What is a NextGen finance leader?

In today's fast-paced world, the role of a finance leader is transforming. Traditional skills are no longer sufficient; the Next Generation (or NextGen) finance leader needs a blend of advanced technical knowledge, strategic vision, and exceptional leadership abilities.  

NextGen finance professionals are ahead of the curve on coming changes. They understand that they need to embrace technological, process and skills changes to ensure their finance function is at the core of strategic direction for their organisations and is consistently adding value for the business by identifying areas to mitigate risk and opportunities to exploit. 

A NextGen finance leader is someone who embraces change and is actively looking to develop their skills and knowledge to ensure they’re prepared to meet the demands of the future. 

How can I become a NextGen finance leader?

If you’re ready to be at the forefront of change and transformation within your organisation, then you can take four simple steps to move in the right direction:

1. Embrace technology

Digital transformation is reshaping finance. Familiarity with emerging technologies like AI and tools for data analytics is essential. Understanding how to leverage these tools can streamline operations and provide strategic insights to allow your team to go from reactive to proactive.

2. Develop your strategic thinking 

Moving beyond number-crunching, a finance leader must align financial goals with the company's strategic objectives. This involves a deep understanding of market trends, competitor analysis, and long-term planning.

3. Provide leadership and vision

Inspiring and leading a team through change requires vision and effective communication. A NextGen finance leader must foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement and understand where the strengths and weaknesses of their teams lie.

4. Look for expert help when it’s needed

When change is happening rapidly, as it is today, look to external experts who can help you to navigate complexity. Whether it’s helping to identify the most suitable tools and technology for a new process or project or upskilling your team to equip them with specialist knowledge to take on new responsibilities, our consultants can help.

We have a range of training courses tailored for the office of finance to support your team through financial transformation and to prepare them for changes in regulation. See our bookings page for details of upcoming courses.

Benefits of becoming a NextGen finance leader 

We’ve spoken a bit about what a NextGen finance function is (you can see our blog here which discusses this) as well as what you can do to become a NextGen finance leader.  

But what are the benefits of doing so? There are many, but the main personal gains for NextGen finance leaders are: 

1. Elevating your career – be at the forefront of change and new trends to ensure you and your organisation can be proactive in predicting what’s coming and preparing in advance.

2. Personal skills development – develop new skills within the technologies such as AI, big data analytics and using tools to improve efficiency of insights and forward planning. 

Key takeaways 

Becoming a NextGen finance leader involves a multifaceted approach, combining technical expertise with strategic vision, strong personal skills, and a robust professional network. By focusing on these areas, aspiring finance leaders can navigate the complexities of the modern financial landscape and drive their careers forward with confidence and competence. 

Let us help you prepare for change 

Are you ready to elevate your career and become a NextGen finance leader? Our NextGen finance function course can set you on the right path and ensure you have the knowledge, skills and tools needed to take your career and team from zero to hero. 

The journey to becoming a NextGen finance leader starts with a single step - take that step today and contact us using the button below.