They are a strong fit when the company needs experienced judgment, a steady hand, and immediate operational impact.
Meet FRATCH Heads of Finance
Dennis Trawinski
Head of Finance / Commercial Managing Director
Last position:
Head of Finance / Commercial Managing Director at Lotsenbüro für temporäre Bauten und mobile Lösungen GmbH
- Responsible for Finance, Insurance, and Legal, including 3 department heads
- Leading and managing day-to-day accounting
- Preparing and reporting monthly financial statements according to HGB and IFRS
- Corporate controlling including budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis
- Point of contact for external authorities, banks, tax advisors, and auditors
- Implementing group-wide processes at the corporate level
- Preparing annual financial statements according to HGB
- Supporting the annual audit
- Supporting special audits and due diligence projects at the group level
- Insourcing of accounting, including ERP implementation and department development
Olaf Martens
Interim Manager Head of Finance
Last position:
Interim Manager Head of Finance at Euromobil GmbH
- Bridging the Head of Finance position until it was filled again
- Use of SAP R/3
- Hybrid working model
- 10% English
Wolfgang Horlacher
Interim Commercial Manager
Last position:
Head of Finance and Controlling (Interim) at Kunert Fashion Group
Financial accounting: daily general ledger entries and month-end closing
Preparation of FY 2024 financial group statements (subunits KF, KNL, KAU, KCH)
Preparation of physical inventory for KF with inventory instructions for Logistic
Further development of ERP Finance processes integration with MS Dynamics BC 14
Implementation of electronic invoice verification and Multi Cash banking software
Expansion of sales and e-commerce controlling toolbox and processes
Preparation of budgets 2026, 2027, 2028, including investment plan, cost accounting
Preparation and commentary on monthly reports for sub-units and Group
Preparation of weekly financial plans, cash flow and liquidity plans
Further development of sales controlling, focusing on margins & product profitability
Creation and integration of accounting workflows for MS Dynamics
Leadership focus: Stabilization of the finance team and clear scope of work responsibility
Communication with banks, auditors, tax advisors, and tax authorities
Complete and accurate monthly reporting for each business unit and the KF Group
Preparation 2024 financial statements for KF Germany, KNL, KAU, and KNL with audit opinion
Detailed setup and preparation of the KF 2026 budget for the management and shareholders
Weekly cash flow planning coordinated with the management and shareholders
Turnaround in net sales and EBIT from September 2025 onwards – stable growth
Leadership & change through consistent, data-driven KPIs
Mario Montagna
Corporate Controlling
Last position:
Finance Director at Aluforge GmbH
- Commercial management: liquidity control, accounting, support for the 2024 and 2025 year-end closings, local and international reporting, strategy and financing, contract management
Harald Grayer
Head of Finance, Group HR function, Board Division
Last position:
Head of Finance, Group HR function, Board Division at Allianz SE
Reported to Holding Board Member, CHRO and Head of Transformation
Led a global matrix team of 5+
Assumed finance leadership for a €135M HR transformation program affecting 140,000+ employees
Built a global HR operating model and HR finance function
Managed and advised key stakeholders on global cost planning, cost allocation, transfer pricing, tax strategy, and transformation impact
Managed FP&A for a €100M board-division budget, including Compliance, M&A, Privacy, Legal and HR
Led the IT transfer of 113 HR staff during Corona lockdown, ensuring business continuity during transition
Contributed to an organizational streamlining project, implementing consistent management layers and spans of control for increased operational efficiency
Frank Hertkorn
Head of Finance
Last position:
Head of Finance at Sudarshan Germany Horizons GmbH
- Led the finance and controlling department at the Langelsheim site with 6 employees
- Prepared annual financial statements, served as contact for auditors and tax advisors
- Created monthly closing reports, commented on variances with recommendations for action
- Budgeting and forecasts for 3 companies, including P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, cost center and investment planning
- Integrated finance and controlling processes of the insolvent Heubach GmbH into the Sudarshan group
Abdus Samad Nasir
Finance Reporting Executive
Last position:
Finance Reporting Executive at Giant Group
- Achieved 20% reduction in operational expenses by implementing cost control measures and streamlining budget administration.
- Delivered 95% accuracy in financial forecasting through comprehensive variance analysis, annual budgeting, and revenue monitoring.
- Ensured 90% compliance with tax and audit requirements by managing VAT/Personal Tax returns, reconciliations, and intercompany reporting while providing strategic insights to management.
Agnes Reinsberg-Pollet
Head of Finance
Last position:
Head of Finance at Ecologic Institute
- Help executives and teams within the CFO environment master the growing number of complex and generally interdependent challenges they face
- Through all change phases, from the strategic concept to the operational implementation
- Focus on process improvement, organizational development and information systems
- Intervene as a coach, a consultant, a project manager or an interim manager depending on needs
Cathy Abicht-Villhauer
Finance & Business Partner
Last position:
Chief Financial Officer at Monaco Motors e.K.
- Financial management
- Forecast reviews and budgeting calculations
- Financial planning and profitability analyses for investment projects
- Business analyses, reporting, budget vs actual comparisons
- Cash flow planning
- Cost center analyses
- Main contact for auditors
- Coordination of monthly and annual closings through to completion of financial statements and management report
Marcus Fröhlich
Manager Team Finance
Last position:
Manager Team Finance at BTC Business Technology Consulting AG
- Operational and disciplinary leadership of a 13-member team
- Preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements under HGB and IFRS
- Preparation of financial reports as well as liquidity planning and control
- Implementation and preparation of reports according to the EU taxonomy
- Preparation of reports under § 6b EnWG
- Optimization and digitization of processes
- Contact person for specialist departments, auditors and group functions
- Participation in due diligence reviews
Thomas Heller
Head of Finance (Financial Controller)
Last position:
Head of Finance (Financial Controller) at Collins Foods Germany
- Built up the finance department after company start-up
- Implemented JD Edwards and SAP Concur
- Responsible for accounting and controlling with a team of 12 employees in the Netherlands and Germany
- Prepared annual financial statements including data preparation and coordination with auditors for audits
- Reported to the CFO, CEO and COO
- Networked and improved collaboration with external and internal partners
- Created budgets and forecasts
- Implemented new financial and invoice processing software
- Managed and controlled projects
- Optimized processes
Robert Heukamp
Technology & Strategy
Last position:
Global industry lead Financial Services at Celonis
Antonios Bellos
Head of Finance and HR Management
Last position:
Head of Finance and HR Management at Datev Homenergy GmbH
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Heads of Finance statistics
Typical experience
24 years
Average project duration
3 years
Certifications per freelancer
3
Top business areas
Accounting, Finance, Audit
Top industries
Banking and Finance, Professional Services, Retail
Most common languages
German, English, French
Bachelor's degree or higher
83%
Master's degree or higher
58%
Salary / Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Heads of Finance & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? See our quick guide to FRATCH
A Head of Finance oversees the finance function and keeps reporting, planning, and controls aligned with management needs. The scope often includes monthly close, cash flow, budgeting, forecasting, and team coordination. In many companies, the role also covers audit support and improvements to finance processes.
In day-to-day use, Finance Director, Finance Lead, and Head of Finance often refer to the same senior finance role. The title usually depends on company size, structure, and seniority. What matters is the scope: leadership, reporting ownership, and decision support.
An interim Head of Finance makes sense when you need senior finance leadership right away. That is common during a vacancy, a transformation, a system change, or a period of growth. A freelancer gives you immediate coverage without waiting for a full hiring process.
Look for strong accounting and controlling knowledge, good judgment, and clear communication. A capable finance leader should also be confident with ERP systems, Excel, and management reporting. Just as important is the ability to work with founders, CFOs, and operational teams without creating friction.
A Finance Manager usually has a narrower remit and less strategic ownership. A Head of Finance is expected to lead the function, shape reporting, and influence decisions at management level. In smaller companies, the same person may cover both layers, but the seniority is not the same.
Yes, many parts of the work can be handled remotely, especially reporting, forecasting, and process design. But in Germany, on-site time can help with stakeholder trust, team leadership, and systems changes. The best setup depends on the company, the language needs, and the pace of the project.
Ask for concrete examples of finance functions they improved, reports they redesigned, or situations they stabilized. A strong Finance Director should speak clearly about numbers, controls, and business trade-offs, not just accounting tasks. References, stakeholder fit, and hands-on experience in similar company stages matter a lot.
In Germany, clients often expect structured reporting, disciplined processes, and clear communication with management. German language skills can be important, depending on the team and stakeholder group. Freelancers should also be ready to work closely with controlling, accounting, and operations from the start.
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
