The VP of Finance of any company is an important executive, who has a lot of decision-making power within a company. This role is largely responsible for the financial health and future of your company. Without a person in this position, things can go south within an organization fast. Which is why if you have a vacancy, you need to hire fast but effectively. But what do you ask someone of this caliber?
To help you prepare, below we’ve included our favorite VP of Finance interview questions.
VP of Finance Interview Questions to Ask Candidates
Describe your leadership style.
Your new VP of Finance will be, as their title suggests, largely in charge of your finance department. On top of being responsible for all of your companies financial happenings, they will also be in charge of teams of people. Knowing their leadership style and how it will mesh with your current management team dictates future team building.
Tell me what our company does in your own words
You are looking for a VP of Finance who knows your company and your industry. A VP level leader requires a candidate with a solid track record and thorough understanding of how finances in your industry work.
Pitch me our company like you would in a sales meeting.
Finance and sales can often go hand in hand. Your new executive needs to have an understanding of this. As an executive, they will also be having a lot of face-time with important internal and external stakeholders. Being able to sell your company to others is a skill they will need for this. All in all, you are looking for someone who would be a positive representative.
Have you ever had a major ethical dilemma in your job? How did you handle it?
Bad financial practices, embezzling, and other illegal practices are all unfortunate, yet preventable occurrences in the business world. As much as we would like to believe that even well seasoned executives have higher ethical standards, ethical dilemmas are bound to happen. You are looking to see how your candidate handled this problem in the past, or how they would handle it in the future.
What is the one thing you would change about our company tomorrow if you could?
This question shows serious thought about your company. Did the VP of Finance candidate do their research and know exactly what they would tweak? Do they have insightful reasoning behind it? All of these are great indicators if they will be a great member of your executive team. A well thought out answer with specific points is what you are looking for.
What are you most proud of accomplishing professionally?
This question allows you to see what the candidate views as an accomplishment, as well as where they derive satisfaction in their work. Do they prioritize work accomplishments? Or are they most proud of outside work accomplishments? There is no right answer to this, but your company culture will dictate which answer you would prefer.
The interview is one of the most important steps of the hiring process. Use these questions in your next VP of Finance interview, and set yourself up for success!
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