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Chief Financial Officer in Chicago, IL

Chief Financial Officer Job Description

CFOs must have strong analytical, strategic-planning, operational and communication skills, including an ability to work well with the CEO, board members and other senior executives. CFOs typically have at least 10 years of experience in accounting or finance, including a minimum of five years in a management role. Many companies prefer candidates who possess advanced credentials such as an MBA, CPA, CGMA or CMA. Professionals should possess knowledge of all aspects of GAAP. Public companies also require experience with SEC reporting. Public accounting experience is highly valued. Candidates for CFO should have held positions of increasing responsibility within accounting and finance, such as director of finance, director of accounting or controller.

Typical chief financial officer duties:

Providing strategic management of the accounting and finance functionsDirecting accounting policies, procedures and internal controlsRecommending improvements to ensure the integrity of a company’s financial informationManaging or overseeing the relationship with independent auditorsCollaborating with chief information officers on technology decisionsOverseeing financial systems implementations and upgradesManaging relationships with investors and investment institutionsIdentifying and managing business risks and insurance requirementsHiring, training and retaining accounting and finance staff

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Salary for Chief Financial Officer in Chicago, IL
244375 - 402188
Low
244375
The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is building necessary skills.
Mid
337188
The candidate has moderate experience in the role, meets most requirements or has equivalent transferable skills, and may also have relevant certifications.
High
402188
The candidate has extensive experience and advanced skills for the role, and may also have specialized certifications.
Projected salaries for related positions Job title Low Mid High Corporate Controller 190000 231250 266563 Divisional Controller 148438 202188 220313 Assistant Controller 117500 153125 177500 Plant Controller 138750 156250 170000 Director of Financial Reporting 161250 200938 230938 Senior Financial Reporting Accountant 113438 125938 139688 Financial Reporting Manager 139063 169375 199063 Financial Reporting Accountant 92813 106563 124063 Director of Accounting 158125 206250 229063 Cost Accounting Manager 122813 143438 159688 Senior Cost Accountant 104375 120313 133125 Cost Accountant 89688 98750 116250 Accounting Manager 120938 141250 159375 Senior Accountant 100000 118438 136250 Staff Accountant 76250 92188 109688 Entry-Level Staff Accountant 68438 77500 86250 Senior Accountant – Financial Services 106250 128438 142813 Accountant – Financial Services 90625 111563 129063 Entry-Level Accountant – Financial Services 76250 93750 109063 Forensic Accountant 108438 137188 154688 Property Accountant 87813 100625 117813 Procurement Manager 105000 143438 161563 Procurement Specialist 59688 76250 93125 Accounting Specialist 56250 63125 68438

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Our starting salary projections come from a rigorous, multistep process so that our numbers accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country and third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use to independently validate the salary levels. Starting compensation—pay for someone new to a role—can vary significantly based on a candidate’s skills, experience and certifications, as well as other factors including industry, company size and revenue, and demand for the role. To reflect this variability, we report our salary data in three levels: low, mid and high.