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Financial Managers Occupation Detailed Description

Financial Managers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Financial Managers

The main tasks and work activities of Financial Managers are to prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets, compile operational data, direct financial operations, prepare reports related to compliance matters. In general, for the Financial Managers, judgment and Decision Making, complex Problem Solving, reading Comprehension, critical Thinking and other 17 skills are required.
Financial Managers Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Financial Managers jobs. 16.88% of Financial Managers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 1.75% of Financial Managers have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
16.88%
Post-Secondary Certificate
1.75%
Some College Courses
7.42%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
3.42%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
70.53%

Tasks and Work Activities of Financial Managers

  • Prepare and file annual tax returns or prepare financial information so that outside accountants can complete tax returns.
  • Prepare or direct preparation of financial statements, business activity reports, financial position forecasts, annual budgets, or reports required by regulatory agencies.
  • Supervise employees performing financial reporting, accounting, billing, collections, payroll, and budgeting duties.
  • Delegate authority for the receipt, disbursement, banking, protection, and custody of funds, securities, and financial instruments.
  • Maintain current knowledge of organizational policies and procedures, federal and state policies and directives, and current accounting standards.
  • Conduct or coordinate audits of company accounts and financial transactions to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements and statutes.
  • Receive, record, and authorize requests for disbursements in accordance with company policies and procedures.
  • Monitor and evaluate the performance of accounting and other financial staff, recommending and implementing personnel actions, such as promotions and dismissals.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with banking, insurance, and external accounting personnel to facilitate financial activities.
  • Coordinate and direct the financial planning, budgeting, procurement, or investment activities of all or part of an organization.
  • Develop internal control policies, guidelines, and procedures for activities, such as budget administration, cash and credit management, and accounting.
  • Analyze the financial details of past, present, and expected operations to identify development opportunities and areas where improvement is needed.
  • Advise management on short-term and long-term financial objectives, policies, and actions.
  • Provide direction and assistance to other organizational units regarding accounting and budgeting policies and procedures and efficient control and utilization of financial resources.
  • Evaluate needs for procurement of funds and investment of surpluses and make appropriate recommendations.
  • Lead staff training and development in budgeting and financial management areas.
  • Receive cash and checks and make deposits.
  • Compute, withhold, and account for all payroll deductions.
  • Perform tax planning work.
  • Determine depreciation rates to apply to capitalized items and advise management on actions regarding the purchase, lease, or disposal of such items.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Developing Objectives and StrategiesEstablishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
  • Compile operational data.
  • Direct financial operations.
  • Prepare reports related to compliance matters.
  • Supervise employees.
  • Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.
  • Manage control system activities in organizations.
  • Conduct financial or regulatory audits.
  • Approve expenditures.
  • Evaluate employee performance.
  • Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.
  • Develop organizational policies or programs.
  • Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.
  • Analyze financial records to improve efficiency.
  • Advise others on business or operational matters.
  • Recommend organizational process or policy changes.
  • Determine resource needs.
  • Conduct employee training programs.
  • Collect payments for goods or services.
  • Calculate financial data.

Skills and Abilities for Financial Managers

  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Management of Financial ResourcesDetermining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Time SharingThe ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • MemorizationThe ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Desktop calculatore.g. 10-key calculators
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Notebook computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizerse.g. Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Desktop calculatore.g. 10-key calculators
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Notebook computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizerse.g. Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Scannerse.g. Scanners
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • Personnel and Human ResourcesKnowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.