Resume Example
Chief Financial Officer Resume Example
Show strategic finance leadership, capital planning, and investor relations. This sample focuses on enterprise impact.
Executive Sidebar
Professional two-column layout with elegant olive sidebar. Perfect for senior roles.
Keywords
Sample bullets
- Led a Series C raise of $75M to fund expansion.
- Improved gross margin by 9 points through cost initiatives.
- Implemented rolling forecasts that extended runway visibility by 6 months.
Soft skills
- Executive leadership
- Strategic vision
- Stakeholder management
- Change management
- Cross-functional collaboration
Certifications
- CPA
- CFA
- MBA
Why this works
- Connects finance leadership to growth and margin outcomes.
- Highlights capital raising and runway management.
- Shows board-level reporting and governance.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to Write a Chief Financial Officer Resume
Lead with company scale and financial leadership
CFOs lead finance strategy. Lead with company revenue, funding stage/market cap, and key achievements. 'CFO for $500M revenue company leading through IPO with $2B valuation.'
Show strategic finance leadership
Include capital raising, M&A, strategic planning, and board collaboration. CFOs are strategic partners to CEOs, not just accounting leaders.
Highlight capital markets and investor relations
Include fundraising (venture, debt, equity), investor relations, and any public company experience. 'Raised $100M Series C at $500M valuation' shows capital markets capability.
Include operational finance excellence
Describe FP&A, cash management, and operational improvements. Cost optimization and working capital improvements demonstrate operational finance skills.
Demonstrate team and function building
CFOs build finance organizations. Include team size, function scaling, and system implementations. 'Built finance team from 5 to 40 supporting 10x revenue growth.'
Summary Examples
Good vs. Bad Resume Summaries
“CFO scaling SaaS company from $30M to $200M ARR through Series B and C. Raised $150M equity and $50M debt. Built finance team from 8 to 35 across accounting, FP&A, and revenue operations. Board member and investor liaison.”
Revenue growth, capital raising, team building, and board role.
“Finance executive with CFO experience. Strong leadership and strategic planning skills.”
No company scale, no achievements, no capital raising or strategic specifics.
“Public Company CFO for $800M revenue manufacturer. Led $500M debt refinancing saving $15M annually. Reduced working capital by $40M through operational improvements. SEC reporting and investor relations experience.”
Public company, capital structure optimization, operational improvement, and IR.
“Controller seeking CFO opportunity. Experience with accounting, audit, and financial reporting.”
Controller experience but no strategic finance or capital raising shown.
Action Verbs
Power Words for Chief Financial Officer Resumes
Common Mistakes
What to Avoid
- ✗Not specifying company revenue and scale
- ✗Missing capital raising and M&A experience
- ✗Omitting strategic finance achievements
- ✗Being vague about team size and function building
- ✗Not showing board and investor relations experience
- ✗Focusing on accounting rather than strategic finance
Salary ranges
| Level | US | EU | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small company | USD 161,000-254,000 | EUR 100,000-150,000 | CAD 130,000-180,000 |
| Mid-market | USD 228,000-297,000 | EUR 150,000-220,000 | CAD 180,000-280,000 |
| Large company | USD 258,000-361,000 | EUR 200,000-350,000 | CAD 280,000-500,000 |
| Enterprise | USD 361,000-550,000 | EUR 350,000-700,000+ | CAD 380,000-800,000+ |
Market themes
- Public company experience increases compensation
- Private equity-backed roles pay a premium
- Tech and SaaS industries lead pay bands
US hot markets
- San Francisco
- New York
- Boston
- Chicago
EU hot markets
- London
- Frankfurt
- Munich
- Zurich
Canada hot markets
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Montreal
FAQ
Common questions about this role
What should CFOs emphasize?
Capital strategy, margin improvement, and governance leadership.
Which metrics stand out?
Revenue growth, margin gains, and cash runway extensions.
Related Roles
More Finance & Accounting Examples
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