Chief Financial Officer
A chief financial officer (CFO) is responsible for the entirety of the financial and accounting functions of a business, including managing resources and financial assets of a company and subsidiary companies and providing leadership for the continuous evaluation of short- and long-term strategic financial objectives. CFOs work closely with an organization’s chief executive officer (CEO) and chief operating officer (COO).
What Responsibilities Will I Have?
- Manage the finance, accounting functions, resources and financial assets of a company and subsidiary companies
- Create, implement, administer and evaluate all financial programs, procedures and supporting information systems of a company
- Provide leadership for the continuous evaluation of short- and long-term strategic financial objectives
- Maintain credibility with a company’s finance team
- Provide timely and accurate analysis of budgets, financial trends and forecasts
- Develop, implement and maintain a system that tracks the cost of a business
- Coordinate changes and improvements in automated, computerized, financial information systems of a company
- Ensure compliance with local, state and federal financial reporting requirements
- Serve as the primary contact with lenders and certified public accountant (CPA) firms
- Partner with senior management in the development and execution of strategic business and operational plans
- Hire and retain key accounting and financing employees
- Act as the point person for all tax and audit activities
- Stay up to date with industry news that could affect the finances of the company
- Provide recommendations to strategically improve a company’s financial performance and business opportunities
Recommended High School Courses:
- agricultural education
- accounting
- mathematics
- business
- economics
- government
- computer skills
Education/Training Required:
A bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting, finance or business administration is preferred. You may also consider earning your CPA certification. To become a CFO in agriculture, you must demonstrate a generally accepted minimum of five years of related experience and have a strong background in leadership.
