A finance director is the person who runs the day-to-day money work of an organization: reporting, cash, and the close. In many countries the title is the senior finance role. In others it sits one step below the chief financial officer.
Where both titles exist, the finance director reports to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The director produces the numbers. The chief financial officer owns the financial strategy and speaks for it to the board.
What the Director Is Accountable For
- The close. The books are completed on the reporting calendar.
- Cash. Receipts, payments, and the short-term forecast are watched.
- The pack. Management receives statements it can use, with the variances explained.
Director and Chief Financial Officer
| Compared | Finance Director | Chief Financial Officer |
| Typical scope | Reporting, cash, and the close | Financial strategy and the board conversation |
| When both exist | Reports to the chief financial officer | Holds the senior finance seat |
| When only one title is used | May be the senior finance seat in that country | May be the only finance title in that company |