Finance Director
In business, every major financial decision a company makes has a profound effect on its profitability, or even its survival. Big decisions about expansion, restructuring, new product ranges, setting up in new territories and the really tough decisions like mass redundancies all need to be financially justified to the company, shareholders and sometimes the public. It’s the finance director’s job to oversee those decisions.
Finance director jobs are usually part hands-on financial analysis and decision making, and part overseeing a team of finance managers, departmental managers and accountancy departments. As a board member, they will have plenty of sway, but must also be in charge of implementing company-wide policies from a financial standpoint. They will know when to sit down and crunch the numbers themselves, and when to delegate the tasks to trusted lieutenants who can deliver sound, evidence-based figures on which to base those key decisions.
The skills required of the finance director
Clearly, the role of finance director is reserved for those who are highly experienced in overseeing the financial matters of large organisations. You won’t necessarily need to be a director already, but you will have to have proved that you understand business economics inside and out, and that you have had to make tough financial decisions and seen them through, gathering evidence, presenting your case and analysing results.
You’ll also be a great communicator and negotiator, as you’ll often be meeting with banks, shareholders, other board members and managers to both listen and to instruct on financial decisions. Many businesses require a BA in finance, accounting or business before this role is considered.
Finance Director Jobs in Scotland
From Glasgow to Edinburgh, Gretna Green to Inverness, Scotland is a beautiful country that offers plenty of opportunity for those seeking Finance Director vacancies.
Scotland has had a long and tumultuous history, particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries when relations with England were fraught with difficulty.
In 1707, the Acts of Union were passed and the Kingdom of Great Britain was created. This resulted in the abolishment of trade tariffs and the Scottish economy quickly grew. Clippers carried tobacco to Glasgow from the New World during the 18th century. Then, during the Industrial Revolution, everything from ships and locomotives through to coal, textiles and steel were produced on a massive scale.
Fast forward to today and Scotland's economy is more focused on the service sector - although manufacturing and oil production are still important.
Edinburgh is one of Europe's largest financial centres, home to companies like Lloyds, Standard Life, the Bank of Scotland and the Royal Bank of Scotland. It's also the seat of Scottish government and an important tourist destination, hosting one of the largest culture festivals in the world.
Whisky is one of Scotland's best-known exports, with numerous distilleries and bottlers located around the country, including Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie and Teacher's Highland Cream, as well as liqueurs like Drambuie and Glayva.
Other companies with headquarters or regional facilities in Scotland include IBM and Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Amazon, BAE and Rolls-Royce.
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Finance director recruitment at Cast UK
At Cast UK, we understand how difficult it is to find high-calibre candidates to interview for critical roles like this. That’s why as an agency, we have always focused on the upper echelons of business, namely executive and managerial positions. So if you’re looking for the perfect finance director for your organisation, call 0333 121 3345 and we can deliver exactly those A1 candidates you’re looking for.
If you are a finance director or have a CV that proves you’re ready to become one, we want to hear from you – as do some fantastic businesses up and down the country. Please register with us by following the link below.
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