Finance Manager CV Example
A finance manager CV should demonstrate your ability to lead finance operations, produce accurate management accounts, and provide financial guidance that supports business growth and efficiency.
Recommended template: Sleek
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Highlight the size of the finance team and the scope of operations you have managed.
- Quantify your impact with examples of cost savings, process improvements, or reporting enhancements.
- Demonstrate your experience liaising with external auditors and managing year-end processes.
- Include your professional qualifications and any specialist industry experience.
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Start with the Sleek template and customise it for your banking & finance role.
How to Write Your Finance Manager CV
A finance manager CV should demonstrate your ability to lead a finance function, produce reliable financial information, and contribute to business performance through sound financial management. Employers want to see evidence of strong technical skills combined with leadership capability and commercial awareness. Your CV should show that you can manage both the detail and the bigger picture.
CV Structure
Use a reverse-chronological format with a strong profile that highlights your qualification, team size, and key achievements. For each role, provide context about the organisation and your reporting line. List four to five responsibilities followed by two to three quantified achievements. Include sections for qualifications, skills, and any relevant professional development. Keep the CV to two pages.
CV Format
Choose a professional, corporate-style template with clear headings and consistent formatting. Avoid creative designs — finance manager CVs should convey reliability and attention to detail. Ensure your professional qualification is visible within the first few lines of the document.
CV Profile Examples
Experienced Finance Manager
ACCA-qualified finance manager with eight years of experience leading finance operations within manufacturing and wholesale distribution environments. Skilled in producing timely management accounts, managing month-end close processes, and overseeing teams of up to six. Proven ability to improve financial controls and deliver actionable reporting that supports senior management decision-making.
Senior Finance Manager
Commercially focused senior finance manager with a strong background in multi-site financial management and group consolidation. Experienced in managing finance teams, coordinating external audits, and delivering budgets and forecasts to board-level stakeholders. Known for streamlining finance processes and implementing system improvements that enhance reporting accuracy and efficiency.
Finance Manager — Charity Sector
CIMA-qualified finance manager with five years of experience in the charity and not-for-profit sector, managing restricted and unrestricted fund accounting across multiple programmes. Skilled in donor reporting, grant compliance, and statutory accounts preparation under Charity SORP. Committed to supporting organisational missions through sound financial stewardship and transparent reporting.
Open with your qualification status, years of finance management experience, and industry sector. Mention team size and scope of financial operations. Include one standout achievement to differentiate yourself immediately.
Key Skills for Your Finance Manager CV
Management Accounts
Producing accurate monthly management accounts including P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements to agreed deadlines.
Team Management
Leading, developing, and supervising finance staff to ensure the team delivers accurate outputs and meets departmental objectives.
Budgeting & Forecasting
Managing the annual budget cycle and producing rolling forecasts that support business planning and resource allocation.
Month-End & Year-End Close
Coordinating the full close process including accruals, prepayments, reconciliations, and journal postings.
Financial Controls
Establishing and maintaining internal controls to safeguard assets, ensure reporting accuracy, and support audit readiness.
Audit Liaison
Managing relationships with external auditors, preparing audit schedules, and resolving audit queries efficiently.
Cash Flow Management
Monitoring cash positions, producing forecasts, and managing working capital to maintain organisational liquidity.
ERP Systems
Using enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP, NetSuite, or Microsoft Dynamics for financial management and reporting.
Variance Analysis
Identifying and explaining deviations from budget through structured analysis and clear management commentary.
Work Experience Examples
For each role, describe the organisation, your reporting line, and the scope of your responsibilities. Include team size, budget or turnover figures, and the number of entities managed. Highlight both operational achievements such as close time reductions and strategic contributions like cost savings or system implementations.
Finance Manager
Hartwell Manufacturing Ltd
Led the finance function of a £38M turnover manufacturing company with two production sites and 190 employees, reporting to the finance director.
Responsibilities
- Produced monthly management accounts including P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements within seven working days of month-end.
- Managed the annual budgeting process, working with department heads to build bottom-up budgets and presenting the consolidated plan to the board.
- Supervised a team of four including two assistant accountants and two accounts payable processors.
- Coordinated the year-end statutory audit and corporation tax compliance for two group entities.
- Monitored working capital metrics and produced weekly cash flow forecasts to support treasury management.
Achievements
- Reduced month-end close from twelve working days to seven by automating recurring journals and standardising reconciliation templates.
- Implemented a new costing model for the production division that identified £145,000 in annual overhead savings.
- Achieved a clean audit opinion for three consecutive years with no material adjustments required.
Assistant Finance Manager
Redbridge Healthcare Trust
Supported the finance manager in overseeing financial operations for an NHS trust with an annual budget of £62M across acute and community services.
Responsibilities
- Prepared monthly management accounts for six cost centres, including income and expenditure analysis and commentary.
- Managed the fixed asset register and processed capital expenditure approvals in line with trust standing financial instructions.
- Produced quarterly financial returns for NHS England and supported the preparation of annual accounts.
- Deputised for the finance manager during absences, attending budget holder meetings and signing off routine transactions.
Achievements
- Developed a budget monitoring dashboard in Excel that improved visibility of overspends across clinical departments.
- Supported the successful delivery of a £1.8M cost improvement programme by providing detailed financial analysis of proposed savings schemes.
Education & Qualifications
Lead with your ACCA, CIMA, or ACA qualification, stating the year qualified and professional body. Follow with your degree, including classification and institution. Add any relevant supplementary training such as ERP system certifications or management development programmes.
ACCA Qualified
Chartered certified accountant qualification providing comprehensive technical and strategic accounting competence.
CIMA Qualified
Chartered management accountant qualification with a focus on business performance and management decision support.
ACA (ICAEW)
Chartered accountant qualification demonstrating rigorous technical accounting knowledge and professional standards.
ILM Level 5
Institute of Leadership and Management qualification demonstrating team leadership and people management capability.
Frequently Asked Questions
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