What Does Financial Operations Management Involve?
Financial operations management is a wide-ranging job role that involves overseeing the day-to-day financial activities of an organization. This includes everything from bookkeeping to producing yearly and quarterly statements for the company’s managers. It also encompasses processes that impact individuals directly such as expense reporting and payroll interaction. In addition, this function often takes on strategic and leadership functions like business partnering, transformational change, systems improvement, project management and providing insightful reports and analysis to support key leaders with their decision-making.
As an example, a finance manager may oversee the budgeting process and work with managers across departments to ensure that their projects are financially viable. They’ll also set procedures that dictate how the team will process and distribute financial data, like invoices and payments, with security and accuracy. This includes creating a clear picture of all of the company’s financial processes, which can be achieved through the use of process mining and automation tools.
Another part of this role is making sure that there’s enough cash on hand for the company to pay its workers and buy raw materials for production. This requires a keen understanding of how to manage cash flow both in and out of the business, and it can involve a lot of complicated math. It’s a big reason why many people who perform this role have a degree in accounting or a related field.
Finally, this role is also responsible for ensuring that the company follows all financial regulations and laws. This can involve a lot of research and collaboration with other departments, especially the legal department.
The skillset that is needed to succeed in financial operations management can vary significantly depending on the specifics of the job and the industry. However, some general requirements include excellent organizational and planning skills, as well as a strong desire to meet deadlines and keep up with the latest financial trends. Good attention to detail and an ability to work in changing environments are also necessary, as is the willingness to learn new skills and methodologies.
The career prospects for those who perform this type of role are quite positive, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in the field is growing faster than average. This is partly due to the increasing complexity of business environments, which requires more and more employees to have a thorough understanding of finance and its various processes. The good news is that the vast majority of these processes can be streamlined, which means that more time can be spent on value-adding activities and less on the manual parts of the job. This, in turn, can help a company to grow and thrive. By utilizing the right technologies, businesses can ensure that their finances are in order and allow the finance and accounting teams to focus on what matters most. Financial operations management