Chief Financial Officer Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

To better our success, [Your Company Name] is hiring an experienced chief financial officer. The CFO will have to leverage their experience, leadership, and communication skills in a diverse setting to influence the CEO, COO, and functional leads in our business model, brand portfolio, and innovation. Characteristics of a successful candidate will be one who thinks strategically and holistically and executes with excellence and speed. The CFO must bring a financial point of view to aid in strategic decision making, and build trust, value differences, and deliver results. Our CFO must have an eye for detail, be extremely organized, and be able to delegate tasks to team members effectively. 

Typical duties and responsibilities

• Work closely with Board of Directors and CEO to create financial plans
• Direct the creation of all financial statements
• Compare sales and profit projections and strategize a plan based on past quarters
• Delegate tasks to team members
• Create financial reports
• Effectively execute a company’s financial strategy 
• Develop company growth plan that also reduces expenditures
• Manage mergers and acquisitions
• Discover lucrative investment opportunities
• Manage account procedures

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field
• MBA or master’s degree in finance or accounting
• 5+ years of experience as an executive-level employee

Required skills and qualifications

• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Superb leadership skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Excellent decision-making skills
• Ability to delegate and motivate team members
• Above-average organization skills
• Ability to work well with others

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s in finance, accounting, or a related field
• 10 years of experience in a senior role
• CPA designation
• Extensive knowledge of financial and accounting computer applications

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO), reporting to the CEO, is an integral member of the executive leadership team. The CFO will provide insightful and trusted counsel to the CEO, executive team and the Board on both financial and broad-based business matters. The CFO will provide hands-on, metrics-driven financial leadership to help accelerate growth and profitability. The CFO will lead and evolve the financial management capabilities of the company, enabling ABC Company to achieve its purpose and strategic plan. The CFO will lead a diverse set of functions including financial planning & analysis, accounting, treasury, tax and legal. The CFO will be a hands-on leader and operator who will build a strong and lean team of internal and external resources to deliver on the responsibilities of the group.

Duties

• Build effective finance organization: Build a fit-for-purpose finance workforce across all finance functions. Determine optimal in-source/out-source mix for all finance functions as well as legal services. Manage all out-source vendor relationships for optimal quality/service/cost mix. Recruit, motivate, and mentor a lean in-house team that will scale with the organization. Build a trusting, productive partnership with all other functions in the company. Ensure the methods and processes used in financial transactions align with the company’s need for data used in decision making.
• Financial planning & analysis (FP&A): Enhancing the FP&A capabilities in the company are critical for the executive team, and the CFO will play a hands-on role. The CFO will have shared responsibility for annual and 3-year goals for revenue growth and earnings. The CFO will oversee the annual operating plan and budget process and translate that plan into the management operating system for the company. The CFO will brief the executive team on the short-term and long-term financial implications of the ongoing and upcoming business activities, including new product development. Influence and recommend improvements across the organization that get deployed to drive value creation.
• Cost accounting and margin management: Shared ownership for margins at aggregate company level. Continue to enhance the cost accounting system and tools globally to provide all leaders with information and tools that will drive decisions that maximize margins from every perspective.
• Capital structure and M&A: Manage capital structure to meet needs of growing business. Drive to reduce cost of capital and own cost of capital targets. Effectively manage financial aspects of ESOP. Partner with CEO on any fundraising activities. Partner with the executive team in exploration of new investment opportunities and provide recommendations on value creation through smart investments.
• Cash flow management: Ensure cash flow is appropriate for the organization’s operations. Effectively manage international cash flows. Provide planning guidance on investment plans based on cash flow and liquidity risks.

Education and experience

• Industry experience: Experience in businesses that manufacture a physical product for consumer use is a must, including selling to consumer through retail channels. Ideal experience would include businesses that create products for consumer use in building, home improvement or related areas.
• Geographic experience: Experience in multi-national operations and sales is a must. Ideal global experience (beyond U.S.) includes Europe, Japan, Australia. This experience should ideally involve building a nascent global business into a material and sustained portion of total company sales.
• Functional expertise: Has had oversight responsibility for all finance functions within the scope of this role – each for a minimum of 2 years. Deepest experience and demonstrated hands-on expertise must be in financial planning & analysis and cost accounting.
• Role experience: Has prior experience as the CFO of a company with $100M – $500M in revenue, or in divisional CFO role of a similar sized business together with the required industry and functional experiences outlined above.
• Technical knowledge: Outstanding knowledge and understanding of GAAP, IFRS, ESOP experience is a plus.
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance or related field is required. An MBA or related degree is highly desirable.

Other skills and abilities

• Organizational leadership: An exceptional leader, someone who inspires people to perform at their highest level. Demonstrated success in building and motivating high-performing finance teams. Low need for being an individual contributor.
• Communication skills: Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to tailor communication style to diverse audiences. A translator who can turn financial performance data of the organization into useful information for the CEO and executive team – and turn the organization’s strategy into financial pictures, goals, and operating guiderails.
• Relationship builder: Empathetic and engaging individual, who listens well, is responsive, solutions-focused, and results-oriented. Adept at building effective working relationships and collaborative networks. Able to build consensus yet be decisive when needed.
• Business acumen: This role is very hands-on and intimate knowledge of all aspects of the business and markets served is important. Demonstrated sense of curiosity to dive deep in understanding of the company’s operations.
• Analytical skills: A strong and broad financial planning and analysis skill set evidenced by the ability to analyze business models, forecast financing needs, raise capital at attractive rates and invest capital strategically
• Process skills: Ability to develop and implement systems, tools and processes that enable the entire executive team to make sound financial decisions
• Integrity and trustworthiness: Demonstrated personal integrity, fairness, and credibility necessary to gain the trust and commitment of individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Values alignment: Passionate about the mission of ABC Company, enthused by the challenges confronting the organization, and dedicated to achieving the mission. Personal values are aligned with organizational values such as assertive collaboration, growth mindset, and customer connection.

Summary

Reporting directly to the President, you will be the top financial executive and part of the inner circle with company ownership. You will be expected to have a valuable business voice in profitably running the businesses. Your excellent business acumen will be key to the successful operation of the company and the delivery of profitable field projects across the company.

Duties and responsibilities

• Oversees and directs accounting, finance, IT and payroll
• Directs and develops annual budgets, plans and scoreboards
• Directs Cash monitoring, planning, and reporting
• Defines short – long-range capital requirements / solutions
• Maintains necessary business relationships with banks and financial institutions

Requirements

• You are a corporate controller/division controller, Director of Finance or small company CFO
• Expert at leading all aspects of accounting, finance, and IT
• Deep knowledge of the commercial construction industry
• Excellent analytical skills in offering solutions and choices
• Skilled at providing business counsel and advice to senior leadership
• Expertise with Vista Viewpoint software is ideal; Sage 300 or Timberline type programs would be helpful
• Excellent communication/supervisory skills/TEAM Player and Coach
• BS degree in Accounting/Finance or related field; MBA a plus

Responsibilities

• Analyze the company’s financial results with respect to profits, trends, costs, and compliance with budgets
• Track customer cohorts, track sales, reconciliations
• Issue regular status and ad hoc report to senior management
• Manage all aspects of accounting operations, oversee all transactions related to the general ledger, receivables, payables, payroll, and financial reporting. Additionally, will also manage audits and liaisons with the company’s accountants and bookkeepers in our international offices
• Develop and coordinate relationships with financial institutions
• Assist co-founders in financial planning and results management. Work with other team members to understand revenue and cost drivers and define appropriate reports for tracking
• Coordinate, prepare, and review monthly, quarterly, and annual reports with internal and external stakeholders
• Manage all tax planning and compliance with all required federal, state, local, payroll, property, and other applicable taxes
• Manage cash flow
• Involvement in Risk and insurance matters ie overseeing business insurance, cyber insurance, employee HR benefits in relation to financial matters

Requirements

• 10+ years of managerial accounting and financial management experience
• Experience working in a growing start-up environment (specific experience at a SaaS tech startup is a big plus)
• Experience working with a global team
• Experience successfully scaling a finance operation
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with fluctuating priorities and deadlines
• An independent starter and thinker; the ability to work without direct supervision, and efficiently manage tasks and time