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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Head of Finance

💰 $ - $

FinanceLeadershipExecutiveCorporate FinanceAccounting

🎯 Role Definition

The Head of Finance is a senior leadership role that serves as the chief financial steward of the organization. This position is responsible for the overall financial health of the company, combining strategic, operational, and leadership responsibilities. The Head of Finance acts as a key business partner to the CEO and executive team, providing critical financial insights, strategic guidance, and data-driven recommendations to inform short-term and long-term business decisions. This role directs all aspects of the company's financial planning, accounting, reporting, and compliance functions, while leading and developing a high-performing finance team to support sustainable growth and profitability.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Finance Director
  • Senior Financial Controller
  • Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Advancement To:

  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  • VP of Finance (in a larger organization)
  • Board Member / Audit Committee Chair

Lateral Moves:

  • Chief Operating Officer (COO)
  • Head of Corporate Strategy & Development
  • Director of Mergers & Acquisitions

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Direct and oversee all aspects of the Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) function, including the annual budgeting process, quarterly forecasting, and long-range strategic planning.
  • Act as a primary strategic advisor to the executive leadership team and Board of Directors, translating complex financial data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
  • Lead the end-to-end accounting operations, ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial close processes in accordance with GAAP/IFRS.
  • Develop, implement, and maintain robust internal controls, financial policies, and procedures to mitigate risk and ensure regulatory compliance.
  • Manage all treasury and cash management functions, including optimizing cash flow, overseeing banking relationships, managing debt facilities, and developing investment strategies for corporate funds.
  • Prepare and present comprehensive, timely financial reports, performance dashboards, and key business metric analyses to senior management, the board, and external stakeholders.
  • Lead and mentor a high-caliber finance and accounting team, fostering a culture of accountability, professional development, and continuous improvement.
  • Drive the financial modeling, valuation, and due diligence processes for potential mergers, acquisitions, capital-raising activities, and other strategic corporate initiatives.
  • Manage relationships with external partners, including auditors, tax advisors, legal counsel, and banking institutions, to ensure successful annual audits and optimal tax structuring.
  • Oversee the company's capital structure and financing strategy, continuously evaluating opportunities for debt and equity financing to support growth objectives.
  • Spearhead the implementation, optimization, and management of financial systems and technologies (e.g., ERP, BI tools) to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and reporting capabilities.
  • Conduct in-depth variance analysis of financial performance against budget and forecast, identifying underlying trends, risks, and opportunities for operational improvement.
  • Partner directly with department heads and business unit leaders to build their financial acumen, develop departmental budgets, and provide ongoing financial guidance and support.
  • Ensure timely and accurate filing of all local, state, and federal tax returns, as well as other statutory financial reports and compliance obligations.
  • Manage the company’s equity administration processes, including stock option plans, capitalization table management, and 409A valuations.
  • Evaluate and advise on the financial impact of long-range planning, the introduction of new ventures, and the formation of strategic partnerships.
  • Direct the preparation of all official financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and statements of cash flow.
  • Guide pricing strategies and perform profitability analysis for new and existing product lines, services, or customer segments to maximize margins.
  • Oversee the accounts receivable and accounts payable functions to optimize the cash conversion cycle and effectively manage working capital.
  • Take ownership of the company's financial risk management framework by identifying, assessing, and mitigating financial, operational, and compliance risks.

Secondary Functions

  • Oversee procurement and vendor management from a financial perspective, ensuring favorable terms and cost-efficiency.
  • Participate in the evaluation and implementation of company-wide strategic projects, providing a critical financial perspective.
  • Mentor junior finance and non-finance professionals across the organization to build broad financial literacy.
  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A): Mastery of budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial modeling.
  • Corporate Accounting: Deep expertise in GAAP and/or IFRS, financial reporting, and month-end close management.
  • Advanced Financial Modeling: Ability to build complex, dynamic financial models for valuation, M&A, and scenario analysis.
  • ERP & Financial Systems: Proficiency with major ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) and BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
  • Treasury & Cash Management: Expertise in cash flow forecasting, working capital optimization, and debt management.
  • Capital Budgeting: Strong skills in investment analysis, ROI calculations, and capital allocation decision-making.
  • M&A and Due Diligence: Experience leading the financial due diligence process in corporate transactions.
  • Tax Strategy & Compliance: Comprehensive knowledge of corporate tax planning, compliance, and reporting requirements.
  • Internal Controls (SOX): Ability to design, implement, and monitor effective internal control frameworks.
  • Capital Raising: Experience with debt and equity financing processes, including interactions with investors and lenders.
  • Data Analysis: Skill in leveraging data to extract business insights and drive decision-making.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic Thinking: Ability to see the big picture and translate corporate strategy into financial objectives.
  • Executive Leadership: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and build a high-performing finance organization.
  • Communication & Presentation: Exceptional ability to articulate complex financial information clearly to diverse audiences, including board members.
  • Business Acumen: Strong commercial awareness and a deep understanding of the business's operational drivers.
  • Stakeholder Management: Skill in building trust and influence with internal executives, department heads, and external partners.
  • Negotiation: Strong negotiation skills for contracts, financing deals, and partnerships.
  • Problem-Solving: Decisive and analytical approach to identifying and resolving complex financial and business issues.
  • Integrity & Ethics: Unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards and professional integrity.
  • Change Management: Adept at leading the finance function through periods of growth, transformation, or integration.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree (MBA with a finance concentration, Master's in Finance) and/or a professional certification such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Business Administration
  • Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 12-15+ years of progressive experience in finance and accounting, with a clear track record of increasing responsibility.

Preferred:

  • Significant experience in a senior leadership capacity (e.g., Finance Director, Senior Controller) within a comparable industry or business model. A blend of experience in both large, established companies and high-growth environments is highly advantageous. Prior experience in a publicly-traded company is often a plus.
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