| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Finance and Accounts |
| Level | Senior management |
| Reports to | Managing Director |
| Direct reports | General Manager Finance, Financial Controller, Head of Internal Audit |
| Experience | 15+ years in finance with 5 years at head of finance level |
Finance Director job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Finance Director
Department: Finance and Accounts
Reports to: Managing Director
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Finance Director owns the financial health, governance and funding of the company. Often a board level or country finance head, they set financial strategy, sign the statutory accounts, manage lenders and investors and keep the company compliant under the Companies Act and tax law. They decide capital allocation, dividend and risk appetite, and hold the CFO's office or report to the Managing Director. A good Finance Director balances growth, cash and control and gives the board numbers it can trust.
Key responsibilities
- Set financial strategy, the annual budget and the long range plan, and align them with the board's goals.
- Sign off statutory financial statements and present results and risks to the board and audit committee.
- Decide capital allocation, dividend policy and major investment and divestment proposals.
- Manage relationships with lenders, investors, rating agencies and statutory auditors.
- Lead fundraising through debt or equity, negotiate terms and oversee due diligence.
- Ensure compliance with the Companies Act, tax laws and regulatory filings across the group.
- Own the risk framework, insurance cover and the treasury and forex policy.
- Approve financial controls, delegation of authority and accounting policies.
- Guide costing, pricing and margin strategy with the business heads.
- Build the senior finance team and plan succession for key roles.
Requirements
- Chartered Accountant (CA), MBA in Finance or CFA
- Strong record in corporate finance and governance
- Company Secretary knowledge is an advantage
- 15+ years in finance with 5 years at head of finance level
KRAs and KPIs for a Finance Director
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Board reporting | Board and audit committee packs delivered ahead of every meeting with no data reopened |
| Statutory compliance | Annual accounts, audit and regulatory filings completed within statutory timelines |
| Funding and liquidity | Facilities and cash cover the approved plan with no unplanned borrowing during the year |
| Cost of capital | Borrowing cost held at or below the budgeted rate for the year |
| Governance | No qualified audit opinion and no major control failure reported in the year |
| Business partnering | Company operating margin meets or beats the approved annual plan |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: SAP, Oracle Financials, Board reporting tools, Advanced Excel, Financial modelling.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Chief Financial Officer, Managing Director, Board Member
Interview questions for a Finance Director
- How do you decide between raising debt and diluting equity for a growth plan?
- Walk me through how you would present a difficult quarter to the board.
- How do you set the dividend when the business also needs cash for expansion?
- What controls do you insist on before you sign the statutory accounts?
- How do you manage a rating agency review when leverage has gone up?
- How do you build a finance team that a board can rely on?
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What does a Finance Director do?
A Finance Director owns the financial strategy, governance and funding of a company. They set the budget, sign statutory accounts, manage lenders and investors, decide capital allocation and dividend, and keep the company compliant. They report to the Managing Director or board and lead the senior finance team, including the controller and audit head.
What is the difference between a Finance Director and a CFO?
The two roles overlap and the titles are often used for the same job. A CFO is usually the executive head of finance who runs the function. A Finance Director may also sit on the board with statutory duties under the Companies Act. In smaller companies one person holds both roles.
Who does a Finance Director report to?
A Finance Director usually reports to the Managing Director or the Chief Executive, and works closely with the board and its audit committee. When the role sits on the board, the Director also carries statutory responsibility to shareholders for the truth and fairness of the accounts.