How to hire a finance specialist

How to hire a finance specialist, step by step

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

What does a finance specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your finance specialist 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 specialist 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 specialist 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 specialist that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of finance specialists.

   Type of Finance Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Finance Specialist		$17-48
   Finance Advising Internship	Finance advising interns help with the marketing of finance packages offered by firms and banks. They assist in creating plans to increase clientele and work with clientele to succeed in their financial goals... Show more	$14-51
   Finance Internship	A finance intern generally provides basic assistance on the financial institution while learning of its operations and complexities. Finance interns should be highly attentive on observing processes, assessing financial reports, familiarizing on records management, and supporting data entry procedures... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Phone Calls
   • Cash Handling
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Patients
   • Financial Reports
   • Mutual Funds
   • Team-Oriented Environment
   • Financial Services
   • Life Insurance
   • Payroll
   • Financial Analysis
   • PowerPoint
   • Loan Applications

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead lease of aircraft including analysis and coordination of treasury, legal, tax and insurance reviews.
   • Manage client relationship by presenting solutions for customers state and unstate needs while cross-selling company products.
   • Ensure the highest standards of SOX compliance by conducting internal audits and annual SOX testing with external auditors.
   • Compare the closed month and calendar month reports in Hyperion.
   • Prepare work papers for annual audit and tax filings and coordinate with external CPA.
   • Prepare and audit coworker contract development of insurance provider contracts, SOX testing and publishing system wide contract updates.

   More finance specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your finance specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A finance specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a finance specialist in South Dakota may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level finance specialist usually earns less than a senior-level finance specialist. Additionally, a finance specialist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average finance specialist salary

   $61,666yearly

   $29.65 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level finance specialist salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average finance specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$79,570	$38
   2	Connecticut	$77,010	$37
   3	New York	$76,773	$37
   4	Virginia	$76,153	$37
   5	Massachusetts	$74,993	$36
   6	New Jersey	$74,291	$36
   7	Pennsylvania	$74,109	$36
   8	Maryland	$72,870	$35
   9	Ohio	$67,503	$32
   10	Michigan	$62,274	$30
   11	North Carolina	$59,951	$29
   12	California	$57,041	$27
   13	Illinois	$56,862	$27
   14	Indiana	$52,157	$25
   15	Florida	$51,398	$25
   16	Arizona	$49,437	$24
   17	Texas	$47,965	$23
   18	Georgia	$47,850	$23
   19	Wisconsin	$46,625	$22
   20	Minnesota	$46,584	$22

   Average finance specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$109,307	$52.55	46
   2	Agilent Technologies	$108,366	$52.10	10
   3	McKinsey & Company Inc	$104,860	$50.41	22
   4	PayPal	$101,715	$48.90	2
   5	Intel	$100,675	$48.40	5
   6	Boston Consulting Group	$100,300	$48.22	2
   7	Keysight Technologies	$98,138	$47.18
   8	Citi	$97,871	$47.05	24
   9	Pace University	$95,473	$45.90
   10	RapidRatings	$94,520	$45.44
   11	Brightstar	$93,955	$45.17	2
   12	ZS	$93,734	$45.06
   13	Hess	$92,741	$44.59
   14	Morgan Stanley	$92,401	$44.42	49
   15	SAP	$92,068	$44.26	10
   16	Bloomberg	$91,392	$43.94	20
   17	State Street	$90,960	$43.73	15
   18	Signature Healthcare	$90,460	$43.49	4
   19	TVU Networks	$90,447	$43.48
   20	Capital Group	$90,041	$43.29	6

4. Writing a finance specialist job description

   A good finance specialist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a finance specialist job description:

   Finance specialist job description example

   Opportunities are eligible for flexible work arrangements (hybrid or remote with the ability to travel onsite as needed).
   
   Stanford University, School of Medicine is hiring multiple Grants Administrators to work under minimal supervision to manage the proposal preparation and/or post award activities on grants, contracts, program projects, and federal grants, both routine and complex.
   Duties include:
   Participate with principal investigator in the preparation of the administrative components of proposals within parameters of sponsored and non-sponsored research guidelines. Oversee and communicate submission process, both paper and electronic; review documents for completeness and compliance. Develop, prepare, and finalize project budgets, and provide budget justification. Serve as liaison and active partner between principal investigators, Office of Sponsored Research, research groups, and other departments; respond to sponsor inquiries. Collaborate with Office of Sponsored Research to ensure awards are set up properly and cost-sharing requirements are fulfilled; initiate cost transfers. Review and approve expenditures, advise on post award spending and commitment activity, and oversee compliance related to fund and revenue. Develop and communicate reports supporting project status; create effective forecasting and decision aides. Participate in contract closeout process; submit final reports and certificates. Compile information and documents needed for audit inquiries. Understand, apply, and advise on university and government policies for projects. Serve as a resource on subject area and overall technical resource to principal investigator and other university staff. Participate in and contribute to process improvements. Lead other staff in group projects May participate as a mentor and provide cross-training as needed. * - Other duties may also be assigned
   
   EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
   
   Bachelor's degree and three years of job related experience, or combination of education and experience.
   
   KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
   Basic knowledge of governmental regulations. Ability to understand, interpret, and communicate policies and procedures. Excellent oral, written, and communication skills. Excellent analytical skills; demonstrated proficiency in Excel and web-based tools. Strong accounting skills; knowledge of accounting principles. Ability to complete Cardinal Curriculum I and II within first year in role. Knowledge of procurement needs, including sole-sourcing, cost analyses, vendor requirements, and small business reporting. Knowledge of property management requirements related to Stanford or non-Stanford title of equipment and fabrications. Competency in project management. Extreme attention to detail. Ability to work well independently, but also to seek or offer assistance when needed. Ability to review a proposal or manage a project with understanding of the overall scope and goal of each sponsored project. Excellent time management and organizational skills.
   CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES:
   Cardinal Curriculum I and II must be completed to remain in this position. Certified Accountant or Auditor or similar credential desired.
   PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*:
   Frequently sit, grasp lightly, use fine manipulation and perform desk-based computer tasks, lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing up to ten pounds. Occasionally stand, walk, grasp forcefully, use a telephone, write by hand and sort and file paperwork or parts. Rarely lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing 11-20 pounds. * - Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
   
   As an organization that receives federal funding, Stanford University has a COVID-19 vaccination requirement that will apply to all university employees, including those working remotely in the United States and applicable subcontractors.
   
   To learn more about COVID policies and guidelines for Stanford University Staff, please visit this link.
   
   Additional Information

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right finance specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your finance specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit finance specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit finance specialists, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the finance specialist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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 finance specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 specialist?