How to hire a finance executive

How to hire a finance executive, step by step

Here's a step-by-step finance executive hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a finance executive job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new finance executive
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a finance executive do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your finance executive job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a finance executive for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a finance executive to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a finance executive that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of finance executives.

   Type of Finance Executive	Description	Hourly rate
   Finance Executive	Financial managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies and plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.	$32-85
   Controller	Controllers are employees in the accounting department who manage the finances of the organization. They are involved in the budget setting activity at the start of the company's fiscal year... Show more	$33-69
   Business & Finance Analyst	A financial business analyst is also referred to as a business analyst who recommends and enforces corporate efficiency and profitability methods. Financial business analysts analyze the business model and finances of an organization... Show more	$24-47

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Financial Statements
   • Financial Services
   • Portfolio
   • Financial Products
   • Real Estate
   • Insurance Products
   • GAAP
   • General Ledger
   • Internal Audit
   • Payroll
   • Securities
   • Financial Data
   • Balance Sheet
   • Financial Institutions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage financial statements and work independently to produce accurate records for petty cash, bank reconciliations, and data inventory.
   • Experience in ERP implementation when A/R module are migrated from old system to new PS system.
   • Improve financial results $50 million (GAAP) in 2000 over 1999 and generate the first profit in four years.
   • Assist with compliance with SOX requirements by improving internal protocols and documentation procedures.
   • Reorganize accounting department according to SOX guidelines along with recommendations for improving processes.
   • Develop decision matrix and flowcharts for a revise financial and manufacturing system within current ERP software.

   More finance executive duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your finance executive job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A finance executive can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, finance executives' average salary in alaska is 54% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level finance executives 62% less than senior-level finance executives.
   • Certifications. A finance executive with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a finance executive's salary.

   Average finance executive salary

   $110,830yearly

   $53.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level finance executive salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average finance executive salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$143,637	$69
   2	District of Columbia	$141,730	$68
   3	Illinois	$133,852	$64
   4	Connecticut	$127,842	$61
   5	California	$127,829	$61
   6	North Carolina	$126,484	$61
   7	Maryland	$125,433	$60
   8	Georgia	$117,237	$56
   9	New Jersey	$114,892	$55
   10	Pennsylvania	$113,231	$54
   11	Delaware	$108,115	$52
   12	Texas	$107,520	$52
   13	Minnesota	$106,376	$51
   14	Massachusetts	$105,673	$51
   15	Florida	$105,340	$51
   16	Virginia	$104,790	$50
   17	Washington	$101,470	$49
   18	Louisiana	$94,947	$46
   19	Arizona	$94,860	$46
   20	Puerto Rico	$89,844	$43

   Average finance executive salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$141,190	$67.88	23
   2	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$134,378	$64.60	2
   3	Accenture	$127,599	$61.35	407
   4	Solugenix	$122,497	$58.89
   5	vArmour	$120,620	$57.99
   6	ANZ Australia	$120,340	$57.86
   7	Amazon	$118,224	$56.84	423
   8	Shippo	$116,218	$55.87	1
   9	Coates Group	$116,095	$55.81
   10	Rokt	$115,978	$55.76
   11	Scale AI Inc	$115,974	$55.76	4
   12	Clearbit	$115,916	$55.73
   13	Allianz of America, Inc.	$115,839	$55.69
   14	DroneSense	$115,810	$55.68
   15	Redpoint Global	$115,748	$55.65
   16	*n/a*	$115,716	$55.63	8
   17	SYMBION POWER	$115,712	$55.63
   18	Mission Barns	$115,711	$55.63
   19	Seed orchard	$115,711	$55.63
   20	Winning At Home	$115,711	$55.63

4. Writing a finance executive job description

   A job description for a finance executive role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a finance executive job description:

   Finance executive job description example

   About Us
   
   Mission Barns is where some of the world's smartest, most passionate people are pioneering the future of food. We are scaling up and optimizing our process to provide sustainable, safe, and humane meat products to the world.
   
   We are a venture-backed startup with decades of experience in cell biology, tissue engineering, media development, food science, bioreactor design, and more. We're united by our collective drive to solve difficult problems, ask tough questions, and apply cutting-edge science and engineering. At Mission Barns, you'll have the freedom to dream big and do the best work of your life.
   PositionFull-time, exempt San Francisco, CAFull time employees enjoy medical, dental and vision coverage, flexible holiday and vacation time, stock options, 401k, and ample opportunity for career advancement as the company grows
   Responsibilities Manage financial operations, including financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, treasury, investor relations, cash management, banking, and modeling.Manage transactional finance activities including processing of accounts payable, accounts receivables, expense reporting and payroll processing.Assure tax compliance with accurate and timely completion of all corporate, statutory, income and indirect tax requirements.Evaluate the benefits and risks of potential business decisions. Support negotiation of company contracts, deals, and financings.Work with company leadership to build out financial infrastructure that will sustain the company's long-term needs
   About You 7+ years of experience in a broad range of finance functions incl. FP&A, treasury, accounting, audit and tax Experience managing teams Can thrive in fast-paced and ambiguous environments Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively Impeccable organization, attention to detail, and communication skills Passionate about our goal of building a more sensible food system
   Full Time Exempt employees enjoy 99% coverage for medical, dental and vision benefits, commuter benefits, a 401K, flexible holiday and vacation time, stock options, a dog and pig friendly office, a brand new state of the art office close to 101, I-80, walking distance to public transit (BART, MUNI, SamTrans), an unlimited supply of snacks, flavored waters, coffee, tea and ample career advancement as the company grows.
   
   Mission Barns is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status.
   
   Full Time employees enjoy 99% coverage for medical, dental and vision benefits, pre-tax benefits, a 401K, stock options, a dog and pig friendly office, a brand new state of the art office close to 101, I-80, walking distance to public transit (BART, MUNI, SamTrans), an unlimited supply of snacks, flavored waters, coffee, tea and ample career advancement as the company grows.
   
   Mission Barns is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find finance executives for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your finance executive job on Zippia to find and recruit finance executive candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit finance executives, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new finance executive

   Once you've selected the best finance executive candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a finance executive?