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What does an administrative & finance manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
What does an administrative & finance manager do

An administrative and finance manager handles a company's expenditures, requests, invoices, and other financial documentation. Their primary duty is to oversee a finance team's daily work. Additionally, they must coordinate financial staff, ensure that orders from management are carried out, complete the company's financial statements, and provide tax data for the legal department.

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Administrative & finance manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real administrative & finance manager resumes:

  • Manage payroll and organizational projects using QuickBooks for non-profits.
  • Process bi-weekly payroll utilizing QuickBooks and manage financial and clinical performance.
  • Manage accounts payable/receivable, deposits, payroll preparation, purchasing and inventory management, liaison to accountant.
  • Prepare monthly and annual financial statements along with supporting schedules resulting in minimal follow up by external CPA's.
  • Work closely with the CPA firm to ensure proper income tax filing and keep the company books flowing smoothly.
  • Direct ERP system implementation, establish beginning balances and database information, and train users on applications and requirements.
  • Establish ROI criteria for sales promotions taking into consideration account lift, cannibalization, erosion and strategic implications.

Administrative & finance manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 10% of Administrative & Finance Managers are proficient in Payroll Processing, Human Resources, and Oversight. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.

We break down the percentage of Administrative & Finance Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Payroll Processing, 10%

    Managed employee benefits, payroll processing and general office administration.

  • Human Resources, 7%

    Conducted human resources and program planning activities as administrator and established financial management activities as the finance manager.

  • Oversight, 7%

    Deliver oversight and day-to-day project management related to the implementation of new capital project management software for the Project Delivery Group.

  • Administrative Procedures, 6%

    Handled all the legal and licensing requirements and created operating policies and functional administrative procedures.

  • Financial Management, 5%

    Managed the agency budget formulations, execution, performance assessments, financial analysis, revenue accounting and internal financial management controls.

  • Financial Analysis, 5%

    Provided monthly financial analysis and performed journal entries for the Customer Service Controller.

Common skills that an administrative & finance manager uses to do their job include "payroll processing," "human resources," and "oversight." You can find details on the most important administrative & finance manager responsibilities below.

Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for an administrative & finance manager to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what administrative & finance managers do because "to assist executives in making decisions, financial managers need to evaluate data and information that affects their organization." Additionally, an administrative & finance manager resume shows how administrative & finance managers use analytical skills: "directed erp system implementation, established beginning balances and database information, and trained users on applications and requirements. "

Communication skills. Many administrative & finance manager duties rely on communication skills. "financial managers must be able to explain and justify complex financial transactions.," so an administrative & finance manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways administrative & finance manager responsibilities rely on communication skills: "managed engagement with a startup telecommunications firm to redesign financial processes to more fully leverage an existing erp system. "

Detail oriented. This is an important skill for administrative & finance managers to perform their duties. For an example of how administrative & finance manager responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "in preparing and analyzing reports, such as balance sheets and income statements, financial managers must be precise and attentive to their work in order to avoid errors." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an administrative & finance manager: "performed cash management of bank accounts and holding accounts with meticulous attention to detail. ".

Math skills. A big part of what administrative & finance managers do relies on "math skills." You can see how essential it is to administrative & finance manager responsibilities because "financial managers need strong skills in certain branches of mathematics, including algebra." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical administrative & finance manager tasks: "organized complex mathematical and financial models into intuitive, user friendly presentations for management review and approval. "

Organizational skills. Another common skill required for administrative & finance manager responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of administrative & finance managers all the time, as "because financial managers deal with a range of information and documents, they must have structures in place to be effective in their work." An excerpt from a real administrative & finance manager resume shows how this skill is central to what an administrative & finance manager does: "implement resource internal controls * make monthly, quarterly and annual plans to support reaching organizational goals. "

Most common administrative & finance manager skills

The three companies that hire the most administrative & finance managers are:

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Compare different administrative & finance managers

Administrative & finance manager vs. Manager finance planning and analysis

A manager finance planning and analysis oversees the daily operations of a company's financial planning department. They typically have administrative duties such as setting goals and guidelines, establishing timelines and budgets, delegating tasks among teams and staff, and reviewing financial reports regularly. They also perform research and assessments, gather and analyze financial data from different departments, coordinate staff, and solve issues and concerns when any arise. Additionally, as a manager, they must lead and empower staff to reach goals while implementing company policies and regulations.

The annual salary of managers finance planning and analysis is $29,899 higher than the average salary of administrative & finance managers.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both administrative & finance manager and manager finance planning and analysis positions are skilled in human resources, financial management, and financial analysis.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an administrative & finance manager are more likely to require skills like "payroll processing," "oversight," "administrative procedures," and "administrative functions." On the other hand, a job as a manager finance planning and analysis requires skills like "financial performance," "customer service," "financial models," and "hyperion." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Managers finance planning and analysis earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $109,735. On the other hand, administrative & finance managers are paid more in the insurance industry with an average salary of $92,645.On average, managers finance planning and analysis reach similar levels of education than administrative & finance managers. Managers finance planning and analysis are 3.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Administrative & finance manager vs. Manager/finance accounting

A manager of finance accounting's role is to oversee the financial activities in a company or organization. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with other departments to gather financial data, analyze the revenues and expenditures, and develop written reports and presentations. A manager of finance accounting must also maintain accurate financial records, identify any errors or inconsistencies, and perform support tasks for staff when necessary. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

On average, managers/finance accounting earn a $14,326 higher salary than administrative & finance managers a year.A few skills overlap for administrative & finance managers and managers/finance accounting. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "payroll processing," "financial management," and "financial analysis. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that administrative & finance manager responsibilities requires skills like "human resources," "oversight," "administrative procedures," and "administrative functions." But a manager/finance accounting might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "reconciliations," "due diligence," and "hr."

Managers/finance accounting earn a higher average salary than administrative & finance managers. But managers/finance accounting earn the highest pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $92,198. Additionally, administrative & finance managers earn the highest salaries in the insurance with average pay of $92,645 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Managers/finance accounting tend to reach similar levels of education than administrative & finance managers. In fact, they're 1.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Administrative & finance manager vs. Finance director

A finance director's role is to oversee all financial activities and aspects of a company or organization. One of their duties is to gather necessary financial data and cultivate reports on essential matters such as revenue and budget, provide risk assessments and estimates, implement vital policies, and allocate funds within the company. Furthermore, a finance director must also devise strategies and recommend innovative methods for financial gains, while in adherence to the organization's policies and regulations.

On average scale, finance directors bring in higher salaries than administrative & finance managers. In fact, they earn a $41,529 higher salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on administrative & finance managers and finance directors resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "human resources," "oversight," and "financial management.rdquo;

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, administrative & finance managers are more likely to have skills like "payroll processing," "administrative procedures," "administrative functions," and "logistics." But a finance director is more likely to have skills like "payroll," "work ethic," "strong work ethic," and "financial performance."

Finance directors earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $128,738. Administrative & finance managers earn the highest pay from the insurance industry, with an average salary of $92,645.When it comes to education, finance directors tend to earn similar degree levels compared to administrative & finance managers. In fact, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Administrative & finance manager vs. Tax manager

A Tax Manager is responsible for managing tax reporting and compliance within an organization. They provide innovative tax planning and prepare state and federal tax returns for companies.

Tax managers typically earn higher pay than administrative & finance managers. On average, tax managers earn a $19,111 higher salary per year.According to resumes from administrative & finance managers and tax managers, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "external auditors," "general ledger," and "cash flow. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between administrative & finance managers and tax managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an administrative & finance manager might have more use for skills like "payroll processing," "human resources," "oversight," and "administrative procedures." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of tax managers require skills like "client relationships," "tax planning," "tax compliance," and "tax research. "

The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for tax managers, with average annual pay of $96,231. Comparatively, the highest administrative & finance manager annual salary comes from the insurance industry.In general, tax managers hold similar degree levels compared to administrative & finance managers. Tax managers are 2.1% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 2.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of administrative & finance manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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