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If you’re hiring a Chief Financial Officer in Leinster this quarter, here are some things you need to know…
#1 Continuum of Activity
Job titles mean nothing without context. The role of the CFO varies widely depending on a myriad of variables. Below, we detail a number of lenses through which the role of a CFO, in a given organisation, can be viewed.
From left to right, the activity becomes increasingly commercial, strategic and impactful. The % of time (or balance of activity) a CFO spends in each area of the continuum is very defining of the role a CFO plays in an organisation. True CFOs are active participants in funding relationships, are members of the Board of Directors and are heavily involved in decisions concerning the allocation of capital.
#2 Variables that overlay on the continuum of activity
Size Of Organisation: Larger companies typically have larger finance teams. The number of people led, the nature of the activity those people are involved in, and the experience and qualifications these people have, all have an impact.
Organisational Structure: Group Function, Strategic Business Unit, SME/SMB – the structure in which a CFO sits is also very defining. In particular, when it comes to smaller business entities, are they a subsidiary of a multinational, are they privately owned but professionally run (have a Board) or are they privately owned and family run.
Geographical Coverage: If a company trades in ROI, UK&I, EMEA or Globally has a significant impact on the complexity of the supply chain, the risks the company is exposed to and consequently the nature of the role of a CFO.
Nature Of Funding: The source of funding and the level of engagement/interaction with investors/lenders are other important variables. A CFO role that involves active participation in investor calls (and the nature of those investors) and fund-raising activity is very different to a CFO role in a medium-sized, self-funded organisation. In addition, the nature of the funding (debt v equity) can be an important differentiator given the differences in terms of the role of the CFO in each instance.
The above are just some of the variables that can differentiate one CFO role from another. When designing your role description, and when going to market for CFO talent, it is important to ensure that all relevant variables are factored into the definition of a CFO in your organisation.
#3 Reward
Salary surveys that provide wide salary bands for CFO roles without context are highly misleading. Without the context of the variables cited before, salary ranges have no value or meaning. In Barden, we can provide salary data tailored to your exact context. In the absence of that, we can share the following information:
- Sampling 100 CFO appointments in Dublin over the past 2 years, we can share that the Average Base Salary for CFOs in this period was €215,950.
- Higher base salaries (tending to €300,000+) were typically found within certain industries such as leasing, financial services, fintech and software, that operated globally.
- Lower base salaries (typically ranging from €150,000 – €200,000) were commonly found in smaller, privately owned, and professionally run Irish businesses that operated within the ROI/UK&I region only.
- Group CFO and CFO roles with listed companies were excluded from this data set, given the limited number of roles of this nature in Ireland and the fact that salaries for individuals in these roles would typically be significantly higher than those in other companies.
- Base salary is also heavily influenced by where a company is in their lifecycle. Start up/early-stage companies will often offer lower base salaries and compensate with equity options over time. More mature companies will typically offer higher base salaries and LTIPs linked to growth.
If you are looking to accurately benchmark base salaries for CFO or equivalent C-Level appointments, contact your relevant Partner in Barden, and we can conduct research relevant to your exact needs.
#4 Talent Pool Data
Here’s what we’ve noticed this quarter in the CFO talent pool in Leinster:
In Barden, we understand that each team, role, and requirement is unique. If you would like to discuss what tactics and approaches would suit you, please feel free to contact Ed Heffernan or Elaine Brady our Chief Financial Officer Advisors here in Barden (ed.heffernan@barden.ie; elaine.brady@barden.ie); we’re where leaders go before they start looking for Chief Financial Officer talent.
This information is accurate as per June 2026 and will be updated periodically. Data sources include Barden Proprietary Data, LinkedIn Analytics and other 3rd party data sources. If you have a request and would like real-time information to inform your hiring decisions, contact Ed Heffernan at ed.heffernan@barden.ie or Elaine Brady at elaine.brady@barden.ie.