The importance of a High-Performing Finance Team - Johnsons MME (2024)

In a business world where the definition of ‘normal’ is in constant flux, the need for accuracy & timeliness in financial information has never been more important. A well-resourced and skilled finance team is crucial to ensuring the key decision makers of your organisation are armed with the strategic information they need to navigate through the uncertainty of the modern business environment.

The traditional view of the finance team being the number crunchers in the back office is quickly becoming outdated as technology improvements and demand for insight have led to a transformation of the role of the finance function.

By adopting suitable technology and lean finance principles, high-performing finance teams can manage the basic finance operations of transaction processing and bookkeeping much more efficiently. This allows finance staff to spend more time on supporting the key strategic decision makers through more sophisticated performance management tools, enhanced forecasting & analytical techniques and improved communications between other business managers.

What does a high-performing finance team look like?

A high-performing finance team has the following attributes:

  • Drivers of value by becoming key influencers of decision makers
  • Finance vision & strategy aligned with the business
  • Finance is integrated within the organisation and seen as key business partners of other managers/departments
  • Strong communicators of performance
  • Highly motivated and enthusiastic staff with clear roles & accountabilities
  • Integrated & automated processes
  • Standardised procedures, common data models/reports to provide a ‘single version of truth’

Research into the thoughts of Global CFOs showed the biggest barrier to achieving a high-performing finance function is talent management and technical knowledge. The market for skilled professionals has never been tighter, adding pressure to already scarce finance resources. A strained finance team often leads to rushed processes, lack of control in data referencing and quality review which results in decisions being made based on inaccurate information.

Compared to only a decade ago, many organisations have a better understanding of the importance of high-performing finance teams and are now more willing to invest in the finance function. The target return on this investment is the organisations strategic performance and governance being supported by strong foundations of operational efficiency and financial control.

Whether your finance team is experiencing a temporary resource gap, you require a full suite of finance services or simply wish to review your finance function for potential areas of improvement, with Johnsons MME you’ll have access to a team of high performing accountants across a range of skill levels that can help your finance team become the key strategic support your organisation needs.

Talk to usabout how we can work with you to achieve goals together.

The importance of a High-Performing Finance Team - Johnsons MME (2024)

FAQs

What is a high performing finance team? ›

A high-performing finance team has the following attributes: Drivers of value by becoming key influencers of decision makers. Finance vision & strategy aligned with the business. Finance is integrated within the organisation and seen as key business partners of other managers/departments.

Why is it important to have a finance team? ›

A finance team can make your company's daily operations more organized, keep your business competitive and allow faster growth.

What is the high performance finance function? ›

The high performance financial function supports the organization in becoming and remaining a high performance organization (HPO), by always keeping the quality of its employees (behaviour of managers and employees), processes and systems (IT) as high as possible.

Why is teamwork important for finance? ›

In conclusion, effective teamwork improves the output and efficiency of fund management firms. It leads to improved decision-making skills, efficient resource management, better risk mitigation, and a motivated and collaborative work environment.

What defines a high performing team? ›

In conclusion, high-performing teams exhibit seven key characteristics: strong leadership, clear communication, trust and collaboration, diversity and inclusion, accountability, continuous learning and improvement, and a results-oriented approach.

What does a successful finance team look like? ›

The team should have a mix of capabilities that go beyond traditional finance technical skills and incorporate talent that includes leadership abilities, relationship management, problem-solving and soft skills . If these skills do not already exist in the team, they can be developed through training and mentoring.

What is the goal of finance team? ›

1. Mitigate financial risk. In many companies, this is the finance team's first, second, and third goal. You're there to ensure that spending is responsible, that team members do what they're supposed to, and to keep the company safe.

What is the vision of the finance team? ›

Here are some inspiring CFO vision statements to consider: "My vision is to become the trusted financial partner for our organization, driving growth and innovation while maintaining the highest standards of financial integrity and transparency."

What is the strategic goal of the finance department? ›

Overseen by the finance department, key decision makers use strategic analysis to delve deeper into current operational issues and create an action plan. The overall purpose of strategic finance is to steer the company towards its goals - revenue growth, sustainability, environmental impact, and more.

Why is a strong financial performance important? ›

Financial performance is an important metric to various stakeholders in the business. For investors and shareholders, it provides an indicator of how well the business will be able to generate a return on their investment. For lenders, it lets them know how well the business will be able to repay its loans.

What is strong financial performance? ›

Financial performance is a broad term that describes a company's overall fiscal health. When you hear that a business has strong financial performance, that often means it has growing revenues, manageable debt, and a healthy amount of free cash flow.

What are the keys of financial performance? ›

The five primary types of performance indicators are profitability, leverage, valuation, liquidity and efficiency KPIs. Examples of profitability KPIs include gross and net margin and earnings per share (EPS). Efficiency KPIs include the payroll headcount ratio. Examples of liquidity KPIs are current and quick ratios.

What is a high performing finance function? ›

High-performance finance teams consistently deliver their goals and meet the demands of the business. They are constantly looking for ways to exceed expectations and add value to the end user, such as their internal and external stakeholders.

What makes a successful finance function? ›

Strategic Thinking: The ability to forecast future trends and make strategic decisions based on these predictions is key. Communication: Effective communication skills are essential for explaining complex financial concepts to non-financial team members and stakeholders.

How does the finance team benefit the business? ›

The finance department is responsible for daily record keeping and maintaining an accurate history of the company's financial records. It also prepares income statements and supports the management team by providing them with the financial data required for decision-making.

What is the hierarchy in finance department? ›

Some of the key roles that you must look at having in your corporate finance department structure are chief finance officer (CFO), finance manager, financial controllers, corporate treasurer, accountants & bookkeepers, payroll manager, and procurement manager.

What is considered high finance? ›

High finance refers to complex financial transactions that involve a huge amount of money. It is often associated with unethical practices when lending, borrowing, or investing large amounts of money.

What is the highest position in the finance department? ›

In a typical large organization, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the highest-ranking finance officer in the company. Hierarchically speaking, they rank third, behind the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) - again, in a typical hierarchy.

What are the 5 A's of finance professionals? ›

The finance professionals' basic activities are the 5 A's - assemble, analyse, advise, apply and accumen.

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