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 Scotland
From Glasgow to Edinburgh, Gretna Green to Inverness, Scotland is a beautiful country that offers plenty of opportunity for those seeking Head of Finance 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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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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