How to become a financial manager or director

Official title: Financial managers and directors

Also called: Manager, Director, Bank manager, Cost manager, Bank director, Sales manager, Branch manager, Equity manager, Banking manager, Broking manager, Costing manager, Finance manager

Financial managers and directors plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the financial information of companies, the activities and resources of financial institutions, such as banks and insurance companies, and advise on company financial policy.

Main tasks

• Participates in the formulation of strategic and long-term business plans, assesses the implications for the organisation financial mechanisms and oversees their implementation
• Plans external and internal audit programmes, arranges for the collection and analysis of accounting, budgetary and related information, and manages the company’s financial systems
• Determines staffing levels appropriate for accounting activities
• Assesses and advises on factors affecting business performance
• Plans, organises, directs and co-ordinates the activities of financial institutions
• Ensures compliance with accounting, recording and information storage, retrieval procedures and the statutory regulatory framework

How to become one

Entry is most common with a relevant degree or equivalent qualification, although it is possible with A levels/H grades, S/NVQ levels 4 and 5. Those with higher qualifications may obtain accelerated training. Internal promotion to management is possible and on-the-job training is provided. Professional qualifications are available and are required or mandatory for certain posts.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Senior insurance professional (level 6). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0520.
• Apprenticeship (England): Senior investment and commercial banking professional (level 7). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0561.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £76,447 a year The middle half earn £50,000 to £120,417.
• About 347,700 people work in this job now, and about 381,000 are projected by 2035. (+9.6%)

Related jobs

• Marketing, sales and advertising directors
• Public relations and communications directors
• Purchasing managers and directors
• Charitable organisation managers and directors
• Human resource managers and directors
• Information technology directors

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Questions people ask

How do I become a financial manager or director?

Entry is most common with a relevant degree or equivalent qualification, although it is possible with A levels/H grades, S/NVQ levels 4 and 5. Those with higher qualifications may obtain accelerated training. Internal promotion to management is possible and on-the-job training is provided. Professional qualifications are available and are required or mandatory for certain posts.

How much does a financial manager or director earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £76,447 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £50,000 to £120,417.

Is a financial manager or director a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 347,700 to about 381,000 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a financial manager or director?

Usually. 63% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03