finance for the non financial manager

Feb 19, 2025 10:26:09 AM | Case Study: Finance for the Non-Financial Manager

Equip non-financial managers with essential finance skills to drive smarter decisions and improve business performance.

Challenge

A leading global technology company identified a critical gap in financialchess pieces-1 literacy among its mid-level managers. While these managers excelled in product development, operations, and sales, many lacked a strong understanding of financial concepts like profit margins, cash flow, and budgeting. This gap led to misaligned decision-making, inefficiencies in resource allocation, and an over-reliance on finance teams for basic financial insights.

Senior leadership recognized the need for a finance training program tailored to non-financial managers—one that would make financial concepts accessible, practical, and immediately applicable to their day-to-day roles.

Solution

The company partnered with Advantexe to launch a Finance for the Non-Financial Manager program. This highly interactive, simulation-centric learning experience enabled participants to:

  • Demystify key financial concepts, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
  • Engage in a business simulation, where they managed a virtual company, making financial decisions that impacted profitability and long-term growth.
  • Learn budgeting and forecasting best practices to align departmental goals with overall financial strategy.
  • Analyze financial reports to understand how their decisions influenced the company’s bottom line.

The program was delivered in a blended format, offering a mix of live virtual sessions, on-demand resources, and interactive exercises. This ensured flexibility for a busy workforce.

Results

  • The program led to immediate improvements in financial decision-making and cross-functional collaboration:
  • 40% increase in financial literacy scores, as measured by pre- and post-program assessments.
  • 82% of participants reported greater confidence in making budget-related decisions.

Reduction in budget overruns, as managers applied financial best practices to their departments.

Stronger collaboration between finance and non-financial teams, leading to more informed, strategic decision-making.

One participant shared:
"Before this program, I viewed finance as a complex, intimidating function. Now, I understand how financial decisions impact my department and the company as a whole. I feel much more equipped to contribute to strategic discussions."

By empowering managers with essential financial acumen, the company strengthened its leadership pipeline and improved financial alignment across the organization.

 

Jim Brodo

Written By: Jim Brodo

Jim is an award winning marketing executive with a proven background in driving pipeline value and revenue creation