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What does a Corporate Finance Analyst do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted Expert
Nate Peach Ph.D.
What does a Corporate Finance Analyst do

Corporate finance analysts make significant business decisions based on the data they gather. Typically, corporate finance analysts work within an organization and support management decisions through actionable financial information. They monitor the taxes, expenses, financial statements, and other financial details of where the company sources its income. This position requires a formal qualification in accounting. It also necessitates the analyst to develop interpersonal skills, knowledge in information technology software, financial reporting skills, and experience in management.

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Corporate finance analyst responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real corporate finance analyst resumes:

  • Lead finance project team to create site-wide (Essbase) reporting system under extremely tight deadlines.
  • Develop, maintain financial models/applications (VBA Excel/Access) to automate and streamline business processes and perform financial analysis.
  • Record related journal entries and general ledger account reconciliations and functions using journal entry and account reconciliation software tools.
  • Provide technical expertise in process design and implementation of the new Hyperion general ledger system and associate reports.
  • Reconstruct, modify and maintain operating expense planning model in HYPERION.
  • Reduce errors and rework in daily operations via visual basic (VBA) macros and SQL manipulation.
  • Contribute towards standardization of treasury policies and processes across multiple units.
  • Prepare monthly consolidate financial package in accordance with GAAP and distribute to management.
  • Analyze and process mandatory and voluntary corporate actions for domestic and international securities.
  • Verify account documents present for transfer of securities research and identify causes of discrepancies.
  • Assist with deal execution activities of domestic and international mergers and acquisitions and investments.
  • Conduct portfolio audits and prepare presentations to executives recommending necessary amendments to client accounts.
  • Maintain SQL data warehouse: introduce and supervise changes, immediately troubleshot every system bug.
  • Interact with business management regarding treasury annual plans to support expansion strategies of the business.
  • Provide customize reporting, including schedules and reconciliations, to sales and finance managers in a strict deadline-driven environment.

Corporate finance analyst skills and personality traits

We calculated that 8% of Corporate Finance Analysts are proficient in Financial Analysis, Strong Analytical, and Financial Models. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Computer skills.

We break down the percentage of Corporate Finance Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Financial Analysis, 8%

    Conducted financial analysis of various business lines to better understand financial and strategic implications for future business development for the company.

  • Strong Analytical, 7%

    Prepared weekly cash management/short-term cash flow models, long-term financial forecasts and departmental budgets utilizing strong analytical and MS excel skills.

  • Financial Models, 7%

    Supported operational business decision making by providing cost benefit analysis and financial models for management team.

  • Hyperion, 4%

    Provided technical expertise in process design and implementation of the new Hyperion general ledger system and associated reports.

  • Balance Sheet, 4%

    Streamlined monthly operating performance consolidation and analysis reports including profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow information.

  • Due Diligence, 4%

    Analyzed business information, agreements and other documents relating to buy-side and sell-side due diligence for larger merger and acquisition transactions.

Most corporate finance analysts use their skills in "financial analysis," "strong analytical," and "financial models" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential corporate finance analyst responsibilities here:

Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a corporate finance analyst to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what corporate finance analysts do because "financial analysts must evaluate a range of information in finding profitable investments." Additionally, a corporate finance analyst resume shows how corporate finance analysts use analytical skills: "team member for two erp implementations, responsible for conversion of project data and development of the project accounting modules. "

Communication skills. Many corporate finance analyst duties rely on communication skills. "financial analysts must be able to clearly explain their recommendations to clients.," so a corporate finance analyst will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways corporate finance analyst responsibilities rely on communication skills: "collaborated with teams across organization to compile accurate financial results and explanations; established clear communication and defined report/deliverable guidelines. "

Computer skills. corporate finance analysts are also known for computer skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to corporate finance analyst responsibilities, because "financial analysts must be adept at using software to analyze financial data and trends, create portfolios, and make forecasts." A corporate finance analyst resume example shows how computer skills is used in the workplace: "perform financial analysis and structure of capital formation by using computer-modeling techniques. "

Detail oriented. For certain corporate finance analyst responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "detail oriented." The day-to-day duties of a corporate finance analyst rely on this skill, as "financial analysts must pay attention when reviewing a possible investment, as even small issues may have large implications for its health." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what corporate finance analysts do: "provided detailed documentation of the due diligence performed. "

Math skills. Another crucial skill for a corporate finance analyst to carry out their responsibilities is "math skills." A big part of what corporate finance analysts relies on this skill, since "financial analysts use mathematics to estimate the value of financial securities." How this skill relates to corporate finance analyst duties can be seen in an example from a corporate finance analyst resume snippet: "performed quantitative and qualitative analysis, including due diligence, valuation, benchmarking and industry / sector studies. "

See the full list of corporate finance analyst skills

Choose from 10+ customizable corporate finance analyst resume templates

Build a professional corporate finance analyst resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your corporate finance analyst resume.
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume
Corporate Finance Analyst Resume

Compare different corporate finance analysts

Corporate finance analyst vs. Analyst

Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.

If we compare the average corporate finance analyst annual salary with that of an analyst, we find that analysts typically earn a $3,016 lower salary than corporate finance analysts make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between corporate finance analysts and analysts are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like financial analysis, strong analytical, and financial models.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a corporate finance analyst are more likely to require skills like "hyperion," "balance sheet," "reconciliations," and "financial performance." On the other hand, a job as an analyst requires skills like "customer service," "troubleshoot," "management system," and "project management." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Analysts tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $79,330. In contrast, corporate finance analysts make the biggest average salary, $96,991, in the finance industry.analysts tend to reach similar levels of education than corporate finance analysts. In fact, analysts are 4.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Corporate finance analyst vs. Equity analyst

An equity analyst's role is to help clients navigate through stocks and bonds using their expertise. In a company setting, their responsibilities revolve around performing extensive research and analysis on areas such as the stock market, coordinating with different departments to gather necessary data, identifying new opportunities, preparing and analyzing the company's financial records, and creating forecast models. Furthermore, as an equity analyst, it is essential to make recommendations in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

Equity analyst positions earn higher pay than corporate finance analyst roles. They earn a $27,692 higher salary than corporate finance analysts per year.A few skills overlap for corporate finance analysts and equity analysts. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "financial models," "balance sheet," and "due diligence. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that corporate finance analyst responsibilities requires skills like "financial analysis," "strong analytical," "hyperion," and "data analysis." But an equity analyst might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "portfolio companies," "powerpoint," "fundamental analysis," and "investment process."

Equity analysts earn a higher average salary than corporate finance analysts. But equity analysts earn the highest pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $125,442. Additionally, corporate finance analysts earn the highest salaries in the finance with average pay of $96,991 annually.In general, equity analysts achieve higher levels of education than corporate finance analysts. They're 5.0% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Corporate Finance Analysts in the next 3-5 years?

Nate Peach Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Economics, George Fox University

I'm not sure about one specific technology, but I think some general skills will become more valuable. Specifically, being familiar with necessary coding, analyzing data, and making sense of economy broad trends will continue to be highly prized in the labor market. Economists are well-suited to help organizations attempting to get up to speed on their use of data.

Corporate finance analyst vs. Staff analyst

Staff Analysts are employees who oversee the activities related to the employees. They monitor the performance of the employees and assess whether particular employees suit the role they have. They also assess the current roles in the company to see if those roles are really needed. Staff Analysts ensure that the manpower allocation in the company is efficient. They analyze staff-related data to check whether there are more areas for improvement. Staff Analysts may also be assigned to come up with projects related to improving productivity.

On average, staff analysts earn higher salaries than corporate finance analysts, with a $23,135 difference per year.By looking over several corporate finance analysts and staff analysts resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "financial analysis," "data analysis," and "process improvement." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a corporate finance analyst is likely to be skilled in "strong analytical," "financial models," "hyperion," and "balance sheet," while a typical staff analyst is skilled in "project management," "technical support," "windows," and "logistics."

Staff analysts earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $107,444. Comparatively, corporate finance analysts have the highest earning potential in the finance industry, with an average salary of $96,991.When it comes to education, staff analysts tend to earn similar degree levels compared to corporate finance analysts. In fact, they're 1.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Corporate finance analyst vs. Risk analyst

As a risk analyst, you will oversee the identification, assessment, and monitoring of risks that your company has been exposed to. You will evaluate financial documents, potential clients, and economic conditions to determine the level of risk in business decisions. You will be responsible for aggregating data from several sources to develop a comprehensive assessment and create reports, processes, and presentations to better present results. You are also expected to work closely with other team members to analyze and show data effectively.

Risk analysts tend to earn a higher pay than corporate finance analysts by an average of $5,461 per year.While their salaries may vary, corporate finance analysts and risk analysts both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "financial analysis," "strong analytical," and "financial models. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A corporate finance analyst uses "hyperion," "balance sheet," "reconciliations," and "financial performance." Risk analysts are more likely to have duties that require skills in "risk management," "risk assessments," "powerpoint," and "portfolio. "In general, risk analysts earn the most working in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $77,608. The highest-paying industry for a corporate finance analyst is the finance industry.The average resume of risk analysts showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to corporate finance analysts. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.8%.

Types of corporate finance analyst

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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