Finance Manager and Financial Manager Job Description Templates
12 free templates on two axes: six by level and engagement mode, six by finance function. Download as DOCX or copy-paste.
The finance manager job description carries a hidden decision for a small business, because almost every template online is written for a company that already has a finance team and a CFO, with the finance manager owning one slice under them. For a growing company making its first dedicated finance hire, that is the wrong shape: the person you hire will build the finance function, not join one, and report to the CEO, not a CFO.
A second decision hides in the title itself. The first financial manager posting I wrote pulled 140 applications and not one of them fit: half were controllers, a quarter were analysts, and the rest managed money for individuals. Finance manager and financial manager are the same federal occupation, so the pay data is identical, but that occupation covers four separate finance jobs, and every one of those candidate pools reads the posting and guesses.
At FirstHR we build for small teams that hire without an HR department, so this page settles both decisions before it hands over the files. Twelve templates on two axes: six by level and engagement mode, from a first finance hire to a fractional arrangement to a senior FP&A role, and six by function, from accounting and controls to treasury, credit, risk, multi-site, and nonprofit funds. Fill in the brackets and post.
TL;DR
Finance manager and financial manager are the same federal occupation, code 11-3031, with a national median wage of $166,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page holds twelve job description templates: six by level and engagement mode, six by finance function. The right one depends on the stage you are hiring at and the problem you are hiring to fix.
What Does a Finance Manager Do?
A finance manager owns financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management for a company, and gives leadership the numbers and analysis to make decisions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies the role within financial managers, occupation code 11-3031, who plan, direct, and coordinate the financial activities of an organization, typically requiring a bachelor’s degree plus several years of experience, and the O*NET profile details the task range. Employment stood at 868,600 in 2024, with growth projected much faster than average and about 74,600 openings a year.
The scope depends on company size. At a large company, a finance manager owns one part of a finance team under a CFO. At a small business making its first finance hire, the same title means a generalist who builds and runs the whole finance function alongside an external CPA. That difference, plus the function the role is really being hired to fix, decides which of the twelve templates on this page fits.
Finance Manager Duties and Responsibilities
Finance manager duties and responsibilities span four areas: reporting and accounting, budgeting and forecasting, cash flow and analysis, and controls and compliance. The variation shifts the emphasis, but the four hold across general, operations, FP&A, and first-hire roles. These are the responsibilities grouped the way the templates use them.
Reporting and accounting
Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports
Oversee or coordinate the close process
Ensure accuracy and compliance with accounting standards
Budgeting and forecasting
Lead the annual budget and ongoing forecasts
Analyze variances and advise on corrective action
Model scenarios to support business decisions
Cash flow and analysis
Manage cash flow, working capital, and liquidity
Track KPIs and financial performance
Give leadership the numbers and analysis for decisions
Controls and compliance
Establish and maintain internal financial controls
Coordinate banking, audit, tax, and external CPA
Safeguard financial accuracy and integrity
A strong posting selects the duties that match the variation rather than listing every possible task, and names the systems and the reporting line.
Finance Manager vs Financial Manager vs Controller vs CFO
Finance manager and financial manager are the same job in federal data. Both sit inside occupation code 11-3031, financial managers, so the wage tables, the projections, and the education baseline are identical for the two phrasings, and a candidate search on either term reaches the same people.
What differs is who uses which word. Financial manager is the statistical label, so it turns up in wage data, in public sector and nonprofit postings, and on job boards that borrowed the label back from the data. Finance manager is the title most small and mid-size private employers actually post, and it usually signals a hands-on generalist owning budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and cash flow. Neither word narrows the job on its own, which is why the responsibilities have to do the defining.
One trap is worth naming. At car dealerships, finance manager means the person who arranges customer financing and sells protection products at the point of sale, a commissioned role that shares nothing with corporate finance beyond the word. If you are in automotive retail, say which one you mean in the first line of the posting.
The neighboring titles are where the real difference sits, because a controller, a treasurer, a finance director, and a CFO are genuinely different hires. Here is how they compare for a small business.
Title
What it signals
Best used when
Financial manager
The federal occupation label covering four finance functions
Benchmarking pay, or posting where the summary names the function
Finance manager
A hands-on generalist owning budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and cash flow
A small or mid-size company hiring one person to run finance
Controller
Accounting and controls: the books, the close, the statements, looking backward
The pain is accuracy, timeliness, or audit readiness
Treasurer
Liquidity, banking, debt, and payment controls
The pain is cash visibility, covenants, or payment fraud risk
Finance director
A step up in scope, usually FP&A plus finance staff
Finance already exists and needs a leader over it
CFO
Financial strategy, fundraising, capital, and board exposure
Financing, transactions, or investor reporting drive the role
At a small business, one person often combines several of these, and a finance manager is frequently the right first hire, handling controller-style accuracy and finance-manager-style planning at once, with strategic CFO work staying with the founder or a fractional CFO until the company is larger. If the scope is broader than one function, the director of finance templates cover the level above this one, and the financial analyst templates cover the individual contributor version if you need analysis rather than management.
Which Financial Manager Do You Mean?
Start from the problem, not the title. The function you need is whichever one explains the pain that made you open a job posting, and that pain is usually specific enough to name in one sentence. Code 11-3031 files four distinct finance jobs under one label, and they come from different candidate pools.
Accounting and controls
Owns the close, the statements, and the controls. Hired when the numbers arrive late or nobody trusts them. Standalone title: controller.
Treasury and cash
Owns liquidity, banking, debt, and payment controls. Hired when cash visibility runs out past two weeks. Standalone title: treasurer.
Credit and collections
Owns credit policy, limits, and the receivables portfolio. Hired when DSO climbs and write-offs surprise you. Standalone title: credit manager.
Risk and insurance
Owns exposure, coverage, claims, and contract risk terms. Hired when the renewal is the only time anyone looks. Standalone title: risk manager.
Why the Label Shows Up Everywhere
Wage data, employment projections, and most salary benchmarking tools report at the occupation level, so the moment you look up pay for a controller you land on financial manager numbers. Job boards then borrow the label back as a title. The result is a term that is precise in a statistical table and nearly meaningless on a job posting. Use it to benchmark pay. Do not use it as the only description of the job.
Matching the pain to the function is the fastest way to choose. The last two rows are structural rather than functional: they cover a multi-site company and a nonprofit, where the finance job is shaped by the reporting lines and the funding rather than by one discipline.
The problem you actually have
The function you are hiring
Template
Standalone title
The close runs late and the numbers get corrected after they are shared
Accounting and controls
Template 7
Controller
Cash visibility runs out past two weeks and the credit line is guesswork
Treasury and cash management
Template 8
Treasurer
Days sales outstanding keeps climbing and write-offs arrive as surprises
Credit and collections
Template 9
Credit manager
Insurance, claims, and contract exposure belong to nobody in particular
Risk and insurance
Template 10
Risk manager
Several sites or entities each run their finances a different way
Unit or branch finance
Template 11
Regional finance manager
Restricted funds and funder reports need their own accounting discipline
Nonprofit and fund accounting
Template 12
Nonprofit finance director
If two rows describe you, that is normal at a small company and it does not mean you need two hires. It means you rank them. Lead the posting with the function you will judge performance on and list the second as a stated secondary duty with a rough time split.
Responsibility
Controls
Treasury
Credit
Risk
Monthly close and financial statements
Rolling cash forecast
Bank relationships and covenants
Customer credit limits and terms
Collections and DSO
Insurance renewals and claims
Internal controls and segregation of duties
Audit or review preparation
Bad debt reserve
Which Template Should You Use?
The twelve templates split on two axes, and most companies recognize themselves on one of them. Templates 7 to 12 answer the function question above. Templates 1 to 6, below, answer the level and engagement question: how senior the role is, whether it is full-time, and whether the person joins a finance team or builds one.
General Finance Manager
The mid-level baseline
The standard version: reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management, with the FLSA classification handled, for any company hiring a finance manager.
First Finance Hire (Small Business)
Your first dedicated finance person
The generalist version for a company without a finance department: owns finance end to end, reports to the CEO, and works alongside an external CPA and bookkeeper.
Part-Time / Fractional
Finance leadership, limited schedule
The fractional version for a company not ready for full-time finance: reporting, budgeting, and cash-flow oversight on a limited schedule, with a classification note.
Senior Finance Manager
Leads a finance team
The senior version: FP&A ownership, strategic input, and managing finance staff, with the executive-exemption note for a role directing two or more employees.
Finance Operations Manager
Close, AP/AR, and systems
The operations version: the month-end close, accounts payable and receivable, financial systems, and process improvement, the operational backbone of finance.
Corporate / FP&A
Growth-stage and investor-backed
The FP&A version: driver-based modeling, forecasting, board and investor reporting, and the runway and burn metrics a scaling, funded company tracks.
Match the Template to Your Situation
A standard mid-level hire points to General; your first dedicated finance person at a company without a finance department points to First Finance Hire, a generalist reporting to the CEO; a company not ready for full-time finance points to Part-Time / Fractional; a role leading a finance team points to Senior, with the executive-exemption note; an operational close-and-systems focus points to Finance Operations; and a growth-stage, investor-backed company points to Corporate / FP&A. If the sharper question is which part of finance is broken rather than how senior the hire is, use the function templates instead.
12 Free Finance Manager Job Description Templates
Download all twelve as a single file or copy the one you need. Each follows the same structure: company context, job summary, responsibilities, qualifications, salary range, FLSA status, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets before you post, and take the duties from a second template if the role genuinely spans two functions.
Download All 12 Job Description Templates
General, first finance hire, fractional, senior, operations, FP&A, controls, treasury, credit, risk, branch, and nonprofit. All twelve in one download.
Templates 1 to 6 split by level and engagement mode, for the company that knows it needs finance leadership and is deciding how much of it to buy.
Template 1: General Finance Manager
The mid-level baseline: reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management, with the FLSA classification handled, for any company hiring a finance manager.
General Finance Manager Job Description
FINANCE MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ (____ employees)
Location: __ [ ] On-site [ ] Hybrid
Reports to: [CEO / COO / CFO]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA classification: [ ] Exempt [confirm with the duties
test and salary basis] [ ] Non-exempt
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
[include the range; required in a growing number of states]
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your business, size, and the
finance function the manager will lead or build.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Finance Manager to own our
financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow
management. You will produce accurate financials, guide
budgeting and planning, monitor cash and controls, and give
leadership the numbers and analysis they need to make
decisions.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
REPORTING AND ACCOUNTING
•Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports
•Oversee or coordinate the close process with [accounting /
bookkeeper]
•Ensure accuracy and compliance with accounting standards
BUDGETING AND FORECASTING
•Lead the annual budget and ongoing forecasts
•Analyze variances and advise on corrective action
•Model scenarios to support business decisions
CASH FLOW AND CONTROLS
•Manage cash flow, working capital, and liquidity
•Establish and maintain internal financial controls
•Coordinate with banking, audit, tax, and [external CPA]
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related
field
•____ + years (typically 5+) in finance or accounting
•Strong financial reporting, budgeting, and analysis
•Proficiency with [accounting software / Excel / ERP]
•[CPA, CFA, or MBA: preferred]
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
Benefits: __
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: First Finance Hire (Small Business)
The generalist version for a company without a finance department: owns finance end to end, reports to the CEO, and works alongside an external CPA and bookkeeper.
First Finance Hire (Small Business) Job Description
The fractional version for a company not ready for full-time finance: reporting, budgeting, and cash-flow oversight on a limited schedule, with a classification note.
(1099). Misclassifying carries tax and legal risk. This
template serves either; set the engagement-type line
accordingly.
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is engaging a Part-Time / Fractional Finance
Manager to provide finance leadership on a limited schedule:
reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow oversight,
above the level a bookkeeper provides. You deliver the
finance function a growing company needs without a full-time
hire.
SCOPE OF WORK / DELIVERABLES
•Monthly financial reporting and review
•Budget and rolling forecast ownership
•Cash-flow monitoring and runway analysis
•Periodic leadership / board financial updates
•Oversight of [bookkeeper / external CPA] deliverables
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•____ + years in finance leadership or management
•Able to work independently on a limited schedule
•Strong reporting, budgeting, and forecasting
•Proficiency with [accounting software / Excel]
•[CPA / MBA / fractional-CFO experience: preferred]
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Hours / engagement: ____ days per month
Pay: $____ per hour / month
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 4: Senior Finance Manager
The senior version: FP&A ownership, strategic input, and managing finance staff, with the executive-exemption note for a role directing two or more employees.
Senior Finance Manager Job Description
SENIOR FINANCE MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __
Reports to: [CFO / COO / CEO]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA classification: [often exempt under the executive
exemption if directing 2+ employees; confirm the duties test]
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Senior Finance Manager to lead
our finance function and team: financial planning and
analysis, reporting, budgeting, and strategic input, while
managing and developing finance staff. This role carries
more leadership and judgment than a finance manager and
partners with leadership on financial strategy.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own financial planning and analysis (FP&A) for the
business
•Lead reporting, budgeting, and forecasting at scale
•Manage and develop [2+] finance / accounting staff
•Provide strategic financial input to leadership
•Strengthen internal controls and compliance
•Support board and investor reporting
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related;
[MBA preferred]
•____ + years (typically 7+) in finance, with leadership
The operations version: the month-end close, accounts payable and receivable, financial systems, and process improvement, the operational backbone of finance under a controller or CFO.
Finance Operations Manager Job Description
FINANCE OPERATIONS MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __
Reports to: [Finance Manager / Controller / CFO]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA classification: [confirm with the duties test]
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Finance Operations Manager to own
the operational backbone of finance: the month-end close,
accounts payable and receivable, financial systems, and
process improvement. You keep the finance machine running
accurately and on schedule and make it more efficient over
time.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own and improve the month-end and year-end close process
•Manage accounts payable and accounts receivable cycles
•Administer and optimize financial systems [ERP /
accounting software]
•Build and document repeatable finance processes
•Ensure transaction accuracy and reconciliations
•Support reporting and audit with clean operational data
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related
•____ + years in finance operations or accounting
•Strong close, AP/AR, and reconciliation experience
•Proficiency with [ERP / accounting systems]
•Process-improvement mindset and attention to detail
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
Benefits: __
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: Corporate / FP&A Finance Manager
The FP&A version: driver-based modeling, forecasting, board and investor reporting, and the runway and burn metrics a scaling, funded company tracks.
Corporate / FP&A Finance Manager Job Description
CORPORATE / FP&A FINANCE MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ (growth-stage / investor-
backed)
Location: __
Reports to: [CFO / VP Finance / CEO]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA classification: [confirm with the duties test]
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Corporate / FP&A Finance Manager
to drive financial planning, forecasting, and investor-facing
analysis for a growth-stage company. You will build models,
own the forecast, prepare board and investor materials, and
track the metrics that matter to a scaling, funded business.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Build and maintain driver-based financial models
•Own the forecast, budget, and scenario planning
•Prepare board packages and investor reporting
•Track KPIs: runway, burn, unit economics, growth metrics
•Support fundraising preparation and diligence
•Partner with leadership on financial strategy
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, or related;
[MBA a plus]
•____ + years in FP&A, corporate finance, or [banking /
consulting]
•Advanced financial modeling and analysis
•Experience with investor / board reporting [preferred]
•Strong communication of financial insight
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
Benefits: __
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Templates 7 to 12 split by function, for the company that already knows which part of finance is broken. Each opens with a summary that names the function, so candidates from the wrong pool filter themselves out before they apply.
Template 7: Financial Manager, Accounting and Controls
The most common first finance hire: close ownership, statements, reconciliations, and the controls that protect cash. If you would rather post the standalone title, the controller templates cover the same function in more depth.
Financial Manager, Accounting and Controls Job Description
FINANCIAL MANAGER (ACCOUNTING AND CONTROLS) JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Owner / CEO / CFO]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (see classification note)
Compensation: $_ per year
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[Company Name] is a [industry] business in [City, State] with [number] employees
and roughly $[revenue] in annual revenue. Our accounting has been handled by
[a bookkeeper / an outside firm / the founder], and we are hiring our first
financial manager to own the close, the controls, and the numbers we run the
business on.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Financial Manager owns accounting operations end to end: the monthly close,
the financial statements, the internal controls that keep cash and records safe,
and the audit or review file. This role is about accuracy and trust in the
numbers, not fundraising or investor strategy.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own the monthly and annual close and publish statements by day [X]
•Maintain the general ledger, chart of accounts, and reconciliation schedules
•Design and enforce internal controls, including segregation of duties over
cash, payables, and payroll
•Manage accounts payable and accounts receivable staff or vendors
•Prepare the audit, review, or compilation file and act as the main contact for
the outside accountants
•Own revenue recognition, accruals, prepaids, fixed assets, and inventory
accounting as applicable
•Coordinate sales tax, [state] filings, and 1099 reporting with our tax preparer
•Build the reporting pack that [the owner / the board] reads each month
•Document accounting policies so the close does not live in one person's head
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance
•[Number] years of accounting experience, including [number] years supervising
•Full-cycle close ownership at a company of comparable size
•Strong general ledger and reconciliation discipline
•[CPA required / preferred / not required: choose one]
•Experience with [accounting system] and advanced spreadsheet skills
CLASSIFICATION AND SCREENING NOTE (read before posting)
This role is normally exempt under the executive or administrative exemption
when the salary and duties tests are both met. Verify the duties honestly:
supervising two or more full-time employees, or exercising discretion on matters
of significance, is what carries the exemption, not the title. The role has
access to cash, banking, and payroll records, so state in the posting that the
offer is contingent on a background check. Some states and cities restrict the
use of credit history in hiring, so confirm your local rules before adding a
credit check. This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_ per year, [bonus structure], [benefits summary]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 8: Financial Manager, Treasury and Cash Management
For liquidity, banking, debt, and payment controls, written around a rolling cash forecast and covenant reporting. The treasurer templates are the standalone version of this role.
Financial Manager, Treasury and Cash Management Job Description
FINANCIAL MANAGER (TREASURY AND CASH MANAGEMENT) JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [CFO / Controller / Owner]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (see classification note)
Compensation: $_ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
[Company Name] runs [number] bank accounts across [number] entities, carries
[a line of credit / term debt / no debt], and needs someone who can say what the
cash position will be twelve weeks from now. Today that answer lives in a
spreadsheet nobody fully trusts.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Financial Manager for treasury owns liquidity: the cash forecast, the bank
relationships, the borrowing base, and the controls that protect outgoing funds.
The measure of the job is that the business never runs a surprise.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Build and maintain a rolling [13-week] cash forecast and report variance weekly
•Manage daily cash positioning, transfers, and sweeps across all accounts
•Own bank relationships, account structure, signers, and service fees
•Manage the line of credit, borrowing base certificates, and covenant reporting
•Approve and control outgoing payments, wires, and ACH under a documented policy
•Manage short-term investments of surplus cash within an approved policy
•Model the cash effect of hiring plans, capital spending, and seasonality
•Own fraud controls on payments: positive pay, dual approval, callback
verification on vendor bank changes
•Coordinate with accounting on collections priorities and payment timing
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or economics
•[Number] years in treasury, cash management, banking, or corporate finance
•Demonstrated ownership of a rolling cash forecast and its accuracy
•Working knowledge of debt covenants and borrowing base mechanics
•[CTP certification preferred / not required]
•Advanced spreadsheet modeling and experience with [banking platform]
CLASSIFICATION AND SCREENING NOTE
Normally exempt under the administrative exemption when the salary and duties
tests are met. Treasury roles carry signing authority and payment release rights,
so make the screening explicit: background check contingency in the posting,
reference checks with prior finance leadership, and a fidelity bond or crime
insurance rider covering the position if your policy requires one. Never let a
single person both set up a vendor and release a payment to it. This is general
information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_ per year, [bonus structure], [benefits summary]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 9: Financial Manager, Credit and Collections
For companies that sell on terms: credit policy, limits, aging, reserves, and the collection escalation path. See also the credit manager templates if that is the title your candidates search for.
Financial Manager, Credit and Collections Job Description
FINANCIAL MANAGER (CREDIT AND COLLECTIONS) JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [CFO / Controller / VP Finance]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (see classification note)
Compensation: $_ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
[Company Name] sells on terms to [number] business customers. Our days sales
outstanding is [number] days against terms of net [number], and credit decisions
are currently made case by case by [sales / the owner]. We are hiring a financial
manager to own credit policy and the receivables portfolio.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Financial Manager for credit sets who we extend terms to, how much, and on
what conditions, then runs the collection process that converts those terms into
cash. The role balances revenue growth against write-off risk.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own the written credit policy, approval limits, and exception process
•Evaluate new customers: financial statements, trade references, credit reports,
and public filings
•Set and review credit limits and payment terms by customer and segment
•Run the collections calendar: reminders, dunning, escalation, and hold decisions
•Own aging review, DSO reporting, and the bad debt reserve methodology
•Decide when an account goes to a collection agency or to counsel
•Negotiate payment plans, personal guarantees, and security interests
•Manage credit holds jointly with sales so decisions are consistent
•Ensure collection practices comply with applicable federal and state rules
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or business
•[Number] years in commercial credit, collections, or receivables management
•Ability to read a customer balance sheet and judge repayment capacity
•Comfort holding a hard conversation with a customer and with your own sales team
•[NACM certification preferred / not required]
•Experience with [ERP / accounting system] receivables modules
CLASSIFICATION AND SCREENING NOTE
Normally exempt under the administrative exemption when the role genuinely sets
credit policy and exercises discretion on significant matters. A collections
coordinator who works a call list to a script is usually non-exempt, so classify
by the actual day rather than the title. If the role pulls consumer credit
reports on customers or guarantors, the Fair Credit Reporting Act notice and
permissible purpose rules apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_ per year, [bonus structure tied to DSO or cash collected]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 10: Financial Manager, Risk and Insurance
For the exposure nobody owns: the risk register, the annual renewal, certificates, claims reserves, and contract risk terms. The risk manager templates cover the standalone title, which is the one most candidates search for.
Financial Manager, Risk and Insurance Job Description
FINANCIAL MANAGER (RISK AND INSURANCE) JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [CFO / COO / Owner]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (see classification note)
Compensation: $_ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
[Company Name] operates in [industry] across [number] locations. Insurance
renewals, contract terms, claims, and safety exposure are currently spread across
[the owner, operations, and an outside broker] with no single owner. We are
hiring a financial manager to consolidate financial risk in one place.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Financial Manager for risk identifies what could cost the company money,
quantifies it, and decides what to insure, what to mitigate, and what to accept.
The role owns the insurance program and the financial side of claims.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Maintain the risk register: exposure, likelihood, financial impact, and owner
•Run the annual insurance renewal: submissions, broker management, coverage
comparison, and deductible strategy
•Own certificates of insurance, additional insured requirements, and vendor
compliance
•Review contract risk terms: indemnity, limitation of liability, and insurance
requirements
•Manage the claims process and the financial reserves against open claims
•Track loss runs and experience modification, and connect them to safety work
•Own business continuity and disaster recovery planning from the financial side
•Evaluate self-insurance, captives, or higher retentions where the math supports it
•Report the total cost of risk to leadership [quarterly]
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, risk management, or business
•[Number] years in risk management, commercial insurance, or corporate finance
•Ability to read a policy and explain what is actually covered in plain language
•Experience negotiating renewals and managing brokers
•[ARM / CPCU designation preferred / not required]
•Strong analytical and contract review skills
CLASSIFICATION AND SCREENING NOTE
Normally exempt under the administrative exemption when the role exercises
independent judgment on significant matters, which a genuine risk owner does.
Be precise in the posting about whether this role covers safety and workers
compensation operations or only the financial side, because those are different
candidate pools. This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_ per year, [bonus structure], [benefits summary]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 11: Financial Manager, Branch or Department
For multi-site and multi-entity companies where each unit needs its own accountable finance partner reporting into both the site leader and corporate finance.
Financial Manager, Branch or Department Job Description
FINANCIAL MANAGER (BRANCH OR DEPARTMENT) JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Location or unit: [Branch / Region / Division / Department]
Reports to: [Regional Manager, with a dotted line to Corporate Finance]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (see classification note)
Compensation: $_ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
[Company Name] runs [number] locations. Corporate finance sets policy, but each
location needs someone accountable for its own numbers: the unit budget, the
local P&L, and the operating decisions that move it. This role is that person for
[location or unit].
POSITION SUMMARY
The Financial Manager for [location or unit] owns the unit's financial results
and is the finance partner to the operating leader on site. The role translates
corporate policy into local practice and explains local variance to corporate.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own the [location or unit] budget, forecast, and monthly variance explanation
•Partner with the operating leader on pricing, staffing, and spending decisions
•Review and approve local spending within delegated authority limits
•Ensure corporate accounting policies and controls are followed on site
•Prepare the local reporting pack and present it in the monthly business review
•Manage local finance or administrative staff [number of reports]
•Support inventory counts, asset verification, and site audits
•Escalate risks and opportunities to corporate finance early, not at close
•Onboard and train new managers on the financial rules of the unit
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or business
•[Number] years in finance with at least [number] in a multi-site or multi-entity
environment
•Comfort operating with two reporting lines and defending a number to both
•Strong variance analysis and business partnering skills
•Experience with [ERP system] and consolidated reporting
•Willingness to travel [percentage] to other locations
CLASSIFICATION AND SCREENING NOTE
Normally exempt, most often under the executive exemption where the role
supervises two or more full-time employees, or the administrative exemption where
it does not. Multi-state employers should confirm the state salary threshold for
each location, because several states set a higher minimum salary for exempt
status than the federal floor. This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_ per year, [bonus tied to unit results], [benefits summary]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 12: Financial Manager, Nonprofit and Grant Funds
For fund accounting, restricted revenue, grant reporting deadlines, and audit readiness on a small team. The compliance duties change with your funding sources, so rewrite that section rather than copying it.
Financial Manager, Nonprofit and Grant Funds Job Description
FINANCIAL MANAGER (NONPROFIT AND GRANT FUNDS) JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Executive Director / Finance Committee]
Employment type: Full-time [or part-time, __ hours per week]
FLSA status: Exempt (see classification note)
Compensation: $_ per year
ABOUT [ORGANIZATION NAME]
[Organization Name] is a [mission] nonprofit with an annual budget of
$[amount] and [number] staff. Our funding comes from [grants, contracts,
individual giving, and program fees], and several sources carry restrictions and
separate reporting deadlines. We are hiring a financial manager to own that
complexity.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Financial Manager owns accounting, budgeting, and grant financial compliance.
The role keeps restricted and unrestricted funds correctly separated, produces
the reports funders and the board require, and keeps the organization audit ready.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own the monthly close, fund accounting, and the restricted versus unrestricted
split
•Build the annual budget with program leads and track it by program and by funder
•Prepare grant budgets, financial reports, and drawdown requests on funder
deadlines
•Track allowable costs, matching requirements, and indirect cost recovery
•Allocate shared costs across programs on a documented, consistent method
•Prepare the annual audit file and support the [Form 990] preparation
•Present financial statements to the [board finance committee] each [quarter]
•Maintain the internal controls a small finance team can actually run
•Manage payroll allocation across grants and programs with the [payroll provider]
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or nonprofit management
•[Number] years in nonprofit finance, including grant reporting
•Working knowledge of fund accounting and restricted revenue recognition
•Experience preparing for a nonprofit audit [and a single audit, if applicable]
•[CPA preferred / not required]
•Experience with [accounting system] and grant tracking
CLASSIFICATION AND SCREENING NOTE
Nonprofit status does not change the FLSA analysis. The role is normally exempt
when the salary and duties tests are met, and paying a below-market salary
because the organization is mission driven does not remove the salary basis
requirement. If federal funds are involved, confirm which cost principles and
audit requirements apply to your award before writing the compliance duties.
This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_ per year, [benefits summary]
To apply, email __ with your resume and a cover letter.
Requirements and Skills to Include
Finance manager requirements scale with the variation, but a common core runs through all of them. Weight a first-hire or small-business role toward breadth across finance and accounting; weight senior and FP&A roles toward depth and leadership.
Requirement
Typical
Notes
Education
Bachelor's in finance or accounting
Equivalent experience for a first hire
Experience
5+ years (7+ for senior)
Breadth over depth for a small-business first hire
Technical
Reporting, budgeting, forecasting, Excel / ERP
Match the systems you actually use
Credentials
CPA, CFA, or MBA
Preferred, not required, to widen the pool
Leadership
Team management for senior roles
Triggers the executive exemption analysis
The screen that matters most at a small company is scope, not credentials. Ask whether the candidate has owned an entire function at a comparable size or only a slice of one inside a large finance team, because those produce very different people and only the first can build something from nothing. The credential worth asking for changes with the function.
Function
Credential that helps
The scope question to ask
Accounting and controls
CPA
Have you owned a full close cycle start to finish, including the audit file?
Treasury and cash
CTP
Have you built and defended a rolling cash forecast against actuals?
Credit and collections
NACM certification
Have you set credit limits and told a customer no while sales pushed back?
Risk and insurance
ARM or CPCU
Have you run a renewal and explained a coverage gap to an owner?
Branch or department
MBA or none
Have you defended one number to a site leader and to corporate in the same week?
Nonprofit and grants
CPA or nonprofit finance experience
Have you passed an audit with restricted funds and a small team?
List credentials as preferred rather than required unless one is genuinely necessary, since requiring a CPA or MBA narrows the candidate pool fast. Keep every requirement job-related and neutral, since the EEOC rules on job advertisements prohibit postings that express preferences based on protected characteristics, and lean on SHRM job description guidance for structuring the posting. Our guide to writing a job description covers separating must-haves from nice-to-haves.
FLSA, Background Checks, and Bonding
A finance manager hire raises three compliance questions that generic templates skip and a small business without an HR department often misses: the exempt classification, the background-check authorization, and bonding for someone with access to money.
Three Compliance Points to Handle at the Offer
First, FLSA: a finance manager is often exempt under the executive exemption (managing the business and directing two or more employees) or the administrative exemption (high-level finance and accounting work with discretion), but the title does not decide it, so run the duties test (DOL Fact Sheet 17A). Second, FCRA: a third-party background check requires a standalone written disclosure and authorization, not buried in the application (FTC guidance). Third, bonding: a fidelity bond is sensible for money access, and is federally required for anyone handling 401(k) plan funds.
Two state overlays sit on top of the federal rules. The federal salary floor for the white-collar exemptions is $684 per week, which is $35,568 a year, but several states set a higher exempt salary threshold, and a multi-site employer has to meet the higher of the two at each location. Several states and cities also restrict the use of credit history in hiring, so confirm the local rule before adding a credit check for a role with money access.
None of this requires a large HR operation, but all of it should be handled deliberately at the offer and onboarding stage rather than discovered later. Getting the FCRA disclosure wrong, padding it with a liability waiver, has cost companies multimillion-dollar class-action settlements, so keep the disclosure standalone.
Finance Manager and Financial Manager Salary
Both titles report to the same federal wage table, and the range around the median is enormous, because one occupation code covers a first finance hire at a small company and a treasury executive at a bank. Anchor on the percentile ladder rather than the median, then adjust for scope and your local market.
Financial Manager Pay and Outlook (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025), financial managers (SOC 11-3031) earned a national median annual wage of $166,570, or $80.08 per hour. The 10th percentile was $94,310, the 25th $125,490, the 75th $219,980, and the 90th $323,270 (BLS OEWS, financial managers). Employment stood at 868,600 in 2024, with growth projected much faster than average and about 74,600 openings a year through 2034 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
The percentile ladder is the useful part. A small business hiring its first finance manager is normally shopping between the 10th and 25th percentile of that national range, which is a very different conversation from the median, while a senior finance manager leading a team sits higher. A part-time or fractional role is priced per hour or as a monthly retainer. Use the neighboring occupations below to sanity check where your role really sits.
Occupation (SOC code)
National median (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
How it relates
Financial managers (11-3031)
$166,570 per year
The umbrella code: controllers, treasurers, credit and risk managers
Chief executives (11-1011)
$213,990 per year
Where a small-company CFO title often lands in the data
Financial and investment analysts (13-2051)
$102,740 per year
The individual contributor version of the analysis work
Budget analysts (13-2031)
$91,640 per year
Planning and budgeting without the management scope
Accountants and auditors (13-2011)
$83,680 per year
The staff level a controls-focused manager supervises
Credit analysts (13-2041)
$83,510 per year
The analytic half of the credit function
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks (43-3031)
$50,670 per year
The transactional layer, often the alternative to a hire
Publish the range, both because pay transparency laws increasingly require it and because finance candidates skip postings that hide pay. For credit roles a bonus tied to cash collected or DSO reduction is normal and worth naming in the posting, because it changes who applies.
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A strong finance manager posting takes about twenty minutes once you settle the variation, the function, the requirements, and the compliance points. Here is the process the templates are built around.
1
Decide the variation and the function
First the level and engagement mode: general, first finance hire, fractional, senior, operations, or FP&A. Then the function you are hiring to fix: controls, treasury, credit, risk, a business unit, or grant funds.
2
Write duties to match the role
Reporting and accounting, budgeting and forecasting, cash flow and analysis, and controls and compliance, selecting the duties that fit the variation.
3
Set requirements honestly
A bachelor's degree and several years of finance experience, CPA/CFA/MBA preferred, weighting a first hire toward breadth across finance and accounting.
4
Handle the compliance the role raises
Confirm the FLSA exempt classification by the duties test, plan the FCRA standalone background-check authorization, and consider a fidelity bond for money access.
5
Publish a salary range and apply path
Anchor on the federal percentile ladder, adjust for a small-business or first-hire scope and your market, include the range, and give clear apply instructions.
Hiring a Finance Manager for a Small Business
For a small business, this posting is usually about a first finance hire or a fractional one, the moment when finance has outgrown a bookkeeper and an external CPA. Because that hire is consequential and the templates online are written for companies with finance teams, getting the posting right matters: the generalist scope, the full-time-versus-fractional decision, and the compliance the role raises all shape who applies and how well the hire works out. Here is how to approach it.
If this is your first finance hire, write a generalist who builds the function, not a specialist who joins one, and report the role to the CEO
The template finance manager job descriptions online are written for companies that already have a finance team, with language about reporting to a CFO and owning one slice of a larger function. For a small business making its first dedicated finance hire, that framing is wrong. There is no finance team and no CFO: the person you hire will build the finance function, combining hands-on accounting oversight with budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management, while working alongside your external CPA and bookkeeper on tax and audit. That is a broad generalist role, and the posting should say so: describe end-to-end ownership, report the role to the CEO or founder rather than a nonexistent CFO, be explicit about what stays outsourced, and screen for someone comfortable owning finance alone. The first-finance-hire template on this page is written exactly this way, and it is the variation no competing template offers.
Consider whether a part-time or fractional finance manager fits better than a full-time hire, because for many small companies it does
A full-time finance manager is a significant cost, and many growing companies do not yet need finance leadership forty hours a week. Industry guidance puts the point where a company typically needs full-time senior finance leadership at roughly the twenty-five-million-dollar revenue mark, and well below that, a part-time or fractional arrangement often delivers the finance function a company needs at a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive package. For a small business whose finances have outgrown a bookkeeper and an external CPA but do not yet justify a full-time hire, a fractional finance manager provides reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow leadership on a limited schedule. The practical move is to decide honestly which you need before posting, and if it is fractional, to write the role as a defined scope of work with deliverables rather than a full-time job, and to classify the engagement carefully as either a part-time employee or an independent contractor. The fractional template on this page is built for exactly this.
Handle the compliance the role uniquely raises: the exempt classification, the background-check authorization, and bonding for someone with access to money
A finance manager hire raises three compliance questions that generic templates skip and a small business without an HR department often misses. First, classification: a finance manager is frequently exempt from overtime under the executive or administrative exemption, but only if the actual duties and the salary basis meet the federal tests, and the title alone does not decide it, so run the duties test before the offer. Second, background checks: for a role with access to company finances, a background check is common, and federal law requires that the disclosure be a standalone document with the candidate's separate written authorization, not buried in the application or padded with liability waivers, a mistake that has cost companies multimillion-dollar settlements. Third, bonding: for an employee with access to money, an employee dishonesty or fidelity bond is worth considering, and if the company sponsors a 401(k), federal law requires that anyone who handles plan funds be bonded. None of this requires a large HR operation, but all of it should be handled deliberately at the offer and onboarding stage rather than discovered later.
Three more failures happen in the posting itself rather than in the plan behind it, and every one of them is fixable before anyone applies. Fix them there and the shortlist gets shorter and better at the same time, which matters when you are tracking candidates in a spreadsheet. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
The posting names the title and nothing else
Candidates read the title and then look for the four or five bullets that tell them which finance job this actually is. A controller reading a treasury posting drops out at the third bullet, and a treasury candidate reading a controls posting does the same. Name the function in the first two sentences of the summary, then let the responsibilities prove it. The six function templates below each open with a summary written to do exactly that, so the filtering happens before anyone applies.
Four jobs are stuffed into one posting because the company is small
That is a legitimate situation, and hiding it is what breaks the hire. A first finance hire at a small company genuinely does controls, cash, credit, and some risk. Say so, then rank them: if the close is the pain, lead with controls and list treasury second. Candidates can stretch across functions when they know which one they will be judged on. They cannot when the posting reads as a wish list with no priority.
The offer stalls because nobody planned the screening
Every version of this role touches cash, banking, or payment authority, so the offer is contingent on checks that take real time. Decide before you post what you will run, put the contingency in the posting, and start the check the day the offer is signed rather than the week before the start date. Then run onboarding as a fixed sequence: offer letter, policy acknowledgments, banking authority forms, system access, and the delegation of authority document. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Hire for the Function You Will Measure
The cleanest interview question for any version of this role is: what would you want to be judged on ninety days from now. A controls candidate says a clean close on a fixed date. A treasury candidate says a forecast that holds within a few percent. A credit candidate says DSO down by a set number of days. If the answer does not match the function you wrote the posting around, you have found the mismatch before you made the offer rather than after.
After You Hire: Onboarding a Finance Manager
Onboarding a finance manager carries specific steps beyond the standard paperwork, because the role handles money and sensitive financials. The paperwork track comes first: the offer with the salary and FLSA classification in writing, the I-9, tax forms, and state reporting. Then the finance-specific layer: because finance managers often undergo a background check, handle the FCRA standalone disclosure and written authorization correctly before the check, and put any fidelity bond coverage in place, especially if the company sponsors a 401(k). Set up systems access deliberately, a finance manager needs accounting and banking access, so apply controls and document who can reach what rather than handing over blanket access. Walk through the reporting, the close, the external CPA and bookkeeper relationships, and the internal controls the manager will own, and clarify what stays with the founder or a fractional CFO.
FirstHR connects the paper and onboarding layer, e-signature for the offer, the standalone background-check authorization, and policy acknowledgments, document management for financial policies, bond certificates, and employee records, an HRIS and org chart showing where finance sits in the structure, training assignments with completion records, and the onboarding checklist, in one place built for teams without an HR department. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
More finance and accounting postings, including the standalone controller, treasurer, and credit manager versions of the function templates above, are in the hiring templates library.
Key Takeaways
Finance manager and financial manager are the same federal occupation, code 11-3031, so the pay data is identical and the difference is only which word your candidates and your industry use.
That occupation covers four distinct jobs, accounting and controls, treasury, credit, and risk, so name the function in the first two sentences of the summary or the wrong candidate pools apply.
A small first finance hire is a generalist who builds the function and reports to the CEO, not a specialist joining a finance team under a CFO, so write the scope accordingly.
Consider a part-time or fractional finance manager before a full-time hire, since many companies do not need full-time finance leadership until roughly the $25M revenue mark.
A finance manager is often exempt under the executive or administrative exemption, but the duties test, not the title, decides it, and several states set a salary floor above the federal $684 per week.
Anchor pay on the percentile ladder rather than the median: $94,310 at the 10th percentile to $323,270 at the 90th, with a median of $166,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a finance manager and a financial manager?
There is no difference in the work: both titles sit inside the same federal occupation, financial managers, code 11-3031, so the wage tables, the employment projections, and the education baseline are identical for the two phrasings. What differs is who uses which word. Financial manager is the statistical label, which is why it appears in government wage data, in public sector and nonprofit postings, and on job boards that borrowed the label back from the data. Finance manager is the title most small and mid-size private employers actually post, and it usually signals a hands-on generalist who owns budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and cash flow rather than a specialist inside a larger finance team. Because the occupation code covers four distinct finance functions, accounting and controls, treasury, credit, and financial risk, neither word narrows the job by itself. The responsibilities have to do the defining. One trap is worth knowing: at car dealerships, finance manager means the person who arranges customer financing and sells protection products, which is a commissioned sales job with nothing in common with corporate finance.
What does a finance manager do?
A finance manager owns a company’s financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management, and gives leadership the numbers and analysis they need to make decisions. The work spans four areas: reporting and accounting, producing financial statements and overseeing the close; budgeting and forecasting, leading the budget and modeling scenarios; cash flow and analysis, managing liquidity and tracking performance; and controls and compliance, maintaining internal controls and coordinating audit, tax, and banking. Federal data classifies the role within financial managers, who plan, direct, and coordinate an organization’s financial activities, with a typical entry requirement of a bachelor’s degree plus several years of experience. The scope depends heavily on company size. At a large company, a finance manager owns one slice of a larger finance team under a CFO. At a small business making its first finance hire, the same title means a generalist who builds and runs the entire finance function, working alongside an external CPA. A strong job description selects the duties that match the company’s size and stage.
What are a finance manager’s duties and responsibilities?
Finance manager duties fall into four areas. Reporting and accounting: producing monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, overseeing or coordinating the close process, and ensuring accuracy and compliance with accounting standards. Budgeting and forecasting: leading the annual budget and ongoing forecasts, analyzing variances, and modeling scenarios to support decisions. Cash flow and analysis: managing cash flow, working capital, and liquidity, tracking KPIs, and giving leadership analysis for decisions. Controls and compliance: establishing and maintaining internal financial controls and coordinating banking, audit, tax, and the external CPA. The emphasis shifts by role and company. A finance operations manager focuses on the close, accounts payable and receivable, and systems. A corporate or FP&A finance manager focuses on modeling, forecasting, and investor reporting. A treasury-focused role owns the cash forecast, the bank relationships, and payment controls. A first finance hire at a small business covers all of it. A strong job description selects the duties that match the specific variation and the company’s stage rather than listing every possible finance task.
What is the difference between a finance manager, a controller, a treasurer, and a CFO?
All four are financial managers in the federal data, and they differ in focus and seniority. A controller is tactical and accounting-focused: they own the books, the close, financial statements, and GAAP compliance, and are often a CPA. A treasurer owns liquidity: the cash forecast, the bank relationships, debt and covenants, and the controls on outgoing payments. A finance manager sits between operational accounting and strategy, owning reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow, with more forward-looking analysis than a controller. A CFO is strategic and executive: they set financial strategy, lead fundraising and capital decisions, and sit on the leadership team. If you are choosing between a controller and a treasurer, ask what is actually broken. A late close, reworked statements, or a painful audit is a controls problem. Cash visibility that runs out past two weeks, a credit line managed by guesswork, or thin payment fraud controls is a treasury problem. When both hurt, hire for controls first and buy treasury help part time, because a broken close makes any cash forecast unreliable anyway. At a small business one person often combines several of these functions, and a finance manager is frequently the right first hire.
Does a small business need a finance manager?
It depends on whether the finance work is continuous or periodic, and it is worth being honest about the options. Continuous work justifies a hire: a monthly close that takes real days, weekly cash decisions, credit approvals, and compliance running every cycle. Periodic work does not: a budget once a year, a bank refinancing, a one-time system migration. Many small businesses run finance with a bookkeeper for day-to-day transactions and an external CPA for tax, and that combination works until the business needs ongoing reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow leadership, which often arrives as the company grows or takes on investors. At that point a dedicated finance manager makes sense, typically as a generalist first hire who builds the function and reports to the CEO. Before committing to a full-time hire, many growing companies use a part-time or fractional finance manager, which provides finance leadership on a limited schedule at a fraction of a full-time cost. The first-finance-hire and fractional templates on this page are written for these exact situations, which generic templates, written for companies that already have finance teams, do not address.
Is a finance manager exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
A finance manager is frequently exempt from overtime, but exemption depends on the actual duties and the salary basis, not the title. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the executive exemption applies when an employee’s primary duty is managing the business or a department and they customarily direct the work of at least two or more full-time employees with authority over hiring and firing, while the administrative exemption applies when the primary duty is office work directly related to management or general business operations, which the regulations specifically describe as including finance, accounting, budgeting, and auditing, exercising discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. A finance manager who leads a team likely qualifies under the executive exemption; one who does high-level financial work without managing people may qualify under the administrative exemption. The role must also be paid on a salary basis of at least $684 per week, which is $35,568 a year, under the current federal rule. Several states set a higher exempt salary floor than the federal one, and a multi-site employer has to meet the higher of the two at each location. Run the duties test against the Department of Labor’s guidance before classifying the role and making the offer.
How much does a finance manager make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025), financial managers, the occupation that covers finance managers, earned a national median annual wage of $166,570, or $80.08 per hour. The spread is unusually wide: the 10th percentile was $94,310, the 25th $125,490, the 75th $219,980, and the 90th $323,270. That range reflects the fact that a single code covers a first finance hire at a small company and a treasury executive at a bank, so a finance manager at a small business typically sits between the 10th and 25th percentile depending on experience, location, and scope, while a senior finance manager leading a team or a manager at a large employer sits higher. Pay scales with team leadership, specialization in FP&A or treasury, and credentials like a CPA or MBA. A part-time or fractional finance manager is priced per hour or as a monthly retainer rather than an annual salary. Publish a salary range, both because pay transparency laws increasingly require it and because finance candidates compare openings and skip those that hide pay.
Do I need a background check or bonding for a finance manager?
For a role with access to company finances, both are worth considering, and each carries specific rules. A background check is common for finance roles, and if you run one through a third-party screening company, federal law under the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that you give the candidate a clear disclosure in a standalone document and obtain their separate written authorization before the check. The disclosure must consist solely of the disclosure: padding it with liability waivers or extra language is a violation that has cost companies multimillion-dollar class-action settlements. Several states and cities also restrict the use of credit history in hiring, so confirm the local rule before adding a credit check to the process. Bonding is the second consideration: an employee dishonesty or fidelity bond is commercial crime insurance that protects the company against theft, forgery, or embezzlement by an employee with access to money, and it is sensible for a finance manager, particularly one with payment release authority. Separately, if your company sponsors a 401(k) or other retirement plan, federal law requires that anyone who handles plan funds be covered by a fidelity bond, generally for at least ten percent of the funds handled.
