Head of Finance
Occupying a position below the board but with a huge amount of responsibility, the head of finance for a company is mainly responsible for gathering financial information from the business and reporting the data to the board. They might also be involved with decision making where finances are concerned, but they will usually have to defer to the CEO, COO or CFO, and might therefore be employed in an advisory role.
The head of finance will also be involved with forecasting, both in the company’s own activities and with regard to the region or wider world. While forecasts are not always strictly scientific, they must be informed and educated enough to make a case for the board to make spending and investment decisions on their basis.
In some head of finance jobs, there is, however, a good deal of autonomy to make decisions without daily reference to the board, within certain budgetary and projected constraints. It depends on the size and structure of the business.
Head of finance skills
As head of finance, you’ll have to be extremely adept at all manner of accountancy, bookkeeping, forecasting and reporting. Experience at a senior level within the financial department of a large business will stand you in good stead, although everyone has to start somewhere, so a specific head of finance title is not always requested, as long as you have a proven track record of financial management.
As far as qualifications are concerned, a BSc/BA in accounting or finance will often be a minimum requirement, but other related qualifications and experience will also be considered in many cases.
Head of Finance Jobs in Burnley
Whereas most northern towns with milling and industrial heritage are closely linked to a major city such as Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle or Glasgow, Burnley is something of an oddity thanks to its relative isolation. It’s a good 22 miles (34 km) to the centre of Manchester to its direct south, about the same distance west or Bradford and the next major settlement to its north is Carlisle, 80 miles (130 km) away. Its nearest neighbour is Blackburn, 10 miles to the west and roughly Burnley’s twin in terms of population (and its footballing rival).
Burnley started out as a market town, trading chiefly in wool and other farm products, until the Industrial Revolution, and particularly the canals, reached the town. When coal was discovered close by, the picture was complete. Before long the town was thriving, with wool mills and eventually cotton mills powered by steam engines making the town thunder with productivity. Inevitably, the mills were to gradually close down and Burnley went through a period of isolation and stagnation, particularly after the Second World War.
The town is, however, looking forward, and has attracted investment and jobs over recent years. Industrial estates have sprung up around the town, and perhaps because of the distance to large cities, Burnley has become almost self-sufficient when it comes to retail, with a bustling town centre and a host of chains setting up shop there. This all adds up to a positive story for those looking for Head of Finance positions in the Burnley area.
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Head of finance recruitment at Cast UK
When looking for the right person to fill such a key role in a business, you need as relevant a shortlist as possible so you can decide on the perfect one. That’s where Cast UK comes in. We only work with recruits at senior levels, so you can be sure that any candidates who have been through our filter will be relevant and ready to make a difference. Call 0333 121 3345 to speak to one of our experts.
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