Finance director CV example

Writing your Finance Director CV is more than just a summary of your career – it’s your chance to showcase your leadership, financial expertise, and ability to deliver results.

From structuring and formatting it professionally to presenting your achievements and strategic impact, this guide will help you create a CV that captures a recruiter’s attention.

A Finance Director’s CV should be as precise and well-organised as the financial reports you produce. Recruiters need a clear layout to see your credentials, achievements, and expertise at a glance. They don’t want to feel like they’re reviewing a tax return – keep it clear and simple.

Here’s how to structure your Finance Director CV:

• Name and contact details – Place these personal details at the top for easy access. Including a photo is entirely optional.
• Profile – Summarise your financial leadership, accomplishments, and strategic expertise.
• Core skills – Highlight key abilities like budgeting, financial forecasting, and team leadership.
• Work experience – Detail your professional history in reverse chronological order, focusing on your strategic impact and results.
• Education – Include your academic qualifications and any professional certifications, such as ACCA or CIMA.
• Additional info – Optionally, mention hobbies and interests that demonstrate your leadership skills or dedication to professional growth.

Your CV’s format should reflect the professionalism and attention to detail you bring to financial management. Remember, even highly accomplished candidates can miss out if formatting mistakes overshadow their qualifications.

Here’s how to format your Finance Director CV:

• Bullet points – Break down responsibilities and results into concise, easily readable points.
• Divide sections – Use clear headings to structure your CV logically.
• Use a clean font – Opt for a professional layout with a font that ensures readability.
• Keep it the right length – Your CV should be no more than 2 pages, providing enough detail while holding the reader’s attention.

Your profile is your CV’s opening statement, where you present a compelling snapshot of your leadership and financial expertise. For a Finance Director, it’s the ideal place to highlight your strategic vision and key achievements.

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Here are some tips to help your profile read like a glowing annual report, not a set of lost receipts:

• Where you’ve worked – Mention industries or companies you’ve led financially, especially those relevant to the role.
• Your top qualifications – Highlight degrees, certifications like ACCA or CIMA, and executive training programs.
• Essential skills – Include key abilities like financial forecasting, strategic planning, and risk management.
• Budgets or portfolios managed – Reference the scale of budgets, teams, or financial portfolios you’ve overseen.
• Key accomplishments – Mention high-impact results, such as cost reductions, revenue growth, or successful acquisitions.

Think of your core skills section as your financial portfolio – it shows off your most valuable assets. State your most marketable skills with just a column or two of bullet points

For Finance Directors, this should focus on leadership, financial strategy, and technical skills. Tailor these to the specific needs of the organisation you’re applying to join.

Your work experience section is where you demonstrate your leadership and financial impact. Highlight the organisations you’ve worked for, the challenges you’ve faced, and the results you’ve delivered.

List your roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on measurable achievements and strategic contributions.

• Outline – Provide a brief overview of the organisation, your role, and the scope of your responsibilities.
• Responsibilities – Highlight key tasks like budgeting, forecasting, and stakeholder management. Use action verbs like “orchestrated,” “directed,” or “streamlined.”
• Achievements – Showcase measurable results, such as increasing profitability, securing investments, or improving financial processes. Always include numbers where possible to reinforce your impact.

The education section is critical for a Finance Director, as it highlights your academic foundation and professional training. Include degrees, certifications, and executive programs that reflect your expertise.List your qualifications in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. And don’t overcomplicate it; recruiters aren’t looking for a historical ledger of your academic life, just the highlights.