INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Director Of Finance positions are at a 8% growth rate, which is as fast as average. With that said, there are currently 2,704,400 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 209,500 to 2,913,900 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Director Of Finance jobs was $107,680 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $45,850, and the highest 10% more than $208,000.
Our conclusion? The Director Of Finance job market is wide open for candidates.
Top director of finance sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to write a director of finance resume experience section
Director of finance resume's job experience checklist:
- Use 4-6 bullet points per job title;
- Don’t go further than a decade behind when describing your job history, unless you’re applying for an executive position;
- Combine job responsibilities as well as achievements with numbers in results when you describe your past work;
- Start each sentence with a power verb and avoid overused buzzwords;
- Use either C-A-R or S-T-A-R methodology, when describing your experience.
The work experience samples below come from real Director of Finance resumes that got people hired at top companies. You can use them as an inspiration to build your own resume:
- Reports directly to CEO
- Manages all aspects of the business infrastructure - includes facilities, IT, hiring and training, compensation, benefits administration, payroll, billing, and A/R
- Provides strategic financial direction - includes budgeting, planning, financial modeling, and ongoing business analysis
- Responsible for corporate culture - ensuring that new hires fit with the company values and maintaining those values in day-to-day operations (both internal and external)
- Responsible for EMEAR and APAC accounting, tax and FP&A
- Set up new financial software that reduced closing time from 14 to 5 working days
- Introduced best practices for legal structures, tax (benefits) and accounting standards to improve compliance locally and at the parent level which resulted in the prevention of transfer pricing errors, +5% withholding tax optimizations and process driven accounting
- Managed the financial integration of the Mobidia acquisition which lead to integration within one month
- Researched historical transactions and processes to rectify worldwide revenue recognition and lead the implementation of improved revenue processes that reduced sales to invoice from 5 to 1 day and invice to cash from an average of 50 to 30 days
- Managed a finance team of eight people that supported ten international offices
- Prepared and reorganised the financial and related functions for potential exit strategies (IPO)
- Support regional Vice President in strategic & operational management of the region - 6 countries
- Currency Risk hedging, negotiations of letters of credit & bank guarantees
- Arrangement of long term financing facilities, invoice discounting
- Arrangement of transaction financing for major group customers, Customer debt recovery and restructuring
- Managing 4 joint ventures across the region
- Build an annual budget model consisting of 300+ accounts and over $2.5B worth of expense along with quarterly forecasts and track/report monthly variances against each
- Worked with the Product and Video Operations groups to identify additional savings from channel migrations and ensured that those migrations happened on time and followed contractual obligations
- Create detailed M&A models for pending acquisitions including total costs of incoming assets and unit synergies/dis-synergies and summarized findings in a clean, clear report
- Create monthly, quarterly, and yearly operational reports that are presented to the CFO, COO and CEO
- Perform audits on various invoices to ensure internal processes are working properly
- My Employee management -Office administration & Leadership Role given good process and environnement to company.
- I organized Accounting Finance System and control which created transparency in management reporting.
- Evaluate the need for new technology to meet the organization's financial data processing, control, and reporting requirements
- Set Policy and procedure for Management and Group Finance Reporting to analysis company risk and help to take decision.
- Company Budgeting and variance analysis ,control expenses as well strategy planning to achieve budget .
- Cash flow , Fund flow planing and control , Banking management and Credit Management - L/C, LOG, SBC .
- Manage and file company taxation and deal with auditors and tax ministry .
- Project Financing and Management Planing and build relationship with investor , Partner and banks.
- Start-Up company which has grown 400% in the last 4 years.
- Responsable for financial management, accounting, HR and sales.
- Designed, implemented and maintain Business Accounting and Financial Management System.
- Recruited to improve operations and provide trusted business advice for the Retail & Consumer Goods vertical market group
- #1 in net revenue forecast accuracy by collaborating w/account execs.
- Developed multi-year plan in support of 15-20% growth objective
- Pricing lead for large, multi-solution opportunities and RFP responses
- Conducted monthly variance analyses and proactively worked with business leaders to mitigate risks
- Put in place a process to watch Stock turnover and purchases, which helped in reducing “white shelves” from 15 days to 7 days.
- Successfully reduced Banks overdraft amount that translated in 3% lower overhead, by synchronizing suppliers’ payment and receivables.
- Successfully reducde Aging Balance from 379 days to 185 days by creating an account receivable department.
- Auditing company Balance sheet from 1996 to 2002 with external Auditors.
- Managing & controlling office budget of $6M.
- Redevelopment of Corporate Governance Policies, Procedures integrating regulations from USA, German, Netherlands and South Africa.
- Redevelopment of ERP system resulting in a 30% decrease in processing and reporting time.
- Cost management on social platforms, game development and implementation programs.
- Built US location from 2 sales people in CA to fully function plant and administrative team with two locations
- Responsible for all financial functions of the company, month end close and financial reporting, all HR functions and team management and training
- Participate in Senior Management meetings to develop strategy for corporate growth in US markets
- Manage corporate audits and work with CPA on tax related issues
- Supervise accounting and administrative staff, including remote employees
- Following the announcement of a strategic alliance between SABMiller PLC and Anadolou Efes, I was acting CFO from January 2012 to March 2012, which involved me taking full responsibility for the broader finance function. I delivered our year end financial results, which we overachieved, managed the year end audit, ensuring a smooth transition to the new owners
- Supported Corporate Finance leading into the transaction to transfer the business to Efes. This included being fully involved in the detailed handover and integration plans
- Worked with Group Treasury and managing our local treasury team to implement a new hedging process, ensuring limited forex exposure to the business and full compliance with Group Policy
- Developed a new compensation package for our distributors. I was the Project lead of a cross functional team to develop and implement this. This was completed prior to the divestment and presented to the new business team who planned to adopt the majority of our proposals
- I had overall accountability for the delivery of monthly and quarterly reporting to our European Hub, feedback from our CEO on our management of the financials was outstanding
- Completed a detailed review of the internal controls process around Segregation of Duties, Purchase to Pay and Order to Cash to ensure SOX compliance
- Supported the design of and embedded the restructure of the admin function which included managing a fleet of over 600 cars for the sales team across Russia
- Leadership, management and development of c.100 staff, across many functional disciplines and levels of seniority, including 8 direct reports.
- Executive Lead on the c.£40m refurbishment programme at Maidstone. Completed on budget despite additional scope.
- Providing the Finance and commercial lead on the 30 year, £670m contract for the Royal School of Military Engineering, including contract negotiations, costing and pricing. This is the largest training contract in the British Further Education system. Consistently high customer satisfaction.
- Launching two subsidiary trading companies to undertake commercial business activities and acting as Executive Director to both, including Company Secretarial duties.
- Modernising the Finance function, standardising and automating processes, establishing regular and consistent management reporting to high standards, as well as improving impact and effectiveness at Governing Body level. Improved monthly reporting times by 9 days.
- Merging curriculum and financial planning. Reducing costs and improving the bottom line whilst directing resources to help deliver improved student success rates and teaching grades.
- Considerable development of risk management, overhauling the register and introducing significant new features, supporting the sharpening of focus at Audit and Risk Committee with a strong executive lead.
- Developing relationships with key partners, including funding bodies, the Association of Colleges, universities, the MoD and Holdfast Consortium members, County and Unitary Authorities.
- Providing the Finance lead on the £86m new campus in Medway, including £35m loan financing, VAT planning and grant funding issues. This project completed on time and on budget in 2009.
- Successful negotiations to recover the disposal of two former campus sites, with proceeds c.£30m.
- Achieving the College’s ‘outstanding’ grading for Financial Management and Governance from the Learning and Skills Council, plus ‘outstanding’ financial health
- Coordination and supervision of the Financial Statements.
- Control of Management Supervision: Procedures definitions, budget process design...
- Financial variables Management: Cash Flow, Credit Management, Accounts payable/receivable...
- Third parties relationship supervision: services suppliers, administrations,etc.
- Studies of feasibility reports of investments/projects, strategic policy changes...
- Selection, coaching and development of team members.
- Management of Human Resources.
- Optimization of the management system.
- Design of the development policies of the company.
- General Services Coordination.
- Design the strategy for CRM policy.
- Raised over $850,000 - largely from relatively small individual contributions - more than doubling national projections.
- Identified potential donors, reached out actively fundraising, and tracked and managed relationships and contributions using NGP software while leading a team of interns and fundraising staffers.
- Organized and orchestrated fundraising events with business owners and local supporters, managed host committees with event goals upwards of $12,500, and worked 1-on-1 with Nate on fundraising calls.
- Responsible for all aspects of the financial management for a $4.5m organization including:
- Providing financial leadership as a member of the executive team on all financial and operational issues.
- Preparing and presenting financial statements to management, Board of Directors, and donors.
- Managed all HR functions including payroll, & employee relations, and coordinated a complete rewrite of the employee manual, and added several employees benefits.
- Directed the annual budgeting process and management of forecasts and variance reporting.
- Directed the preparation and completion of the annual independent financial audit and tax reporting.
- Optimized the handling of bank and deposit relationships and initiate appropriate strategies to enhance cash position.
- Maintained best practices pertaining to all aspects of accounting conforming to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
- Created of a systematic risk management system
- Implemented QuickBooks Enterprise for Not-for-profit in seven (7) countries
- Project leader and editor of the Global Manual of Finance and Administration for the Americas
- Integrated workflow among accounting, production and logistics to create seamless and efficient operations
- Augmented revenue and profit through detailed, real-time analytics
- Designed scaleable, efficient, and complient processes
- Manage HR and grew staff from 16 - 70+
- Opened an EMEA Subsidiary in the UK for international expansion of Sales and Customer Experience
- Worked with CFO and Venture Capital firms to secure $11M Series B financing
- Financial Management: Efficiency, sustainability and quality. Financial crisis solved, reserves increased.
- Team Management: Organizational culture developed and seven-people team experience delivered with 100% retention rate.
- Main learning points: Leadership, team work, financial and legal management
- Customer experience: Guide, support, helper in adaptation process for exchange participants.
PRO TIP
Show off real numbers that display your accomplishments in past roles. Instead of listing out your responsibilities as Director of Finance, talk about the measurable impact you made to their business. Did you boost their revenue? Increase customer retention? Mention your proudest points on your resume.
Action verbs for your director of finance resume
Recommended reads:
Director of Finance Resume Skills’ Tips & Tricks to Impress Recruiters
Resume skills section checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top skills for your director of finance resume
Oracle
Hyperion/Essbase/Smart View
IBM Cognos Controller
MS Dynamics NAV
MS Office Package
Focus
1C
Hard-working (18/24)
Transparency
Communication
Delegation
Decisiveness
Empowering
Consistency and Reliability
Empathy and sensitivity
Mentoring and coaching
PRO TIP
When describing your experience, don’t go too far from its terminology. Recruiters use ATS systems to filter resumes based on them having certain keywords, so make sure you use at least a few keywords mentioned in the job description.
Recommended reads:
Director of finance resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your director of finance resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads.":
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have policies about identifying information like photos on your Director of Finance resume. Be sure to check all the relevant rules before submitting yours. If you’re in doubt, you can always try contacting the company’s HR department to ask for their policy.
Director of finance resume summary best practices
Checklist: What to include in your Director of Finance resume summary:
- Years of experience;
- Highlight top 3 skills and proficiencies;
- One big professional accomplishment you’re most proud of, that you can tie with the aforementioned skills;
- Use short, direct sentences - but no more than three - to keep the HRs interested.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
When writing a resume summary or objective, avoid first-person narrative.
Recommended reads:
Listing your education, certifications and courses
Resume education section checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top certifications for your director of finance resume
Financial Intelligence For Non-Finance Managers
Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs, Executives, and Directors
The Complete Finance Manager Course 2022
Financial Management, ERP systems, Accounting, Capital budgeting, Presentation design, Management, and Negotiation
Corporate Finance
Learn corporate finance from a practicing CPA Certified Public Accountant
Finance for Non-Finance: Learn Quick and Easy
Obtain Suplemental Skills to Get a Raise, Better Job or Improve Your Own Business
Introduction to Finance, Accounting, Modeling and Valuation
Learn Finance & Accounting from Scratch by an Award Winning MBA Professor, Ivy Grad, worked @ Goldman & VC
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Director of Finance. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
Director of finance resume: additional writing & formatting tips
There are three basic resume formats you can choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional resume format;
- Hybrid (or Combination) resume format;
The most optimal format for your particular case will depend on your years of experience, as well as whether you’re switching industries or not.
Reverse chronological resumes are best suited for experienced individuals who are sticking to their industry. The experience section takes a central place, and its bullets contain your responsibilities and achievements, coupled with numbers and results.
Functional resumes are used by less experienced jobseekers or career changers. Note that it’s not a format that recruiters prefer, as most are used to the classic chronological alignment. Instead of a list of job titles, functional resumes focus on your skills, and through what experiences you gained them.
Hybrid resumes are great for both experienced and entry-level candidates, as well as career changers. They combine the best of both worlds - most often in a double column format, where one side of the content is focused on your experience, whereas the other - on your skills, strengths, and proudest moments.
Director of finance resume summary best practices
Here are more resume tips regarding your layout and style:
- Clear and legible 12p resume font size;
- Use 10’’ resume margins - that’s default for a great resume design;
- Use a one-page template resume length if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- Save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiter.
To take it a step further, check out how your resume can stand out without leaning too much on the creative side.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical Director of Finance resume layout, you can use a creative layout. Getting noticed is the most important challenge and a creative resume layout might help you get invited for an interview as most of other accountants have boring resume designs.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company (corporation or start-up; innovative or traditional), job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your Director Of Finance resume:
Director of Finance Resume: How to make yours more creative & stand out
When you send your resume to a potential employer, chances are it's the fiftieth one they've seen that day. That's why you need to make your Director of Finance resume stand out for the right reasons. That means showing your personality, not just your professional experience. Employers are far more likely to remember a candidate who seems like a genuine person and not a robot. Do this by including your passions (which is also a great place to demonstrate skills on a resume), share your favorite books, or even what your usual day looks like.
What makes a great director of finance resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
