10 Finance Manager Resume Examples for 2024

Creating a resume for a finance manager role requires specific strategies. This guide offers proven resume templates and key advice tailored to help you get noticed. Learn the essential sections to include, impactful ways to showcase relevant skills, and how to effectively present your financial accomplishments.

  Compiled and approved by Liz Bowen
  Last updated on See history of changes

  Next update scheduled for

At a Glance

Here's what we see in the best resumes for finance managers:

  • Show Your Impact By Using Numbers: Use metrics like boosted revenue, cut costs by, improved profits, and optimized budgets. These help show your success clearly.

  • List Relevant Skills: Include skills on your resume that you have and are mentioned on the job description. Some popular ones are financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, Excel, and QuickBooks. Choose the ones you have and are mentioned in the JD.

  • Use Industry-specific Terms: Phrases like financial modeling and variance analysis make your resume stronger and targeted.

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Positioning your education

As a hiring manager, you should place your education on your resume where it aligns best with your experience level. If you have been working as a finance professional for several years, list your work experience first. This shows your practical skills in managing financial tasks.

If you have recently finished a significant educational program such as an MBA or a specialized finance certification, put your education before your experience. This highlights your advanced knowledge and commitment to the field of finance management.

Make sure that your education section includes any finance-related degrees or certifications, emphasizing skills like financial analysis and budget management that are key for a finance manager role.

Mention accounting software

Familiarity with accounting software like QuickBooks, SAP, or Oracle is crucial for finance roles. Highlight your proficiency in these tools prominently in your skills section.

Provide specific examples where you used these tools to streamline processes, reduce errors, or improve financial reporting accuracy.

Ideal resume length

When you apply for a finance manager role, aim to present your resume in a concise format. If you have less than 10 years of relevant experience, your resume should ideally be one page. This helps you to get your most relevant experience and skills noticed quickly. For those with more depth in their finance careers, up to two pages is acceptable to cover additional roles, responsibilities, and achievements.

Ensuring the first page includes your strongest skills and achievements is key. As a hiring manager, I notice when an applicant can summarize their career effectively. It shows good judgement and the ability to highlight what matters most, which are crucial skills for a finance manager. If space is an issue, consider removing less relevant information to keep the focus on your finance skills and leadership experience.

Highlight financial forecasting

In the finance field, experience with financial forecasting is highly valued. Be sure to include any past roles where you handled budget projections, analyzed financial data, or created financial models.

Quantify your achievements with specific figures. For example, you can mention how you helped save a certain percentage of costs or increased revenue through effective financial planning.

Understand resume screeners

When you apply for a job as a finance manager, your resume may be read by a computer before a person sees it. This is done by a tool called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). To help you get past the ATS, here are simple tips you can use:

  • Include keywords from the job description in your resume. For a finance manager, words like 'budgeting,' 'forecasting,' and 'financial analysis' are important.
  • Make sure your resume is clearly structured with headings such as 'Work Experience,' 'Education,' and 'Skills.' This helps the ATS understand your information better.

Customize your finance resume

When applying for finance manager positions, it's crucial to tailor your resume to show your specific skills and experiences. You need to prove you can handle money matters and lead a financial team effectively. Focus on achievements that demonstrate your ability to improve a company's financial health.

  • For finance-related expertise, list your proficiency in tools like QuickBooks or Oracle Financials, and share how you've improved processes or saved money.
  • As a financial leader, point to the size of the budgets you have managed or the financial strategies you've implemented that led to strong results.
  • If you're transitioning from another field, highlight any related financial duties—such as budget management or cost analysis—and the tangible outcomes.

Essential skills for finance managers

When you apply for a finance manager role, your resume should show you have the right hard skills. Here's a list to help you start:

  • Financial analysis
  • Budgeting
  • Forecasting
  • Financial reporting
  • Accounting principles
  • Cost control
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Risk management
  • ERP software proficiency
  • Excel

Not every job will need all these skills, so match your skills to the job you want. You can show these skills in a dedicated section called 'Skills' or 'Technical Skills' on your resume. This makes it easy for hiring managers and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to find them. Remember, ATS might be used to scan your resume, so include exact terms from the job description.

Also, if you're proficient in a particular financial software or system, that's worth mentioning. For example, experience with SAP or Oracle can be very appealing. Think about the tools you use every day and make sure they're on your resume. Add any certifications you have, like CPA or CFA, as they are strong indicators of your expertise.

Quantify financial impact

As a finance manager, showing your impact in numbers on your resume can make a strong case for your skills. You need to think about the specific metrics that reflect your achievements. Here's how to do it:

  • Reflect on cost-saving initiatives you've led. For example, if you negotiated better terms with suppliers, estimate the percentage of costs saved. A statement like 'Negotiated a 15% reduction in supply costs' uses the metric 15% to show your impact.
  • Consider revenue growth you've contributed to. If your strategies have led to an increase in revenue, quantify it. For example, 'Implemented new strategies that grew revenue by 20% year-over-year.' The metric 20% clearly shows your contribution.

Also, think about budget management and forecasting accuracy. If you've managed a large budget, include the size, like 'Oversaw a budget of $5 million.' If your forecasts are usually accurate, you can state 'Maintained forecast accuracy within ±2%.' Both the $5 million and ±2% are metrics that highlight your proficiency in financial management.

Lastly, if you have experience in reducing financial risks or improving investment returns, quantify these achievements. For instance, 'Reduced financial risk by 30%' or 'Improved investment returns by 25% over two years.' These figures, 30% and 25%, give tangible proof of your financial acumen.

Show leadership and promotions

When you apply for a finance manager role, it's vital you show any leadership experience or promotions you've had. This tells hiring managers that you can take charge and grow within a company. Here's how you can do this:

  • Include titles and roles where you've led a team. For example, 'Led a team of 4 analysts to improve budget reporting by 20%.'
  • If you've been promoted, list your previous and current titles to show growth. For instance, 'Promoted from financial analyst to senior financial analyst, and then to finance manager.'

Think about times you've taken the lead on projects or initiatives. Consider the following:

  • Highlight specific leadership tasks, such as 'Managed annual budget process,' to show your responsibility level.
  • For promotions, list achievements that led to your advancement. For example, 'Improved cost-saving strategies, resulting in a promotion to finance manager within two years.'
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