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Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) manages a company’s finances, overseeing budgets, making strategic recommendations, and leading the finance team.

How do I become a chief financial officer (cfo)

Get qualified to work as a chief financial officer (cfo) with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.

Common questions

In Australia, a full time Chief Financial Officer generally earns $4,000 per week ($208,000 annual salary) before tax. This is a median figure for full-time employees and should be considered a guide only. As you gain more experience you can expect a potentially higher salary than people who are new to the industry.

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The financial industry has seen a moderate increase in employment numbers in recent years. There are currently 53,900 people employed as a Chief Financial Officer in Australia compared to 50,100 five years ago. Chief Financial Officers may find work across all regions of Australia.

Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights

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An Advanced Diploma of Accounting is a great qualification if you’re planning to have a career as a Chief Financial Officer. This course covers topics including working with financial systems, preparing financial reports, auditing financial records and interpreting financial statistics. You may also be able to specialise in an area of accounting to suit your career plans.

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Further reading

What can you do with a Diploma of Accounting?

29th September 2021

What can you do with a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping?

18th August 2020

Most popular finance courses

13th June 2022

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) careers

A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) manages a company’s overall financial position. You’ll be responsible for all financial activities, from budgets and forecasts to the daily running of the finance department. Chief Financial Officers review the company’s financial data and make key decisions based on that information. You might make financial recommendations to other managers or develop an overall financial strategy for the organisation.

A Chief Financial Officer needs to have strong leadership skills and should be a good problem solver. You’ll need to be organised and be able to make sound judgements that may affect a large number of people. Chief Financial Officers have a demanding role and you’ll need to be able to handle several tasks at once. You should be able to think strategically and be able to communicate with people in your organisation.