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Director of Finance Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Director of Finance interview questions and answers.

  1. Senior executives have requested you to give a financial evaluation on whether or not the company needs to replace a product. How would you respond to this? See answer
  2. What are key things that you need to consider when designing a budget? See answer
  3. What steps have you taken to improve your financial team in your prior role? See answer
  4. If we were to call your colleagues at work, how would they describe you as their supervisor? See answer
  5. How do you make the most of new technology to improve your organizational performance? See answer
  6. Without going into details, share with us what you know about our organization and our industry as a whole? See answer
  7. Assuming you were a Chief Finance Officer of a large company, what would be your long-term priorities? See answer
  8. Describe a time you had to prepare a financial report with short notice. How did you manage it? See answer
  9. Tell me of a time you used data to tell an insightful story? See answer
  10. Have you ever had to reprimand an employee? See answer
  11. What qualities do you think are important for someone in a leadership role in finance? See answer
  12. What work culture do you feel can help you deliver at your best? See answer
  13. What experience do you have that will allow you to effectively perform your duties as finance director? See answer
  14. According to your assessment, what are the challenges that the industry is facing? See answer
  15. Describe the steps you’ll take as director of finance to ensure that your company complies with all relevant financial industry best practices and laws?
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Hire your next Director of Finance today.

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Hire your next Director of Finance today.

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Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Director of Finance Interview Questions and Answers

Describe the steps you'll take as director of finance to ensure that your company complies with all relevant financial industry best practices and laws?

A financial director is responsible for monitoring your organization's financial activities, including financial compliance. This question will help you to know if a candidate is aware of these regulations, especially with regards to your industry. What to look for:

  • Demonstrate understanding of financial regulations in your industry
  • Explain step by step process to ensure compliance
  • Up to date with financial trends

Example:

"One of my key duties in my previous position was to regulate the disbursement of funds for operations and projects. I had to review all sector regulations regarding specific expenditures. So, my team and I have always carried out complaint accounting and finance operations. I'm looking forward to extending the same level of industry knowledge to help your organization to stay compliant."

Senior executives have requested you to give a financial evaluation on whether or not the company needs to replace a product. How would you respond to this?

All matters of financial health will likely fall on the desk of the financial director. As such, a suitable candidate needs to be someone who can provide sound decisions regarding the profitability of existing and new products and services. What to look for:

  • Show how to evaluate the financial impact of products and services
  • Example of how they will give a recommendation
  • Show understanding of how products fit in a company strategy

Example:

"This first thing I will do is to assess the cost and revenue of each product in question, which will provide its profitability status. From here, I can weigh other options and consult the management on whether it's profitable to switch to a new product."

What are key things that you need to consider when designing a budget?

At the executive level, the financial director of an organization leads the budget-making process based on the company's strategy. The final budget will have a significant impact on your organization's success. What to look for:

  • Understanding of the budgeting process
  • Goal-oriented budgeting
  • Sound knowledge of financial analysis

Example:

"The most important thing when preparing a firm's budget is to understand the factors linked to a company's costs and revenue. I will then use these factors as a guide to ensure the budget is practical and sustainable."

What steps have you taken to improve your financial team in your prior role?

Mentoring and leading junior professionals is a vital duty of senior executives. So, asking this question will let you understand the management styles of applicants. What to look for:

  • Show evidence of managing teams
  • Empowering junior staff
  • Explain the motivation behind growing junior staff members

Example:

"I have grown to this level because my managers empowered and encouraged me to unleash my potential. So, I usually do the same to my team. Empowerment gives them room to grow and understand the impact of their decisions. Above all, I am a result-oriented person, so I expect my team to grow to a level where they exceed their expectations."

If we were to call your colleagues at work, how would they describe you as their supervisor?

This question gives applicants the opportunity to self-express, especially when it comes to their professional persona. While there is no right or wrong answer, you want to find out if they treat others professionally. What to look for:

  • Explain how they interact with colleagues
  • Demonstration of leadership
  • Collaborate and empower others to excel

Example:

"I think my previous managers and team members will tell you that, besides being their supervisor, we are friends. Being their leader, I usually make it a point to understand their work and lives. Whenever they have an issue, I try my best to offer support."

How do you make the most of new technology to improve your organizational performance?

Technological advancements have expanded the possibilities for improving the financial operations of a firm. To take advantage of these innovations, finance directors need to be familiar with the latest technology and software. What to look for:

  • Familiarity with finance and enterprise software systems
  • Explain how to derive value from technology
  • Demonstrate experience involving innovation in the finance division

Example:

"Besides my passions for finance and analytics, I love to remain up to date on the current trends in the industry, including technological development. In my previous employment, I worked closely with the IT department to move our operation to the cloud. We have also been experimenting with different analytical platforms to complement our current robust technological system."

Without going into details, share with us what you know about our organization and our industry as a whole?

Besides technical skills, suitable candidates for a director of finance position should have sound industry knowledge. Moreover, they must understand the company they are interviewing with. Asking this question will, therefore, will give you a glimpse of how much research your candidate has done. What to look for:

  • Understanding of company values
  • Knowledge of the competition and industry
  • Explain what inspired them to apply to the position

Example:

"As I explained earlier, I'm passionate about technology. So, working with this organization will help me not only to use my finance expertise but also to be part of the team that shapes the technological landscape. The fact that you are an industry leader in industrial technology systems challenges me to deliver at my best. I was also drawn by your values, especially how you approach innovation and growth."

Assuming you were a Chief Finance Officer of a large company, what would be your long-term priorities?

This question will help you understand how flexible the candidate is to see things from a big-picture perspective. How do they link finances, company goals, and general well-fare of the organization? Can the candidate possess a growth mindset? What to look for:

  • Ability to identify key issues
  • Unrestricted by small firm mindset
  • Ability to think outside the box

Example:

"If I were the CFO of a big corporation, I would approach the three financial statements from different perspectives. I will focus on the credit ratings, capital assets, and liquidity ratios for the balance sheet. As for the income statement, the major concern will be revenue growth and profitability. For cash flow, my major concern is finding ways for raising cash through the years."

Describe a time you had to prepare a financial report with short notice. How did you manage it?

Sometimes, the senior management or regulators need a snapshot of the financial situation of the company or a financial analysis of a new venture. This task requires a sharp and organized finance director who is in control of the situation. Asking this question will reveal candidates who are malleable enough to meet business challenges. What to look for:

  • Prompt and flexible to work with tight deadlines
  • Keeping updated records
  • Explain how they deal with an urgent deadline

Example:

"In my previous role, the board needed a detailed performance analysis of each department. I had less than a week to provide this report. I had to summon available team members to pull the required insights from our systems to generate the report. We had to coordinate with different teams for extended hours, some working remotely, to provide the latest data to back up the report."

Tell me of a time you used data to tell an insightful story?

One of the roles of a finance director is to present thoughtful explanations through numbers. The key is providing valuable outcomes from data to non-finance professionals in a digestible format. So, a finance director needs strong communication and presentation skills. What to look for:

  • Able to communicate financial concepts to non-finance professionals
  • Generating value from data
  • Problem-solving and communication skills

Example:

"In my previous role, a client had struggled understanding financial ratios for several years. To shed more light on this issue, I presented it visually with a clear explanation to back it. This came as a relief to the client, and now his business is better than ever."

Have you ever had to reprimand an employee?

The finance director position requires someone with unquestionable integrity. So, this question gives your candidates a chance to narrate how they uphold integrity. What to look for:

  • Explain the steps taken to report fraud
  • Honesty and integrity
  • Lead by example

Example:

"In my earlier years of employment, I was given a supervisory role at a grocery store. This was my first leadership role. I was in charge of five cashiers. One of the cashiers had to leave work early, supposedly to attend to an emergency. It happened that my shift was also ending, and by coincidence, I saw her shopping for clothes in town. The next morning, I informed the manager what was going on. The manager requested that I inform her of the consequences of her deceit."

What qualities do you think are important for someone in a leadership role in finance?

Excellent organization, ethical conduct, and open communication are all good traits that good business leaders possess. This question will tell if an applicant understands and possesses these qualities. What to look for:

  • Inspirational by leading by example
  • Ability to create an honest and ethical environment
  • Organization and commitment to excellence

Example:

"Finance directors specifically, should possess desirable traits such as decisiveness, an analytical mind, honesty, accountability, excellent communication, and a high degree of organization. It's also important for a finance director to foster an open and honest environment."

What work culture do you feel can help you deliver at your best?

Every organization strives to provide the best culture match for its employees. Sometimes, you have a diverse team with varying needs. In such a situation, you need someone who can thrive in a variety of work environments. What to look for:

  • Flexibility and adaptability
  • Values that align with your organization
  • Candidates explain their ideal work culture

Example:

"I excel when given clear roles and expectations. I also work at my best in situations where I can find a balance between working alongside a team and working individually. Above all, I value trust and honesty in the workplace."

What experience do you have that will allow you to effectively perform your duties as finance director?

The goal of asking this question is to get a summary of applicants' achievements and career journeys and how they tie to the current position. Someone with a relatable experience backed by solid professional development is highly desirable. What to look for:

  • Demonstration of commitment to excellence
  • Passion for the job
  • Ability to connect similar skillsets

Example:

"I believe that to be effective as a finance director, you need a great deal of leadership, organization, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Over the years, I have worked in roles ranging from accounting, budgeting, policy development, project management, financial analysis, and financial management. Upon graduating with a finance major from the University of Toronto, I worked with PWC Canada for 4 years."

According to your assessment, what are the challenges that the industry is facing?

Knowledge of industry trends is a plus for an occupant of this position. Many things are happening in the industry right now, ranging from automation to big data to inexpensive labor. What to look for:

  • Explain key industry trends
  • Future challenges and opportunities
  • Role of technology in finance

Example:

"Like most industries, the finance sector is going through disruptive times. In most cases, technological advances are to blame. I always believe that with changes and challenges come opportunity. For instance, the inclusion of big data in financial reporting means that we are getting more insights from the information we are presenting to stakeholders."

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