Chief Financial Officer CV Sample & Expert Tips for Improving Your Finance CV
Leverage this achievement-based Chief Financial Officer (CFO) CV example to learn what recruiters expect to see in an executive CV.
You'll then be able to improve your finance CV following our tips, whether you are a finance manager, finance director or in an entry-level finance role.
View additional examples of effective executive CVs and learn about our recruiter-approved approach to CV writing here.
At the executive level, recruiters expect to see a high-impact CV that is not only well-formatted and easy to skim but also clearly demonstrates the results that you were able to deliver.
Below, we outline each section of the sample CV and provide tips that you can leverage to improve your own.
CAREER SUMMARY
DO use bullet points and specific examples to outline your career trajectory and key achievements.
DO NOT use vague or overexaggerated language such as: seasoned, results-driven finance executive | outstanding team player | proactive and self-motivated leader | dependable advisor to executive team.
• Brings 20 years of international finance leadership experience with healthcare, consulting and media organisations including BMI Healthcare, Bupa UK, Ernst & Young, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros.
• Serves as CFO of BMI Healthcare, with P&L responsibility for $1B+ in annual revenue; spearheaded successful financial systems integration after company acquisition by Circle Health
• Increased operating income for Bupa UK by £150K+ by strategically managing integration of new facilities
• Advised FTSE 250 companies on M&A strategy and FP&A process improvement at Ernst & Young
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
DO highlight industry-specific areas of expertise and hard skills that your target roles require (based on the job description).
DO NOT outline soft skills such as communication, adaptability, multitasking and problem solving, which recruiters expect any competent executive to possess.
• Post-Acquisition Financial Integration
• Revenue Growth Strategy
• Financial Planning and Risk Management
• Due Diligence, Audit and Tax Compliance
• Corporate Governance
• Global Finance Team Leadership
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
DO separate your day-to-day responsibilities (paragraph format) from your accomplishments (bullet points) and tailor your content to your target roles.
DO NOT provide a laundry list of everything you were "responsible for" in your position, which does little to differentiate you from similar applicants.
BMI Healthcare | London, UK
Chief Financial Officer | January 2018—Present
BMI Healthcare is the UK’s leading private healthcare provider, comprised of 52 hospitals across England, Scotland and Wales and over 6,500 consultants ($1B+ annual revenue). Partner with executive leadership to lead annual operating and capital budgeting processes and assess feasibility of new programs and acquisitions, reporting to CEO. Lead finance team of 50, with six direct reports spanning accounting, finance, annual audits, tax and treasury and financial risk management functions. Oversee strategic initiatives that achieved EBITDA growth of 15%+ to date, ensuring all financial frameworks aligned with organisation’s overall mission and corporate strategy.
• Consolidated disparate financial reporting systems and developed internal governance structure and processes, including SOPs for budgeting, financial reporting and accounting after 2020 acquisition by Circle Health
• Directed due diligence and acquisition of six hospitals; leading comprehensive analysis to determine optimal uses
• Integrated 12 new primary and specialty care facilities, urgent care centers, outpatient surgery centers, imaging centers and clinical labs into BMI Healthcare portfolio, increasing revenue by over £50M
• Renegotiated agreements with ten suppliers and consultants, resulting in £20M+ in savings systemwide
• Improved cash flow and working capital management processes; raised debt and financing as needed
• Worked with regulators and government representatives to influence national healthcare policies
• Designed and rolled out new accounting procedures, cutting down close cycle timeline by half
Bupa UK | London, UK
Chief Financial Officer – Healthcare Operations Division | June 2011—December 2016
Oversee financial strategy and operations for Bupa UK portfolio spanning Bupa Cromwell Hospital, Bupa Health Centres and Bupa Aged Care Facilities (£850K annual revenue). Built consolidated finance function spanning budgeting, reporting, planning and compliance. Served as key member of executive leadership team and advised division heads on strategic
growth initiatives.
• Drove increase in operating income from £700K to £850K over tenure via topline revenue growth (+£400K) and by developing and implementing forecasting, budgeting and cost reduction procedures
• Optimised forecasting accuracy by implementing Sage Intacct healthcare financial management platform across all locations, resulting in automated finance and accounting processes and real-time reporting functionality
• Steered successful sale of two unprofitable health centres, spearheading sell-side deal process
• Restructured treasury and banking operations, improving working capital management
• Implemented ADP payroll system, benefits program, pension plan and ERP system systemwide
R.R. Donnelley | Chicago, Illinois
Vice President of Finance | January 2005—December 2010
R.R. Donnelley (RRD) is a multichannel business communications services and marketing solutions provider. Recruited by CFO during period of rapid growth and company acquisitions to implement standardised, integrated financial systems. Advised leadership on accounting, tax compliance, treasury and cash management and investor relations matters.
• Managed implementation of companywide financial reporting systems as well as forecasting, budgeting and cost containment procedures; reduced month-end reporting time by 50% via new systems and team training
• Led post-acquisition financial integration of Asia Printers Group and transformed company’s economic model to create sustained profitability, resulting in 20% gross margin improvement
• Negotiated and closed multi-year £80M contract with F+W Publications; conducted financial due diligence to assess potential impact of partnership on company EBITDA and presented findings to executive leadership
• Developed and deployed six-week onboarding program and professional development track that increased employee engagement for finance function by 18%
• Prepared board and investor reporting; represented organisation externally at industry conferences and events
DO condense the amount of information you provide for positions held early in your career or that are no longer relevant to what you do.
DO NOT describe every single role in extensive detail, as recruiters are most interested in what you have accomplished in the last 10 years.
Ernst & Young | New York, NY
Director, Strategy and Transactions | January 2006—December 2008
Led Transaction Diligence team in executing comprehensive financial due diligence analysis engagements. Spearheaded financial analysis of company performance in preparation for M&A, overseeing financial data and trend analysis, forecast development, accounting record reviews and SEC filing preparation. Conducted industry research and prepared reports outlining key transaction-related business issues for client executive leadership teams.
Ernst & Young | London, UK
Senior Manager, Finance Change Delivery – FP&A | June 2003—December 2005
Joined EY’s Finance Business Consulting team post-MBA to deliver large-scale post-acquisition FP&A transformation projects for two FTSE 250 clients. Led team of eight consultants, supporting clients in overhauling existing FP&A processes from the ground up and implementing management reporting systems (Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct). Ensured systems aligned with company requirements, led build and testing and managed training and post-go-live support.
EARLY CAREER
DO consider including an Early Career section to demonstrate your career progression, but also consider leaving off entry-level or irrelevant positions altogether.
DO NOT list positions that do not build upon your overall story or that may detract from your credibility (such as internships or administrative roles).
Sony Pictures UK | London, UK
Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis | 2000—2002
Warner Bros. Entertainment Group | London, UK
Finance Manager | 1997—1999
Universal Pictures | London, UK
Financial Analyst | 1995—1996
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
DO list board memberships, volunteer experiences and community involvement to demonstrate your engagement outside of work.
DO NOT go into significant detail on your board memberships unless you are specifically preparing a board/NED CV.
Global Leadership Council Board Member - University of Oxford – Saïd Business School | 2018 – Present
Board of Directors - The Access Project | 2016 – Present
CERTIFICATION
DO list qualifications and professional development that are well-respected in your industry and that are relevant to your target roles.
DO NOT provide an exhaustive list of all trainings you have attended through your workplace, for example, as such as approach can detract from this section's overall impact.
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) | CFA Institute
EDUCATION
DO include all university degrees and list widely-recognised academic achievements such as Latin honors.
DO NOT list your college (unless you are a recent graduate) or online courses that are best placed in a "professional development" section here.
University of Cambridge – Judge Business School | Cambridge, UK
Master of Business Administration | 2003
University of Oxford – Saïd Business School | Oxford, UK
BA (Hons) in Economics and Management | 1995
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About the AuthorMatt Glodz
Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of CV Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.
After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked for global companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.
At CV Pilots, Matt combines his solid business and writing background to craft CVs that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He has lived in the UK, US and Italy.
Based in London, he currently works with applicants ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing CVs for over 10 years.
He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, The Times and Thrive Global.