Financial Acuity Certificate

The Financial Acuity Certificate empowers non-finance professionals with the essential knowledge and skills needed to understand, analyze, and contribute effectively to decision-making processes that inherently must rely on financial data. 

Every decision an organization makes will be evaluated through a financial lens. When leaders of all disciplines and functions develop their financial acuity, they can effectively leverage this knowledge to positively impact the organization's mission.

Participants will learn to demystify financial jargon, interpret key financial statements, and leverage financial data to enhance their capacity to drive innovation and change.

This program will provide an overview of financial statements from a practical business leadership perspective, not an accounting standpoint. Over the course of four sessions, you'll gain an understanding of how financial statements relate to cash flow, resource allocation, and critical business decision-making. 

Core Curriculum

Participants will learn to:

• Clearly articulate how they add value to financial performance with their contributions, regardless of where they sit in the organizational structure, and find possible solutions to current challenges.
• Forecast revenue and project costs, allocate resources effectively, and set performance metrics to determine and support strategic objectives.
• Use break-even analysis to make better informed decisions, help manage costs, and tell the team's story to others using numbers and data.
• Apply their learnings to examples participants bring to the sessions to find possible solutions in real time.

Live Online Certificate Experience

Our virtual learning experiences are highly interactive and engaging, with an emphasis on actionable insights and cutting-edge learning methodologies. Accessible from anywhere, each session focuses on a key learning objective and offers immediately applicable insights and practical takeaways. 

Program Dates and Times

Tuesdays April 8, 15, 22 and 29; 1-4 p.m. Eastern Time

What to expect

• Four weeks of interactive virtual classroom sessions with one expert faculty and thought leader.
• Full access to the dedicated course platform with pre-work, session materials, and discussion boards. 
• Resources on the learning platform to set goals and apply each day’s learning objectives to your specific challenges.
• Dedicated time to connect with peers and colleagues to build your network of fellow leaders.

Attendance at the virtual learning session is required to gain the maximum benefit from the program and to earn the certificate of completion. Live online program sessions are not recorded. Smith College Executive Education offers non-degree programs only. 

Who attends

Participants who gain the most benefit from this program are aspiring, emerging, or mid-career people leaders, managers, and individual contributors working in non-finance roles who rely on financial measures to drive strategy and innovation.  

Accessibility

Programs are delivered in English, and participation requires proficiency in spoken and written English. For other accommodations, please email our program team to support your participation.