Finance for non-financial people, incorporating strategic financial planning, budgeting and forecasting.

The aim of this course is to provide Managers and Service leavers with the essentials of financial management knowledge and skills, a commercial awareness plus an understanding of strategic organisational finance in preparation for a role in a profit making or not for profit organisation.

In addition to covering the full content of the 2-day Introduction to Finance for non-financial people course about business finance, profitability, cash management and the language of finance, you will learn about strategic financial planning and explore profit planning, pricing, budgeting, forecasting and investment appraisal. The course is specifically for non-financial people and will help you understand business from a financial perspective, give you the confidence and insight to engage with finance and contribute to strategic financial thinking and decisions.

You will learn how to interpret financial statements so that you can think financially and ask the right questions about financial performance.  In addition, you will gain a perspective on strategic financial planning and explore planning for profitability, solvency, long term survival and some of the key drivers behind financial judgements.

The course will be delivered by an experienced trainer and finance practitioner with senior leadership and management responsibility in the private and not for profit sectors. You will learn using a blend of instruction, discussion, case studies and activities to help embed knowledge and practice skills.

Is this course for you?

This 3-day course is designed for Managers and Service leavers planning to work in an executive or management role, and is suitable for those who have had no or limited formal financial training.  It will benefit those going into a role where there is an expectation of financial understanding, budget management responsibility and financial acumen so that you can contribute to discussions about finance, financial strategy and decision making.

The content is the same as the 2-day Introduction to finance for non-financial managers course with the additional element of strategic finance for those seeking a more comprehensive understanding of financial planning and strategy.

Additionally, the course can help Managers and Service leavers at interview when financial literacy and a strategic overview and commercial awareness of organisations will be an advantage.

Typically, this course would be of benefit for a non-finance executive role, manager, administrator, project manager or team leader role in any number of specialities including engineering, production, services, operations, supply chain management, account management, human resources, sales and marketing – anyone seeking to be business focused and financially aware.

Course Includes

• Lunch and refreshments
• Certificate on completion
• Post course support

Aim

• To give delegates an introduction to the finance function and sufficient knowledge of accounting to enable them to contribute to financial decision making.

Course Objectives

• Understand fully all the major financial statements
• Fully comprehend how financial statements illustrate business performance
• Recognise the key elements within a balance sheet and a profit and loss account
• Appreciate the vital impact of liquidity, cash flow and working capital
• Analyse financial information to assess business performance
• Identify the key elements in budgeting/forecasting, their importance and their impact
• Distinguish between the different cost systems
• Demonstrate break even analysis
• Apply financial skills to project management to assess viability and potential
• Understand the principles of strategic financial planning and decision making

Finance fundamentals

• Types of organisation, legal entities and limited liability;
• The finance and regulatory framework for business and not for profit organisations;
• Business finance and capital – sources, valuations, Angels and Dragons;
• Finance personnel in an organisation;
• Finance systems and source documents;
• System controls and audit;
• Accounting fundamentals, standards, concepts and conventions;
• Cash versus accruals accounting.

Introduction to financial statements

• The key financial statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow Statement;
• Revenue recognition;
• Opex and Capex;
• Tangible assets and depreciation;
• Goodwill, other intangibles and amortisation.

Financial performance and control

• Using ratios to read and interpret financial statements;
• Profitability performance measures;
• Operational gearing, working capital and liquidity management;
• Cash flow;
• Supply chain management and inventory;
• Corporate governance.

Strategic financial planning

• The principles of financial planning and budgets;
• Constraints, budgetary slack and padding;
• Methods of budgeting.

The cost structure and strategic profit management

• Understanding cost: types, behaviours;
• Contribution, breakeven and profit planning;
• Margin analysis and profitable pricing strategy;
• Benchmarking.

Strategic decision making

• Margin analysis;
• The time value of money and discounted cash flows;
• Decision making using the tools of Payback, Net Present Value and Return on Investment.