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Financial Managers resume skills and keywords

In 453 Financial Managers job postings from 375 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Leadership (72 %), Communication (64 %), Microsoft Excel (47 %), CPA (45 %) and ERP (39 %). Of the top 40 skills, 32 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 8 are soft skills.

Download the full list as a CSV or check your own resume against a posting with the free keyword scanner.

Top 40 skills in Financial Managers job postings

Skills requested in 453 Financial Managers job postings, by share of postings
SkillShare of postingsType
Leadership72 %Soft skill
Communication64 %Soft skill
Microsoft Excel47 %Tool
CPA45 %Certification
ERP39 %Tool
Financial Reporting38 %Hard skill
Attention to detail36 %Soft skill
Account reconciliation35 %Hard skill
GAAP33 %Hard skill
Financial modeling30 %Hard skill
Internal controls30 %Hard skill
NetSuite29 %Tool
Decision making28 %Soft skill
Financial planning26 %Hard skill
Accountability25 %Soft skill
Payroll25 %Hard skill
Variance analysis24 %Hard skill
Problem Solving23 %Soft skill
Process improvement21 %Hard skill
Collaboration20 %Soft skill
Financial analysis20 %Hard skill
General ledger19 %Hard skill
Mentoring18 %Soft skill
Accruals17 %Hard skill
AI Tools17 %Tool
Month-end close16 %Hard skill
Continuous improvement16 %Hard skill
SQL15 %Tool
Accounts payable14 %Hard skill
Journal entries12 %Hard skill
Financial Management12 %Hard skill
Google Workspace12 %Tool
Accounts receivable11 %Hard skill
Google Sheets11 %Tool
Tax Compliance10 %Hard skill
Fundraising10 %Hard skill
Due diligence10 %Hard skill
Tableau10 %Tool
Procurement10 %Hard skill
Operational Efficiency9 %Hard skill

Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications

Hard skills (23)

Soft skills (8)

Tools and software (8)

Certifications and licenses (1)

Keyword phrases recruiters use

Multi-word phrases that recur across these financial managers postings, with the share of postings that use each one.

monthly quarterly 20 %revenue recognition 20 %close processes 20 %progressive accounting 18 %accounting operations 17 %business partner 17 %long range 16 %budgeting forecasting 15 %senior leadership 15 %accounting function 15 %monthly close 15 %technical accounting 14 %investment banking 14 %accounting systems 14 %strategic decision 13 %

How to use this on your resume

Treat the table as a checklist, not a script. Put the skills you genuinely have in your skills section, using the same wording as the posting, and back the top ones with a bullet that shows the result.

Each job posting differs from the average, so compare your resume with the actual ad: paste it into the resume keyword scanner to see which terms you already have and which are missing. The ATS keywords guide explains where to place them so applicant tracking systems read them.

Skip any skill you cannot talk about in an interview; a keyword that falls apart under one question costs more than it gains. For a full layout with these skills in context, see the Financial Managers resume example. Then prepare for the Financial Managers interview questions that test them.

Build a financial managers resume with these skills

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Financial Managers resume skills: FAQ

Which skills matter most for a Financial Managers resume?

In 453 Financial Managers job postings analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills were Leadership (72 %), Communication (64 %), Microsoft Excel (47 %), CPA (45 %) and ERP (39 %). Lead your skills section with the ones you can back up, and show them in your experience bullets too.

Should I list soft skills on a Financial Managers resume?

Yes, but prove them rather than list them. 8 of the top 40 skills in these postings are soft skills, led by Leadership (72 % of postings). Show them through results in your bullets, for example a project you coordinated or a process you explained.

Which tools and certifications do Financial Managers postings ask for?

The tools and certifications named most often were Microsoft Excel (47 %), CPA (45 %), ERP (39 %), NetSuite (29 %), AI Tools (17 %) and SQL (15 %). List the ones you have exactly as the posting writes them.

Where does this data come from?

From 453 public Financial Managers job postings at 375 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from Greenhouse (233), Lever (83) and Ashby (137). A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 453. The data is updated quarterly and can be downloaded as a CSV.

Method and data

Source: 453 public job postings for financial managers roles (titles such as Controller, Finance Manager, FP&A Manager and Assistant Controller) at 375 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from employer applicant tracking system job boards: Greenhouse 233, Lever 83 and Ashby 137. Employers in the sample include Anduril Industries, Everpure, Fletcher Jones Automotive Group, Blue Sky Innovators, AnyMind Group and Ever. A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 453. Updated quarterly. Download the data: financial-managers-resume-skills.csv (CC BY 4.0). Browse skills for other roles.