How do I screen Finance Manager candidates before interviewing?

Send every applicant one link that carries 4 skills tests (Financial Management, Accounting (Intermediate), Financial Modeling in Excel, Numerical Reasoning), 2 personality inventories and 5 one-way video questions. springhire scores everything automatically and ranks the candidates, so you interview the top few. The free plan covers 10 candidates a month.

How long does the Finance Manager screening take a candidate?

About 40 minutes for the tests, plus 10 to 15 minutes for the video questions. Candidates complete it on their own time, on any device.

What should a Finance Manager job description include?

A short brief, three to five key responsibilities, a fuller list of duties, must-have and nice-to-have skills, and the requirements. The template on this page has all of it, ready to copy.

Which interview questions work best for a Finance Manager?

Questions that ask for a specific past example and a walkthrough of how the candidate thinks. This page lists 8 with sample answers, and the full bank has more.

Yes. The free plan includes every screening tool with 10 candidate credits a month and no card. Paid plans start at $39 a month.

Finance

How to hire a Finance Manager

What the role does, the job description, the interview questions, and the 40-minute screening pack that tells you who can do the job before you book a single interview.

Screen Finance Manager candidates free See the pack

The role

What a Finance Manager does

A Finance Manager is a finance leader who oversees budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and a small finance team to keep the business financially healthy and well informed.

Own the budgeting, forecasting, and reporting process
Lead and develop the finance team
Advise leadership on financial performance, cash, and risk

Screen before you interview

The Finance Manager screening pack

Management accounting, modelling and numerical judgement, with integrity as table stakes. Every applicant gets one link. You get one ranked report.

Skills tests · 40 minutes total

Finance basicsFinancial Management Test10 min · 20 questions · IntermediateThe Financial Management Test is an intermediate finance assessment for hiring teams that need to screen practical decision making in core corporate finance topics. It fits roles where candidates must interpret cash flow pressure, assess investment choices and reason about funding costs.Finance basicsAccounting (Intermediate) Test10 min · 20 questions · IntermediateThe Accounting (Intermediate) Test helps hiring teams screen candidates for hands-on accounting work. It is suited to roles that need solid double-entry knowledge, practical reconciliation skills and a clear grasp of period-end close tasks, without requiring advanced technical accounting.Finance basicsFinancial Modeling in Excel Test10 min · 20 questions · IntermediateThe Financial Modeling in Excel Test helps hiring teams assess intermediate finance candidates on how they structure models, choose forecast drivers and handle scenario analysis. It is suited for roles that build, maintain or review operating and valuation models in Excel.Cognitive & aptitudeNumerical Reasoning Test10 min · 24 questions · IntermediateThe Numerical Reasoning Test shows you how confidently a candidate works with numbers under time pressure. It measures four practical skills: ratios and percentages, number series and patterns, reading data tables, and applying arithmetic to everyday business problems.

Personality inventories

Integrity and Reliability TestThe Integrity and Reliability Test helps hiring teams assess how entry-level candidates are likely to respond to workplace rules, deadlines and responsibilities. It is useful for roles where showing up, following process and taking ownership are essential to daily performance.Big 5 (OCEAN) Personality TestThe Big 5 (OCEAN) Personality Test helps hiring teams understand how entry level candidates are likely to approach work, people and pressure. It measures five broad personality dimensions that can support decisions for roles where reliability, teamwork, adaptability and communication matter.

One-way video questions · answered on camera, scored by AI

1
Walk us through your month-end close and where it usually slips.
2
How do you build a budget with department heads who all want more?
3
Describe a variance you investigated and what you found.
4
How do you present numbers to leaders who are not finance people?
5
Which controls would you put in place first here?

Send this pack to your applicantsFree plan, 10 candidates a month, no card.

Job description

Finance Manager job description

We need a Finance Manager to lead our financial planning and reporting and to manage the day-to-day finance function. You will own the budgeting cycle, guide a small team, and give leadership a clear read on performance, cash, and risk. This is a role for someone who can both run a tight process and step back to advise the business on where the money should go.

Responsibilities

Own the annual budget and rolling forecast across all departments
Lead the monthly close review and present results to the leadership team
Manage, coach, and develop accountants and analysts on the finance team
Oversee cash flow, working capital, and treasury planning
Review and improve financial controls, policies, and approval workflows
Partner with department heads to manage spend against budget

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in finance or accounting; CPA, ACCA, CMA, or MBA is strongly preferred
5 or more years of finance experience, including budgeting, reporting, and team leadership
Proven experience managing a close cycle and a small finance team
Strong knowledge of GAAP or IFRS, financial controls, and cash management
A track record of advising leadership and improving finance processes

Full job description template

Interview questions

Finance Manager interview questions

For the candidates who pass the pack. Each comes with a sample answer on the full page.

01
What made you move from individual finance work into finance management?
02
Tell me about your experience leading a finance function or team.
03
How do you keep yourself current as both a finance leader and a people leader?
04
Why this finance manager role and why our company?
05
How do you run the annual budgeting process?
06
How do you approach cash flow management and liquidity?
07
How do you ensure strong financial controls without slowing the business down?
08
How do you build and develop a high performing finance team?

All Finance Manager interview questions with answers

Frequently asked questions

Also hiring in Finance

How to hire a Accounts Payable Specialist

AP is accuracy, controls and spreadsheets, and integrity matters when someone approves payments.

How to hire a Accounts Receivable Specialist

AR needs numbers, detail and the tact to collect money without losing customers.

How to hire a CFO

A CFO is judged on financial judgement, modelling, risk and clear thinking under pressure.