CFO Resume Example & Writing Guide
- Why use this chief financial officer resume example?
- How to write a great chief financial officer resume
- Which key skills are relevant for a chief financial officer resume?
You want your CFO resume to show that you are a profitable investment for any company. Making dollars and cents is a good place to start, but you also need to have the skills to lead, oversee the finances, and strategically guide a company to be successful. A CFO is usually one of the most senior executives in a company. Companies look for CFOs who are capable of partnering with the business to drive profitable growth, while effectively assessing risks, managing a finance team, and adhering to an appropriate regulatory framework.
Why use this chief financial officer resume example?
Our example CFO resume starts with a strong summary statement. It incorporates skills and keywords that are a balance of soft and hard skills. It points out areas of expertise and is concise. You want your summary statement to be brief, but pack in as much information as you can that is relevant to the position you want.
Your resume should include as many of your skills as possible. However, being concise is key. Don’t use a lot of extra words and adjectives (excellent, outstanding, strong, etc.) in your descriptions. If you’re listing something as a skill, then the person reading your resume will assume you have expertise in that area.
The resume provided includes examples for describing your job experience. Each one is relatively brief and contains a short description of the key responsibilities for the role. The largest portion of each job description is used to list accomplishments, which is crucial because it shows how you helped make the business successful. Use a bulleted list for your achievements to highlight them for the reader. Start each accomplishment with an action verb to make each statement more impactful.
How to write a great chief financial officer resume
The first thing to think about when writing a resume is determining what format to use. This depends on what information you need to convey and what you want your resume to look like. Your resume reflects you, so choose a format that you like, but remember it has to be easy to read. Take a look at our example and other examples on our website and select one that works for you. Most executive-level resumes use a classic format. Limit your professional experience on your resume to the last 10-20 years, depending on the amount of experience asked for in the job posting.
These days, an applicant tracking system (ATS) is almost always going to be the first thing that reviews your resume. Keep your resume simple and clean. Don’t use a lot of different or odd fonts, and avoid using complex formatting options. Use one of our example resumes for a template. The simpler your resume is, the better it will be for ATS processing.
Which key skills are relevant for a chief financial officer resume?
CFOs are expected to have a large set of skills. Which ones are the best to include on your CFO resume? The ones that are your strongest are always a good way to go. However, the most effective strategy is to look at the job description of the position you’re applying for and tailor your skills list to match it. Use the same skill keywords to ensure the employer’s ATS will recognize them, which can help put your resume on the short list.
Some examples of skills for a chief financial officer resume are:
Forecasting
Collaboration
Regulatory compliance
Financial analysis
Strategic planning
Revenue growth
Team management
Problem-solving
Project management
Risk assessments
Summary example
Seasoned executive with proven success in overseeing finance strategy, operations, and performance for companies across diverse industries. Trusted member of the C-suite, known for providing sharp insights into financial trends and opportunities to drive profitability. Adept at managing relationships with lenders and negotiating lines of credit, term loans, and other facilities to raise capital critical to business growth and expansion. Talent for leading and developing high-performing teams, creating a positive culture and building core competencies.
Employment history example
Chief Financial Officer at Solaris , Inc., Los Angeles, CA
2022 - Present
Oversee financial operations for this leading solar EPC company serving residential and commercial clients. Lead team of 25 across accounting, finance, HR, and IT, mentoring on core competencies to provide team with the tools and knowledge to support exponential growth. Collaborate closely with legal team to shape litigation and contract strategies.
Optimized revenue management and growth by devising novel financial reporting system focused on margin opportunities and collaborating with sales and operations to strengthen go-to-market strategies.
Boosted profits and increased liquidity by sourcing and negotiating with new financiers to create low-cost funding options for customers.
Positioned company for continued growth by liaising with lender to evaluate, negotiate, and secure asset-based line of credit, providing additional funding.
Overcame supply chain challenges by cultivating relationships with key vendors to ensure access to limited products and meet in-stock requirements for projected order volume.
Vice President of Finance | Corporate Controller at Major Markets, Los Angeles, CA
2018 - 2019
Earned promotion from Corporate Controller to VP of Finance of an independent grocery chain in 12/2019. Directed team of 16 in performing accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, and payroll functions. Prepared and presented financial reporting packages to senior leadership, including consolidated and store level P&Ls, trend and as-of balance sheets, and statements of cash flow. Led financial planning for expansions, including forecasting budgets and tracking ROI.
Increased financial transparency and raised visibility of opportunities to increase profits by spearheading implementation of flash reporting of sales and margin by ad mix, product movement, and other key metrics.
Maximized working capital by closely managing vendor terms, expediting sales/rebate receivables collection, and controlling store/warehouse inventory levels to eliminate waste.
Enabled timely, data-driven decision-making by implementing process improvements that slashed period-end close and reporting by six business days while maintaining compliance with US GAAP.
Maintained compliance with local, federal, and state employment laws by ensuring accurate, on-time recording of labor expenses and disbursement of payroll to 1500 staff.
Controller at UPL Limited, Mumbai, India
2014 - 2017
Served as controller for division of a publicly traded company. Held accountability for month-/quarter-/year-end close, cost accounting, cash management and treasury, risk assurance, and inventory. Led four-member accounting team, ensuring conformance with applicable policies, procedures, KPIs, and regulatory requirements.
Key point-of-contact for Ernst & Young regarding internal, external, and walk-through audits and annual tax preparation process.
Enhanced cash position by delivering accurate sales/expense data and collaborating with Ernst & Young on reducing deferred tax benefits.
Accounting Supervisor at Storage Containers, LLC., Woodland Hills, CA
2013 - 2014
Supervised and mentored accounts payable team in complying with internal processes, deadlines, payment terms, and other requirements. Performed period-end close and balance sheet analysis, prepared reports, assisted with SAS 70 and SOX testing, and verified supplier payments.
Education example
Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics, Emphasis in Accounting at the University of California
Skills example
Financial Strategy & Operations
Budget Forecasting & Administration
Key Metrics Reporting & Analysis
Profit & Revenue Growth
Internal & External Audits
Vendor & Bank Negotiations
Team Leadership & Development
