Details
About the workshop
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR FINANCE FUNCTION
The role of finance and accounting in organisations is changing more rapidly than ever. Where teams have been traditionally occupied with hindsight, reporting and compliance, the emphasis is increasingly shifting to a more strategic outlook, from transactional to transformational. From an organisational perspective, finance is the seat of value creation, foresight and insight, turning information into business intelligence.
These shifts have changed the core competencies necessary for a finance professional to distinguish themselves, and future-proof their roles in an evolving commercial landscape. A future-ready finance professional must turn their hand to everything from budgeting and forecasting, financial modelling, and advanced data analytics, to strategic decision-making, critical thinking and business leadership.
CORE COMPETENCIES FOR TOMORROW'S FINANCE LEADERSHIP
This three day intensive program has been designed and developed by some of the country's leading specialists, to drill down into the core competencies defining finance leadership for the future:
- Strategy, Planning, Forecasting & Modelling
- Advanced Data Analytics, Visualisation & Insights
- Commercial Partnering, Communication & Influence
It is these critical areas that are unlocking powerful opportunities for organisations looking to gain the edge in an increasingly competitive commercial market.
Refresh your tools and refine your skills, make sure this program an essential part of your annual development plan.
Agenda
- How does a budget vs forecast vs model compare? The main functional differences between modelling, planning, budgeting and forecasting
- Current pitfalls of the planning and forecasting processes
- How to get more value from the planning, forecasting process
Explore in more detail each of the methods for:
- Activity Based, Zero-Based, Driver-Based, Growth-Based
Fine-tune traditional budgeting activities to support decision-making
- How do you move from reactive to proactive?
- Moving towards more dynamic and adaptive forms of forecasting
- Using budgets and forecasts to inform and drive decision-making
- Finance cadence around budgeting activities (what is the best frequency?)
Connect business planning, budgeting, and forecasting
- How do you get value from a connected process?
- What does a connected process look like?
- What are the key ingredients and steps to take to get there?
Strategy linked forecasting and performance models
- How to link strategy to forecasting and budgeting
- The strategy of execution is key to success
- What gets measured gets done, making sure you measure the right KPIs
- How to track performance and how to influence or change the performance trends
Key principles of effective financial modelling
- Key skills required to be a great financial modeller
- What does a good model contain? How can you tell whether a model has been built well?
- Key disciplines and controls needed within a team
Data science and machine learning history and fundamentals
- Explore the fundamentals and historical developments of data science and machine learning
- Showcase and explain in layman’s terms the latest trends and hot topics in analytics
- Discuss and define a variety of concepts and use cases in data science and machine learning
Introduction to descriptive and predictive analytics in practice
- Explore and work through an exploratory data analysis (EDA) exercise
- Introduce and apply a machine learning model to a basic and simple dataset
- Utilise a popular business tool to interpret and summarise the results of a predictive model
Deciphering key components and best practices in data visualisation
- Understanding graph theory and colour theory
- How different shapes and objects are perceived and create meaning
- Practical interactive activities exploring use cases of data visualisation
Building narratives for successful data visualisation and storytelling
- Learn the power of narrative and how to effectively communicate with data
- Understand the power of visual storytelling
- Making the right graphical choices, and controlling the narrative
From bean counter to strategic business partner
- Transform your team into cross-functional, valued finance business partner
- Factors driving information needs and influencing behaviour
- Converting technical knowledge into strategic value
Translate management accounting into effective strategic management action plans
- Articulating complex ideas that achieve stakeholder expectations in a simple manner
- Assisting operational management to understand the financial ramifications of their service
- Identify savings targets, add value and develop savings or revenue plans
Making finance leadership work tactically, strategically and practically
- Leveraging the value chain
- Strategic analysis to provide insightful analysis and evaluation
- Enable successful transformation using enterprise risk management and more effective business models
Communicating with impact and influence
- Telling the story behind the numbers, gaining stakeholder buy-in
- Presenting to the board, getting the pitch right
- Building influential relationships at senior and executive levels
Tailor Your Training Experience
To make sure you get the learning solution that’s right for you, we offer different levels of tailoring to suit your needs. Choose from three levels of customisation:
1.Off the Shelf
Love what you see? Great! Choose this option to take one of our most popular courses and bring it in-house for your team. Includes a pre-course consult session with our facilitator to make sure we hit the mark, and deliver the right learning experience for you.
2.Customised
Make sure you get the most from the course you choose, by tailoring the content to get the right fit for you. Speak to our team, who will work with you to pick and mix from a curated bank of training modules to help customise your learning experience.
3.Premium
Not on the list? Let us know what you’re looking for and we will find the right solution. Our team of learning specialists will work with you to develop a unique training course for your business. Through an in-depth consultation process, we will work with you to profile your learning needs and build a bespoke program from the ground up.
Speak with one of our team today to find which option is right for you.