Vice President of Finance job description.
The Vice President of Finance oversees an organization's financial strategy, planning, and reporting, ensuring fiscal health and regulatory compliance. They manage budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis, lead the finance team, and advise executive leadership on investment, cost management, and risk decisions. This senior role requires strong financial acumen and the ability to translate financial data into strategic guidance.
The Vice President of Finance job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 9 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Vice President of Finance Reports to: Chief Financial Officer / Chief Executive Officer
The Vice President of Finance oversees an organization's financial strategy, planning, and reporting, ensuring fiscal health and regulatory compliance. They manage budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis, lead the finance team, and advise executive leadership on investment, cost management, and risk decisions. This senior role requires strong financial acumen and the ability to translate financial data into strategic guidance.
- Develop and oversee the organization's financial strategy and planning
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting processes
- Manage and mentor the finance and accounting teams
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
9 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Chief Financial Officer / Chief Executive Officer
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Develop and oversee the organization's financial strategy and planning
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting processes
- Manage and mentor the finance and accounting teams
- Advise executive leadership on financial risks, opportunities, and investments
- Ensure compliance with financial regulations and reporting standards
- Oversee cash flow management and capital allocation decisions
- Present financial performance and forecasts to the board and stakeholders
- Evaluate and improve financial systems, controls, and processes
- Support fundraising, M&A, or major financial transactions as needed
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field (MBA preferred)
- 10+ years of progressive finance leadership experience
- Strong knowledge of financial planning, analysis, and reporting
- Proven experience managing budgets and financial teams
- Excellent communication skills for presenting to executives and boards
- CPA, CFA, or equivalent professional certification
- Experience in a high-growth or publicly traded company
- Background in mergers, acquisitions, or capital raising
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Vice President of Finance job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Vice President of Finance job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The executive band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Chief Financial Officer / Chief Executive Officer) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What's the difference between a VP of Finance and a CFO?
- The VP of Finance often manages day-to-day financial operations and reporting, while the CFO sets overall financial strategy and sits on the executive leadership team; in smaller organizations, the roles may be combined.
- What qualifications are typically required?
- Most employers look for a finance or accounting degree, a decade or more of progressive experience, and often a CPA, CFA, or MBA credential.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Finance Director
A Finance Director oversees an organization's financial planning, reporting, and controls.
Financial Manager
A financial manager oversees an organization's financial health, directing reporting, budgeting, and investment activities.
Chief Financial Officer
A Chief Financial Officer leads the financial strategy of an organization, overseeing accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and capital management.
This Vice President of Finance job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.