How to hire a senior finance manager

How to hire a senior finance manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior finance manager hiring guide:

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

What does a senior finance manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior finance manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A senior finance manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior finance managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents senior finance manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Senior Finance Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Finance Manager	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.	$45-88
   Finance Vice President	The vice president of finance is one of the highest-ranking executives in a company. He/She or she works under the chief financial officer, and both have similar duties that are often interchangeable... Show more	$47-106
   Finance Analyst-Operations Finance	Financial analysts are professionals who are in charge of the financial operations of businesses. The analysts analyze results, monitor variances, determine trends, and suggest management-related actions to improve corporate finances... Show more	$20-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hyperion
   • Financial Performance
   • Financial Analysis
   • Business Development
   • SR
   • Financial Models
   • Strong Analytical
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • GAAP
   • Financial Planning Analysis
   • Process Improvement
   • Shared Services
   • Internal Controls
   • ERP

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage regional treasury functions including coordination with international HQ for daily cash balance requirements.
   • Manage staff of financial analysts who perform divisional and branch portfolio and profit/loss analysis.
   • Manage Oracle/Hyperion application upgrade used to support the close, consolidate and report process within Oracle/PeopleSoft ERP environment.
   • Manage financial reporting in support of CEO/CFO/President with oversight for data integrity and consistency of reporting across enterprise.
   • Manage eight team members' activities including daily transaction processing, monthly reconciliations and analysis, and financial statement preparation
   • Manage senior financial analysts responsible for evaluating the financial risks of a portfolio of large property and casualty insurance programs.

   More senior finance manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the senior finance manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A senior finance manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a senior finance manager in Montana may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level senior finance manager. Additionally, a senior finance manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average senior finance manager salary

   $133,358yearly

   $64.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior finance manager salary

   $95,000 yearly salary

   Updated February 1, 2026

   Average senior finance manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$150,246	$72
   2	New York	$141,062	$68
   3	Washington	$140,654	$68
   4	Arizona	$135,633	$65
   5	Massachusetts	$135,019	$65
   6	New Jersey	$133,967	$64
   7	Michigan	$130,623	$63
   8	Connecticut	$129,222	$62
   9	Pennsylvania	$128,275	$62
   10	District of Columbia	$127,911	$62
   11	Illinois	$127,724	$61
   12	Ohio	$127,592	$61
   13	Maryland	$127,524	$61
   14	Virginia	$125,693	$60
   15	Indiana	$125,325	$60
   16	North Carolina	$125,097	$60
   17	Wisconsin	$124,466	$60
   18	Minnesota	$123,408	$59
   19	Texas	$123,309	$59
   20	Missouri	$122,918	$59

   Average senior finance manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Roku	$178,380	$85.76	3
   2	McKinsey & Company Inc	$170,960	$82.19
   3	Airbnb	$160,606	$77.21
   4	The Walt Disney Company	$160,330	$77.08	87
   5	Boston Consulting Group	$160,167	$77.00	6
   6	Google	$158,417	$76.16	57
   7	Bain & Company	$156,336	$75.16	13
   8	Anaplan	$155,707	$74.86	10
   9	Bridgewater Associates	$155,610	$74.81	2
   10	Palo Alto Networks	$151,727	$72.95
   11	Marin Software	$151,105	$72.65
   12	VMware	$148,901	$71.59
   13	Silicon Valley Bank	$148,791	$71.53
   14	Genentech	$148,453	$71.37	7
   15	Capital Group	$147,935	$71.12	7
   16	Pattern Energy Group	$147,849	$71.08	9
   17	Citi	$147,120	$70.73	58
   18	Flexport	$147,064	$70.70	5
   19	Deutsche Bank	$146,938	$70.64	41
   20	Opera Colorado	$146,849	$70.60

4. Writing a senior finance manager job description

   A good senior finance manager 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 senior finance manager job description:

   Senior finance manager job description example

   General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) is a Global Aerospace and Defense Company. Every day, people around the world depend on our products for their safety and security. We are looking for a talented and motivated individual who wants to be part of a fast-paced culture driven by Honesty, Transparency, Trust, and Alignment as a Senior Manager, Finance. This is an in-person position located at our Home Office in St. Petersburg, Florida.
   
   This role will lead the financial reporting function for consolidated GD-OTS including primary responsibility for monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting of actuals to GD Corporate (CHQ); consolidation and review of 24 ledgers and management of the GD-OTS Home Office ledger (IHO). Liaison between IHO finance and location accounting managers regarding all matters related to financial reporting. This is a highly visible role with significant growth opportunities in a strategic business unit of a Fortune 100 Company.
   
   + Lead the Home Office consolidation team responsible for monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting for all of OTS by ensuring all deadlines are met, review submissions for accuracy, assigning and reviewing work performed by the reporting team, and other related responsibilities. Ensure compliance with internal policies and procedures.
   
   + Serve as a liaison with CHQ and business units to coordinate timely financial reporting including, performing evaluation of BU submissions for completeness and accuracy.
   
   + Provide guidance on technical accounting issues and questions to business units and locations. Comprehensive ability to analyze complex financial information concisely, and present conclusions and recommendations as needed.
   
   + Identify and implement process improvements to the financial reporting procedures, including development of a training curriculum across all of OTS, identifying and implementing opportunities for automation and other efficiencies.
   
   + Coordinate with the IT systems group on the implementation and ongoing maintenance of financially signification systems (ERP, Fixed Asset System, Lease Accounting software, etc.)
   
   + Implement and lead key initiatives such as implementation of new accounting standards across OTS, ad-hoc financial analysis requested by senior leadership (historical cost trends, variance analysis, etc.), and other key initiatives.
   
   + Lead, develop, and coach staff members to improve accuracy, efficiency, and timeliness of the financial close process, and to enhance their professional development.
   + Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related fields.
   
   + 5-7 years of managerial experience with 7+ years of individual contributor experience in finance or accounting.
   
   + CPA designation required.
   
   + Strong knowledge of US GAAP
   
   + Working knowledge of ASC 606 and ASC 842 preferred
   
   + Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Experience prioritizing competing demands and managing the workload of a team.
   
   + Microsoft Office, Advanced Excel Skills, IFS, OneStream, project management, training, etc.
   
   
   Street: 100 Carillon Parkway
   
   Telecommute: No

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit senior finance managers, 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 senior finance manager

   Once you've selected the best senior finance manager 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.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new senior finance manager 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 senior finance manager?