The role of the Commonwealth CFO and their team is constantly evolving in an ever-changing environment. For aspiring CFO’s, understanding the core requirements of the contemporary/ emerging CFO role is important to ensure the development of the right capabilies to guarantee future success. With old-fashioned accounng approaches constantly being challenged by decreased corporate budget, increased automaon, outsourced financial arrangements and increased demand for more business partnering and advice; a more strategic approach is necessary when running the finance funcon. The core capabilies of a successful CFO now spans beyond the spectrum of transacons, compliance and financial reporng with a 12-month horizon. The contemporary CFO is a business partner that will provide insights to assist agencies in achieving outcomes through: • Understanding the business acvies and the underling non-financial informaon that drive the financials of the organisaon • Providing beer financial and non-financial analysis of • Operaonal acvies to enable beer decision making, • Adapng to new technologies that enable finance teams to minimise manual work and maximise me devoted to understanding, analysing and advising business • Recruing the right people to provide a “client service” to the rest of the organisaon • Managing the finance team to develop and encourage the right behaviours • Managing communicaons and services to the rest of the organisaon to ensure finance is seen as an enabling funcon that is helpful and provides trusted advice • Wrangling available financial and non-financial data sets, at the right me, asking the right quesons to enable the right analysis and presentaon of data to enable sound strategic decision making • Understanding the process, business and polical environment to navigate future policy proposals and funding environments Leadership, people and business skills are crucial skills for any future CFO But do you have the strategic & soſt skills required to be a successful CFO? Where do you feel you need to further improve to be successful in your next role? Synergy has developed a clear pathway to help you move from your exisng role into that of a successful and strategic CFO. Our sessions are broken down into 4 overarching topics that focus on developing your skills: MODULE #2 Understand your business environment Understanding your organisaons business drivers The importance of financial and non-financial data Aligning reporng, visualisaon and analycs to priories for beer decision making Becoming a business partner MODULE #1 Recognise the challenges of the changing nature of the current environment What is the TRUE Role of a CFO in the current environment How to enhance your leadership skills and mould yourself into an influencer Developing your strategic thinking Providing effecve client services MODULE #3 Become a champion of financial management Preparing internal and external budgets The importance of monthly analysis and reporng Efficient and effecve financial reporng Explaining accounng concepts to non-accountants effecvely MODULE #4 Funding principles, business case development, and NPP development and process Understand how Commonwealth Funding works Develop a strategic financial plan to drive decision making, ensure financial sustainability Presenng a compelling business case Understand benefits realisaon Understand the process of presenng a successful NPP A GOOD ACCOUNTANT • Technically sound • Good at tried and true number crunching – undertaking tradional financial analysis • Excellent knowledge of compliance issues • Understands spreadsheets • Good at preparing financial reports • Understands the finance funcon well A GREAT CFO • Understands agency business and drivers • Analyses both financial and non-financial informaon to provide a beer focus for decision makers – harness “big data” • A good communicator and effecve manager of people and relaonships • Good at recruing and developing people to deliver a beer enabling service • Idenfy innovaon and opportunies for more efficient and effecve ways of working • Become a strategic advisor to the CEO/Secretary and SES Our modules are designed to run for 2 to 3 hours a week and will require you to undertake an hour of pre- workshop preparaon. This will ensure that you get the most out of our sessions. Visit www.synergygroup.net.au to view the latest dates and mes. COURSE OUTLINE So, what is Synergy offering to help obtain the relevant strategic skills required? Synergy has designed 4 training sessions, spread over 1 month to help you equip yourselves to become a great strategic CFO. Good Accountant to Strategic CFO