More Information
Companies rely on sound financial management in order to succeed - and the person charged with making such decisions is often the Finance Director (FD) or Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This job role generally comes with a number of duties - often including overall responsibility for members of the company's financial staff, managing the preparation of the company's accounts, and control over its various budgets.
Because this is generally a high-level role requiring a great deal of experience and ability, firms will often use headhunting / executive search or even specialist Finance Director recruitment agencies in order to find the right candidate.
Salaries
Due to the executive nature of the position, the role of FD includes a great deal of responsibility - and as such, the financial compensation received by people in this job is high. Salaries in the UK start at around £40,000 and average around £70,000 - but can easily rise into six figures for experienced candidates at more profitable firms. Salaries may also include bonuses and benefits - such as private healthcare or share options.
Qualifications
As well as having a good deal of experience and technical ability in order to command the respect and trust of their subordinates, FDs will also generally hold a recognised qualification in accountancy from the likes of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), or Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). A degree in Business (often with a specialism in finance) will also be advantageous.