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Business finance Managers

Business Finance Managers oversee critical human resources functions within organizations, specializing in compensation and benefits, general HR management, or training and development. These professionals design and implement policies related to employee compensation, benefits, and professional development while ensuring compliance with federal regulations. They serve as key liaisons between management and staff, handling everything from contract administration to performance evaluations and organizational training programs.

Median Annual Pay
$134,551
Range: $73,410 - $229,970
Training Time
4-5 years
AI Resilience
🟡AI-Augmented
Education
Bachelor's degree

🎬Career Video

🤖AI Resilience Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 4/6: growing job demand means AI will assist but humans remain essential

🟡AI-Augmented

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Medium+1

50% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Growing+2

+6% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Moderate+1

EPOCH score: 14/25

Total Score4/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09

📋Key Responsibilities

  • Direct preparation and distribution of written and verbal information to inform employees of benefits, compensation, and personnel policies.
  • Design, evaluate, and modify benefits policies to ensure that programs are current, competitive, and in compliance with legal requirements.
  • Fulfill all reporting requirements of all relevant government rules and regulations, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
  • Analyze compensation policies, government regulations, and prevailing wage rates to develop competitive compensation plan.
  • Identify and implement benefits to increase the quality of life for employees by working with brokers and researching benefits issues.
  • Manage the design and development of tools to assist employees in benefits selection, and to guide managers through compensation decisions.
  • Administer, direct, and review employee benefit programs, including the integration of benefit programs following mergers and acquisitions.
  • Mediate between benefits providers and employees, such as by assisting in handling employees' benefits-related questions or taking suggestions.

💡Inside This Career

Business finance managers spend their days balancing numbers with human dynamics, analyzing financial data to make strategic decisions about an organization's most valuable asset—its workforce. A typical morning might begin with reviewing budget reports and cost analysis spreadsheets, identifying trends in departmental spending or evaluating the return on investment for various programs. They collaborate regularly with department heads, senior executives, and external vendors, moving seamlessly between boardroom presentations and one-on-one meetings with team members who need guidance on complex financial decisions.

The work environment varies considerably throughout the week. Some days are spent in quiet focus, building detailed financial models or conducting market research to benchmark against industry standards. Other days involve facilitating workshops, leading cross-functional project teams, or conducting interviews with employees to gather feedback on program effectiveness. Many professionals in this field find themselves troubleshooting urgent issues—whether that's addressing budget overruns, responding to employee concerns, or adapting quickly when organizational priorities shift unexpectedly.

Technology plays a central role in daily activities, from manipulating large datasets in specialized software to creating compelling visualizations that communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders. These managers often serve as translators, converting analytical insights into actionable recommendations that influence everything from individual employee experiences to company-wide policy changes. The work requires constant learning, as they stay current with regulatory changes, industry best practices, and emerging trends that could impact their organization's financial strategies and competitive position.

📈Career Progression

What does this mean?

This shows how earnings typically grow with experience. Entry level represents starting salaries, while Expert shows top earners (90th percentile). Most workers reach mid-career earnings within 5-10 years. Figures are national averages and vary by location and employer.

1
Entry (10th %ile)
0-2 years experience
$73,410
$66,069 - $80,751
2
Early Career (25th %ile)
2-6 years experience
$94,240
$84,816 - $103,664
3
Mid-Career (Median)
5-15 years experience
$125,040
$112,536 - $137,544
4
Experienced (75th %ile)
10-20 years experience
$166,780
$150,102 - $183,458
5
Expert (90th %ile)
15-30 years experience
$220,060
$198,054 - $242,066

📚Education & Training

Requirements

  • Entry Education: Bachelor's degree
  • Experience: Several years
  • On-the-job Training: Several years
  • !License or certification required

Time & Cost

Education Duration
4-5 years (typically 4)
Estimated Education Cost
$44,118 - $164,730
Public (in-state):$44,118
Public (out-of-state):$91,314
Private nonprofit:$164,730
Source: college board (2024)
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💻Technology Skills

HRIS systems (Workday, ADP)Microsoft ExcelCompensation softwareBenefits administrationAnalytics toolsHRIS systems (Workday, SAP)Microsoft OfficeApplicant trackingPayroll softwarePerformance managementLearning managementLearning management systems (LMS)E-learning authoring toolsVideo conferencingHRIS systems

Key Abilities

Oral Comprehension
Written Comprehension
Oral Expression
Written Expression
Problem Sensitivity
Speech Clarity
Speech Recognition
Deductive Reasoning
Near Vision
Inductive Reasoning

🏷️Also Known As

Business finance ManagersBenefits Admin (Benefits Administrator)Benefits AdvisorBenefits CoordinatorBenefits DirectorBenefits ManagerCompensation and Benefits DirectorCompensation and Benefits ManagerCompensation DirectorCompensation Manager+20 more

📑Specializations

This career includes 3 specialized roles with different focuses and compensation levels.

🔗Related Careers

Other careers in business-finance

🔗Data Sources

Last updated: 2026-01-09

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