Finance manager
Plan and oversee the financial information for a company or organisation.
Also known as: assistant finance manager, finance director, head of finance
About the job
What it's like
As a finance manager, you'll plan and oversee the financial information for your company or organisation. You'll maintain the integrity of financial accounts and ensure there are no breaches of conduct.
In this role, you'll work directly with others. You could be working with people within your company or other businesses. You'll advise customers or colleagues on your company's financial policies.
Your tasks might include:
reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
ensuring financial regulatory standards are met
monitoring processes and procedures for accounting and financial reporting
preparing financial information for review, for your company or other organisations that oversee financial regulations
being responsible for tax information
overseeing management accounting and budgetary processes
You'll need to have good attention to detail and analysis skills. You’ll keep up to date on market information and financial regulation.
You may lead a finance team and you'll work with government bodies such as HMRC.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) – find out more about a career in finance
Get Into Finance – explore financial careers in Scotland
Future Asset – information and guidance for high school girls who want to get into finance
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Select qualification level(s)
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- analysing
- taking responsibility
- ethical
- taking initiative
- attention to detail
- working with numbers
- problem solving
- written communication
- working with technology
- verbal communication
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Maths (Mathematics)
Economics
Business Management
Accounting
Statistics
Applications of Mathematics
English
Foundation Apprenticeship: Accountancy
Skills for Work: Financial Services
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are no formal qualification requirements but a degree in a relevant subject will be valuable.
University
Subjects that would be useful for working as a finance manager include:
Accountancy
Business Management
Finance
Use the My World of Work course search to find relevant degrees.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Accountancy
Business Management
Finance
Use the My World of Work course search to find relevant courses.
Other qualifications
You could also gain a qualification through the Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA) or the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). These qualifications will help you to stand out and could help you progress to more senior roles.
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in areas such as:
Accounting
Payroll
Providing Financial Services
Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) are designed for industry and you'll spend most of your time learning on the job but you'll also go to university. You'll get a job, get paid and work towards a degree qualification at the same time.
You might want to consider a GA in:
Accounting
Business Management
Check out all apprenticeships on Apprenticeships.scot.
Work
You could become a finance manager through applying directly with an employer or getting an entry-level job and working your way up. You can use the My World of Work job search to look for vacancies.
Having relevant work experience can help you a lot in this role. You're likely to use spreadsheets, so experience working with Excel will be a valuable asset to employers.
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