The first 90 days: setting up a new finance hire for impact

The first ninety days of a finance hire are unusually consequential. They arrive into a function that touches every part of the business, often with incomplete documentation and expectations that are only partly articulated. How they spend this window determines whether they become a trusted operator or a perpetual firefighter.

Days 1–30: read the business, not just the books

The temptation is to start with the ledger. Resist it. The first month should be spent understanding how the business actually makes and spends money.

Priority conversations include:

• The CEO or MD on strategic priorities and capital constraints.
• Department heads on how they use financial information.
• Operations on cash cycles, supplier terms, and customer payment behaviour.
• External auditors or tax advisors on known risks.

By day thirty, a strong hire can explain the business model in their own words and identify the two or three finance gaps that cause the most organisational friction.

Days 31–60: fix the closest control gap

Early credibility comes from solving one visible problem well, not from attempting a full transformation. Pick the control gap that is both important and achievable. Common candidates include:

• A monthly close process that finishes too late.
• A cash forecast that nobody trusts.
• A chart of accounts that obscures profitability by product or region.
• A reconciliation process that relies on one person.

Delivering a quick, measurable win builds the political capital needed for bigger changes later.

Days 61–90: build the rhythm

By the third month, the hire should be establishing the cadence that the business will rely on. This includes:

• A monthly reporting pack with consistent definitions.
• A forecast rhythm that matches decision-making cycles.
• Clear accountability for who owns each number.
• A shortlist of process improvements for the next quarter.

The goal is not perfection. It is predictability. A leadership team that knows what to expect from finance and when to expect it will start using finance as a decision partner rather than a compliance function.

What employers can do before day one

The hiring manager sets the ceiling on early impact. Before the start date, make sure the hire has:

• Access to the accounting system, bank portals, and previous management accounts.
• A clear reporting line and a list of key stakeholders.
• A defined first-month objective that is about understanding, not output.
• Permission to ask obvious questions without appearing behind.

Finance hires do not fail because they lack technical ability. They fail because they are dropped into ambiguity and expected to produce certainty. The first ninety days are the antidote.