Finance Director
Finance Director
Finance Director
GUIDE TO HIRING
an FD or CFO
You might decide it’s time to recruit a CFO or FD if you want help with fundraising
through government programs or private investors. If you have a merger or acquisition
on the horizon, a CFO can ensure the transition is streamlined and runs smoothly. One
reason companies choose to recruit an FD is that they are planning to enter a new
niche or want to expand their market share in an existing one.
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Allows your company to plan for the future and formalize business
strategy.
Having an FD on board can free up your time, as they’ll oversee all the financial aspects of
your business that might otherwise distract you from other important elements. When
an FD can analyse your performance, they can implement systems that will boost your
company’s performance and potentially save you money long-term.
Most SMEs choose to bring an FD on board as they don’t have a finance department. In this
scenario, having a CFO or FD can streamline the processes within your business. Whether
it’s making the accounting process easier or implementing systems, your FD can help you
save time or money daily.
The manner of their job means that CFO or FDs can have difficult conversations on your
behalf, whether it’s a contractor failing to pay on time or a difficult customer. One of their
primary responsibilities is to help you manage your cash flow.
When you have a CFO or FD, they should be one of the most senior employees within your
company. As they oversee your finances, you can involve them in the everyday decision-
making process to help you manage your funds while hitting your goals. If you have
ambitious goals for your company’s future, having an FD on board can help you implement
the strategies you need to achieve them.
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Interpersonal skills: Your FD will deal with everyone from investors to clients and
employees. They need to have the diplomatic skills to present the company in the best
light.
Data analytical skill: The key role of an FD is to analyse the data around your business
to facilitate forecasting and performance analysis.
Relationship with CEO: A CFO or FD often steps into the shoes of the CEO, working
directly alongside time. You want to make sure you have a good rapport and
connection with the candidate.
The size of the company and the region it operates in will feed into the decision-making
process of choosing the salary. The most lucrative industry for FDs is oil and gas, with an
average sector salary of £137,656. Not surprisingly, charities have the lowest average sector
salary at £98,149.
These numbers are an average, meaning that there are talented FDs who are earning more
than this due to their skills and proven track record. While basic pay and a car allowance
make up around 75% of an FD’s annual pay, you don’t want to forget about the other 25%
that is made up of an employee benefits package.
Most FDs and CFOs have a bonus clause attached to their contract, giving them a % of the
profits as an incentive for implementing programs and cash flow initiatives to meet these
goals. The average bonus for an FD is 20% of their basic salary, representing 15% of their
overall annual package.
Other benefits that you want to offer your FD or CFO include pension benefits and health
care. You want your FD to have the incentive to play a crucial role in bringing your business
towards its next set of goals.
Equity and LTIPs are other employment benefits that you should consider following a
period of high company growth, a merger or acquisition, or when the company makes an
IPO. A performance share plan (PSP) is when your FD and other participants are awarded
shares or rights to shares within the company as a long-term incentive.
Along with an annual bonus, a long-term bonus may be chosen to be awarded after the
competition of a major financial event, such as hitting a turnover goal.
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IS EVERY FD A
CHARTERED
ACCOUNTANT?
Most FDs are ACA/FCA qualified,
while some are CIMA qualified. Our
team will work to match the skill
set of our FDs to match your needs.
We will always put forward the best
CFO or FD for your company.
SHOULD I RECRUIT
MY FD ON A FULL-
TIME OR PART-
TIME BASIS?
Hiring a part-time FD means that
you can take advantage of the
same expert knowledge and the
individual’s experience within the
industry without the extra financial
cost of hiring someone full-time.
Choosing a part-time or full-time
FD will depend on the needs of
your business.
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Finances have always been the backbone of any business, but it has taken on new
importance in recent years. Your CFO or FD works in partnership with the CEO to drive the
business forward. Gathering the data and information is only half the battle, as the FD is
the person who will analyse the information and provide the commentary to help it make
sense to the rest of the company. This data feeds into the strategic goals of the organization
and brings them to fruition.
More of the finance side of every business is becoming automated. You no longer need
a full financial department for your business. Thins like your payroll and expenses can be
automated with the help of an FD who oversees the process and ensure the data capture is
correct.
Any CFO or FD has big shoes to fill, meaning it can be difficult to find the person who is the
right fit. You want someone who will be able to analyse your financial data and interpret
it in a way that allows them to develop a strategic plan to meet your business growth
or expansion goals. An FD has to be able to continually interpret information and make
accurate forecasts to facilitate decision-making within the organization.
An FD should be able to understand the changes that are ongoing within the global
environment – including economic, political, and technological change. They should
understand shifts in consumer behavior and the growing trend of ‘activist’ investors who
wreak havoc on the stock market with a social-justice mission.
You’re going to rely on your FD to use their interpersonal skills to communicate their
findings and predictions to everyone from key stakeholders to employees in the
organization.
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WHAT
RESPONSIBILITIES
SHOULD AN FD OR
CFO HAVE?
An FD or CFO is usually the number two in
your organization, working in unison and
answering to the CEO. Their responsibility goes
beyond overseeing payroll or dealing with
investors.
Keep the hiring process as short as possible as candidates will drop out if the process is
too drawn out.
Candidates will often drop out of the hiring process if the position comes with an offer
that is too low.
Poor communication between the company and candidates is another reason for a
flawed recruitment process. You want to make sure you’re keeping candidates in the
loop throughout the process.
Your interviewers will make or break the recruitment process as they’re the first
introduction your candidate gets to the company. If the interviewer fails to inspire them,
your candidate might decide the position is not worth their time.
Lack of information on employment benefits, working hours, and a job description can
cause a candidate to become disinterested and look elsewhere for another opportunity.
The opposite can sometimes be true, and candidates may find that the process is too
quick. 7% of candidates drop out because the recruitment process is too fast. We’ve all
heard of candidates who were offered a job at their first interview. While you might think
this is efficient, it prevents the candidate from having the opportunity to assess how they
feel about the organization in its entirety.
If you choose to offer a candidate the position early on, ask them what information they
need to be able to make this decision.
Money makes the world go round. Providing a low offer with the position can cause
candidates to become disinterested and drop out of the process. Most FD job descriptions
don’t show the fixed rate, but instead, promise the lucky candidate a competitive rate.
“Competitive” means different things to every person.
You want to avoid changing the payment package during the recruitment process and
allows the industry to set the perfect price point. If you choose to use a salary banding, you
need to be prepared to look at all of it as different candidates will apply for every position.
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HOW TO PREVENT
CANDIDATE DROP-OUTS
WHILE HIRING AN FD OR
CEO.
Almost every candidate who drops out of the
recruitment process cites poor communication as the
reason they lost interest. If a candidate doesn’t hear
from you within a week of their interview, they’ll often
assume that you will not hire them, and they’ll move on
to the next job listing.