Vice presidents of finance typically are near the top of a business' hierarchical structure. They keep their business profitable, ensure spending is low, and stay in line with government regulations. Primary responsibilities for this job are to direct finances and coordinate the budget. While planning budgets, they also set goals for certain milestones and goals the company needs to meet. Vice presidents of finance also oversee the duties carried out by the lower-level employees in the finance department. They manage financial reporting, accounting, daily operations, and monthly operations results. They also handle the company's taxes and its interactions with regulatory agencies.
One typically finds vice presidents of finance in any medium- to large-sized company with a finance department. They typically work during regular business hours in an office setting and preside over a department of accounting and finance employees. As top management employees, they also work with the president and chief executive officer of their business. In this position, they usually work in their own office and have a secretary or assistant.
Educational requirements for this position typically are a master's degree in finance, business, or accounting. They must also possess extensive accounting experience, and it is usually preferred that they are certified as a public accountant and have five to 10 years of experience in a mid- to senior-level role in accounting or finance.
Vice President (VP), Finance Tasks
- Direct financing strategies, analysis, forecasting and budget management.
- Direct all aspects of accounting operations such as receivables, payables, payroll and financial reporting.
- Oversee all financial related matters where depth and scope is relative to the size of the company.
- Coordinate, prepare and review all annual financial reports.