How to hire a finance secretary

How to hire a finance secretary, step by step

Here's a step-by-step finance secretary 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 secretary job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new finance secretary
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The finance secretary hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 secretary 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 secretary that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of finance secretaries and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Finance Secretary	Description	Hourly rate
   Finance Secretary	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$12-19
   Accounting Administrator	An accounting administrator is responsible for reviewing and analyzing account statements, managing deposits, and resolving bank discrepancies and financial disputes. Accounting administrators handle the efficient and accurate cash flow within an organization, including payroll release and filing of petty cash... Show more	$15-33
   Bookkeeper	Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work... Show more	$14-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Payroll Taxes
   • Purchase Orders
   • General Ledger
   • Financial Reports
   • QuickBooks
   • Financial Aid
   • Finance Committee
   • Bank Reconciliations
   • Bank Accounts
   • W-2
   • Journal Entries
   • Accounts Payables
   • Travel Arrangements
   • Financial Transactions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage high volume of requests and correspondence from executives and colleagues, pharmaceutical representatives, patients and outside physicians.
   • Process payroll using ADP online program.
   • Check for any ACH payments online need to be record.
   • Train with ADP from manual payroll entries to online payroll system.
   • Record the monthly ACH payments so they can be upload in the bookkeeping system.
   • Create a policies and procedures manual for the church, ensuring the needs of the church and IRS requirements are meet.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your finance secretary job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A finance secretary salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, finance secretaries' average salary in oklahoma is 45% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level finance secretaries earn 37% less than senior-level finance secretaries.
   • Certifications. A finance secretary with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a finance secretary's salary.

   Average finance secretary salary

   $16.14hourly

   $33,580 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level finance secretary salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a finance secretary job description

   A finance secretary job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a finance secretary job description:

   Finance secretary job description example

   + + Position Type:
   
   Clerical/ Secretary - 12-Months
   
   + Date Posted:
   
   8/17/2022
   
   + Location:
   
   Crouse Education Center
   
   + Date Available:
   
   08/17/2022
   
   + Closing Date:
   
   until filled
   
   Description: Perform duties to assist with the processing of purchase orders, disbursements and deposits for all revenue generating and grant accounts.ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
   
   + Perform routine bookkeeping tasks and maintain assigned budget records. Prepare and process purchase orders and payment authorizations.
   
   + Support the PO process for various accounts, which includes assigning a PO number and accounting code, obtaining necessary approvals, and submitting order to the vendor.
   
   + Support the product receipt and reconciliation process for various accounts, which includes verification of product and PO, inventory of items and/or repackage for distribution, submit invoice for payment. This may include lifting, moving and delivering of materials within and outside the CEC.
   
   + Reconcile various account finances monthly (activities, projects, grants and workshops) and provide a report to the appropriate administrator.
   
   + Use various databases to track and monitor account transactions and prepare reports as needed.
   
   + Provide end user support and/or training to staff or parents on the operational use of the online payment system.
   
   + Oversee the fee waiver process, the annual collection of student fees, and the refunding of payments through the online payment system.
   
   + Work with the district collection agency for student fee and building rental collection.
   
   + Process building rental receipts and serve as a primary building rental contact.
   
   + Compile, maintain, and file all reports, records, and other documents as required.
   
   + Prepare correspondence, forms, reports, manuals, and presentations for others as needed.
   
   + Answer and respond to incoming calls and electronic communication.
   
   + Demonstrate proficiency using the technology and computer-based programs provided by the District to effectively manage and organize files, communication, records and databases.
   
   Perform other duties as assigned.Working Conditions:District Office
   
   Rate of pay:$17.75/hour
   
   Selection Procedure: Qualified candidates will be contacted by the appropriate building administrator. After an initial interview with a building administrator, final candidates wil be referred to the Human Resources Department to be scheduled for and successfully complete clerical and technical assessment tests in typing, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel to be eligible for further consideration for this position.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find finance secretaries 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 secretary job on Zippia to find and recruit finance secretary candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit finance secretaries, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 secretary

   Once you've found the finance secretary candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new finance secretary. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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