For employers looking to fill a Head of Finance vacancy, the following sample position description can help you attract the best candidates for the role. By tailoring this position description according to your company's specific job requirements, you have an excellent interview tool for comparison purposes.
For job seekers looking for a Head of Finance role, this job description details what the role may involve and what skills and experience are required to give you the best chance of securing the position. It is worth noting that this job title is often interchangeable with Finance Director or CFO.
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director (CEO) or Chief Operations Officer (COO), the Head of Finance is accountable for accurate reporting of financial results and managing the company’s financial affairs.
As part of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the Head of Finance is responsible for the financial management of the organisation. Depending on the size of the company and whether it is public or private, the Head of Finance performs a wide range of responsibilities. These may include, but are not limited to:
Managing the financial reporting for the organisation. This includes monthly financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, 5-year financial plans and all statutory financial reporting
Providing sound financial support and insights to enable the ELT to make critical business decisions
Presentation of financial results and insights to the Board
Play a key role in the formulation of the business's strategy
Managing and overseeing the taxation affairs of the organisation and liaising with the external tax firm for specialist advice
Managing and overseeing the cash flow of the company and ensuring it has the appropriate treasury controls
Managing hedging and foreign currencies (if relevant)
Managing the External Auditor relationship and ensuring the organisation is compliant with accounting standards
Managing and overseeing the company's banking and borrowing arrangements
Managing relationships with Investors (where applicable)
Managing and overseeing the company’s financial systems
Investment appraisal and analysis
Presenting results to non-finance people to understand
Recruitment, training, mentoring and development of staff
Overseeing Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Tax, Treasury, Payroll, Financial and Management Accounting functions.
Risk Management to ensure the business has a solid risk framework in place
Overseeing commercial decision-making from tender analysis, margin analysis, pricing analysis etc
Advising and implementing best practice methods to increase revenue and reduce costs
Advising on market changes and providing strategic financial recommendations to the ELT
Managing and tracking budget and accounting information including billing, collections, and tax information
Reviewing all formal finance, HR, and IT-related policies and procedures
The more common skills and attributes that are most needed for this role may include:
10+ years' experience in a senior financial managerial position with a proven record of success
Sound decision-making skills based on accurate and timely analyses
Results-oriented and metrics-driven
Exceptional time management and ability to solve problems
Exceptional interpersonal communication and leadership skills, with the ability to communicate and manage staff at all levels
Ability to lead by example and demonstrate a strong sense of integrity, ethics and dependability
Professional written and oral communication skills
Confident in presenting results to an audience
Strategic thinking, planning and creative problem-solving skills
Ability to work under pressure
Ability to collaborate with upper management to organize, plan and achieve company financial goals
Advanced computer software skills, including Excel and financial reporting software
Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (MBA preferred)
Professional accounting qualifications such as CA or CPA
$180 - $250k + Super + Bonus (based on a medium-sized business)
Managing Director
CEO
Generally, the titles are interchangeable, however, depending on the size of the company a Head of Finance can sit below the CFO. The Head of Finance would then manage the day-to-day finance and the CFO would focus on the strategy.
The Head of Finance is similar to a Finance Director or a CFO role and responsible for managing the finance function of an organisation. They are also responsible for helping the organisation to achieve its strategic objectives.
The Head of Finance will typically oversee all aspects of finance from financial accounting, transactional finance, payroll, tax, treasury and commercial finance functions. Depending on the size of the company, there may be several layers in the organisation hierarchy.
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