Last updated on 17th June 2022

The UK banking and finance industry has undergone a degree of change and reorganisation, and qualified, experienced professionals remain in high demand. As a highly regulated business sector, many jobs require individuals with particular skills to complete their duties and remain compliant.

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Attracting applicants and recruiting the right individuals relies on accurate finance job descriptions and denoting roles, skills, and certifications.

What do Finance Executives do?

Your job descriptions detail the finance team functions and how they fit in your company’s culture. Your finance department needs to hire its staff carefully to ensure your company has a broad mix of experience and skills. The professional performance of your finances team will affect crucial business aspects such as legal compliance and the company’s financial health.

Depending on the company’s industry and role, finance teams have key responsibilities and oversee:

• Financial planning (Finance Leaders)
• Recording and analysing financial data (Finance Executive / Financial Analyst)
• Developing financial models
• Completing financial transactions
• Monitoring financial trends
• Performing business administration
• Maintaining financial records
• Creating balance sheets
• Preparing cash flow statements
• Enforcing internal controls (Financial Controllers)
• Business accounting (Accounting Manager)
• Identify opportunities and recommend business investments
• Auditing a company’s finances (External Auditors)
• The expenditure of various departments

Finance skills

To ensure your company’s financial operations are effectively performed, you are legally compliant, control costs, and pay the correct taxes, you need to hire financial executives with the right skills.

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To complete their job, a financial executive needs soft and hard skills that include:

• Financial systems familiarity
• Business administration key skills
• Excellent numeracy and communication
• Finance-related Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree
• A strong understanding of financial law
• The ability to work long hours during peak times (end of month / end of financial year)
• Proficiency with C Suite, accounting software, and MS Office
• Reporting and presentation skills (executive level and senior roles)
• Organisation and a detail-oriented mindset
• People management skills (manager and senior role)

How to hire Finance Executives

Job advertising for finance executives will differ based on the job skills and financial position. Larger companies may be seeking financial executives with a speciality, whereas smaller companies may be seeking to employ a generalist financial executive.

It will help to deploy a hiring strategy that encompasses job advertising on general and specialist financial job boards, social media, and word of mouth/employee referrals. Your hiring strategy may also include having a presence at industry or leadership conferences and online with financial organisations or professional bodies.

Important elements that will affect company hiring success include writing an effective job description and selecting an appropriate job title. Your job description should define what the financial executive is responsible for, the average salary range, and the application path forward (an email address to send a CV to or a link to an application form or career page).

Pulling your compensation and benefits package together? View the average salary for roles in finance teams here.

Flat fee recruitment solutions continue to deliver the best results when recruiting a finance executive, finance leaders, or for accounting roles. Hiring People’s solution is completely automated and a cost effective approach to job advertising across multiple job boards.

What are the Finance Executive roles?

The roles of finance teams are completed by individuals in roles titled as:

• Financial Executive
• Financial Analyst
• Finance Director
• CFO
• Accounts Payable

Finance Executives roles and responsibilities

Here we look at the finance roles and responsibilities of each position, from today’s CFOs to Financial Advisor, which will form part of your job advert and hiring strategy.

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Roles of a Financial Analyst

A Financial Analyst interprets financial data and creates forecasting reports. They conduct research and create corporate finance models.

Financial Analyst roles and responsibilities:

• Analysing financial data and identifying risks and trends
• Evaluating inventory, asset depreciation, and expenditure
• Researching economic conditions and making trend-based recommendations 
• Preparing projection and accounting reports
• Creating financial models 
• Liaising with risk analysts and members of the financial and management team

View a complete Financial Analyst Job Description here.

Roles of a Financial Controller

A Financial Controller is responsible for improving the financial performance of their company or group. Degree-qualified, these professionals direct accounting operations and produce financial statements.

Financial Controller roles and responsibilities:

• Analysing financial data and creating income and expenditure statements
• Monitoring internal controls and policy adherence
• Streamlining the operations and accounting procedures
• Coordinating audits and managing risk
• Formulating financial strategies and implementing plans
• Managing financial transactions

View a complete Financial Controller Job Description here.

Roles of a Finance Assistant

Broader roles, such as Finance Assistants, are responsible for financial record keeping and payment processing. These detail orientated individuals help their organisations control costs and investigate company discrepancies.

Finance Assistant roles and responsibilities:

• Producing invoices and processing payments
• Maintaining databases and generating reports
• Overseeing client’s accounts
• Investigating financial and payment discrepancies
• Recommending improvements to reduce costs and improve efficiency
• Using accounting software to maintain accurate records

View a complete Finance Assistant Job Description here.

Roles of a Finance Director

Financial Directors hold a senior company position and typically have financial management or accounting qualifications. They improve financial performance and report to investors and stakeholders.

Finance Director roles and responsibilities:

• Overseeing tax and audit functions
• Directing accounting staff and managing internal controls
• Preparing financial plans and strategies
• Preparing detailed financial reports and budgets and making profit and loss forecasts
• Assessing and minimising risk
• Ensuring legal compliance
• Monitoring cash flow and overseeing the creation of cash flow statements
• Arranging annual business insurance

View a complete Finance Director Job Description here.

Roles of a Finance Manager

The duties of a Finance Manager encompass planning and organising financial projects and tasks. Typically having an accounting or finance degree, they help companies achieve growth and profitability.

Finance Manager roles and responsibilities:

• Estimating the funds required to undertake tasks and complete projects
• Developing budgets and minimising debt costs
• Procuring financing through financial institutions
• Calculating investment risks and opportunities
• Supervising month-end processes and reporting
• Tracking KPI metrics

View a complete Finance Manager Job Description here.

Roles of a Credit Controller

Credit Controllers manage their organisation’s creditors and debtors. They process invoices and payments and maintain the sales ledger.

Credit Controller roles and responsibilities:

• Evaluating new and existing customers’ credit risks
• Performing credit checks and setting account limits
• Chasing payments and arranging payment plans
• Preparing reports and statements for the company accountant
• Responding to client enquiries
• Managing the company’s sale ledger

View a complete Credit Controller Job Description here.

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Roles of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

The best CFOs (Chief Financial Officer) analyse a company’s strengths and weaknesses and creates appropriate plans for financial actions and activities.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) roles and responsibilities:

• Tracking cash flow and ensuring the availability of working capital
• Maintaining investor relations
• Supervising lower-level finance managers and other executives
• Overseeing the company’s financial IT systems
• Producing company reports and forecasts
• Working in close cooperation with the CEO, COO, and CMO

View a complete Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Job Description here.

Roles of Accounts Payable

Accounts Payable Executives communicate with clients and ensure invoice payments are collected on time. The individual’s goal is to monitor and reduce outstanding debt.

Accounts Payable roles and responsibilities:

• Collecting payments and updating the accounts payable database
• Coordinating actions with the accounts receivable team
• Preparing bills, invoices, and bank remittances 
• Sending payment reminders and calling clients
• Responding to client’s questions and discrepancies
• Preparing financial statements and reports

View a complete Accounts Payable Job Description here.

Roles of a Finance Officer

Finance Officers manage the company’s financial procedures and policies. They prepare budgets, conduct audits, and monitor transactions.

Finance Officer roles and responsibilities:

• Creating invoices and balance sheets
• Implementing financial policies to boost operational efficiency
• Planning budgets and expenditure limits
• Monitoring payment transactions and bank deposits
• Detecting and resolving errors
• Preparing and conducting audits
• Maintaining records and receipts in line with regulations

View a complete Finance Officer Job Description here.

Roles of a Financial Advisor

Financial Advisors help customers with financial planning and resilience. They sell financial products and work with private, self-employed, and business clients.

Financial Advisor roles and responsibilities:

• Establishing the client’s risk tolerance
• Recommending investment plans and strategies
• Selling insurance, pension, and investment products
• Interpreting financial documents and creating summaries and reports
• Contacting clients to identify changes in their financial circumstances
• Referring customers to other professionals or financial institutions

View a complete Financial Advisor Job Description here.

Finance Executives FAQs

Here we answer your questions on finance executives jobs and employment.

Finance Executives roles – The responsibilities of all Finance Executives roles

If your finance company is creating a job description for recruitment, you can view the day to day duties and responsibilities for each finance position by viewing the resources below:

• Responsibilities of a Budget Analyst
• Responsibilities of a Cost Analyst
• Responsibilities of a Cost Estimator
• Responsibilities of a Credit Analyst
• Responsibilities of a Director of Finance
• Responsibilities of an Economist
• Responsibilities of a Finance Assistant
• Responsibilities of a Finance Director
• Responsibilities of a Finance Manager
• Responsibilities of a Finance Officer
• Responsibilities of a Financial Accountant
• Responsibilities of a Financial Advisor
• Responsibilities of a Financial Analyst
• Responsibilities of a Financial Controller
• Responsibilities of a Financial Coordinator
• Responsibilities of a Financial Manager
• Responsibilities of a Financial Officer
• Responsibilities of a Financial Planner
• Responsibilities of a Financial Service Sales
• Responsibilities of a Financial Services Representative
• Responsibilities of a Financial Specialist
• Responsibilities of a Grant Writer
• Responsibilities of a Head of Finance
• Responsibilities of a Loan Officer
• Responsibilities of a Loan Processor
• Responsibilities of a Procurement Analyst
• Responsibilities of a Procurement Officer
• Responsibilities of a Procurement Specialist
• Responsibilities of a Project Accountant
• Responsibilities of a Purchasing Clerk
• Responsibilities of a Quantitative Analyst
• Responsibilities of a Risk Manager
• Responsibilities of a Senior Financial Analyst

View all finance executives job descriptions responsibilities here.

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