Finance and Governance for Non-Financial Professionals Certification Training

This is a practical, interactive course designed to equip professionals from non‑financial backgrounds with the essential financial knowledge and skills needed to interpret and apply financial information confidently in the workplace. This program demystifies core financial concepts - from reading financial statements and analyzing key performance ratios to basic budgeting, planning, cash flow management and investment appraisal - all explained in straightforward terms suitable for non‑finance leaders.

Participants will gain a solid understanding of how financial decisions impact strategic outcomes, enabling them to communicate effectively with finance teams, make better operational decisions, plan and control budgets, and contribute meaningfully to their organization's financial performance. With real‑world examples, case discussions and practical tools, this course empowers managers to bridge the gap between finance and business strategy.

Introduction

• The role of finance
• Finance organisation structure- key roles and responsibilities
• Understanding the language of finance and accounting
• How financial transactions are recorded- process, sub process and transaction flows



The business model

• How money flows into the business
• Sources of long term finance debt and equity
• The difference between turnover, cash and profit



Understanding key components of financial statements

• Income statement
• Balance sheet
• Cash flow statement



Analysing and interpreting financial statements

• Evaluating the financial health of a company
• Ratio analysis: profitability, efficiency and liquidity
• Reading through the numbers and understanding trends



Working capital management and the cash cycle

• The importance of cash cycle
• Managing receivables, inventory and payables
• Sources of short term finance



Management accounting and decision making

• Break-even analysis
• Cost behavior
• Pricing strategies



Planning, budgeting and forecasting for organisations

• Understanding the budgeting process
• Motivation and the behavioral aspects of budgeting
• Budgeting and forecasting exercise in excel



Capital projects

• The time value of money
• Investment appraisal techniques
• Discounted cash flow
• Net present value
• Internal rate of return



Tools and exercises will be provided so that you can practice the techniques and strategies covered in the course. On successful completion, participants will receive a participation certificate from Merit Global Training.

Prerequisites

There are no Prerequisites for this course, .

• Anybody can attend this training.

Exam

• Participation certificate after successful completion of workshop

He is a seasoned finance professional with deep experience in making complex financial concepts accessible to leaders from non‑financial backgrounds. He specializes in helping participants interpret financial statements, understand key financial principles and apply budgeting and planning tools to support better business decision‑making. With a practical, interactive approach, he guides learners to build confidence in analyzing financial performance and communicating effectively with finance teams. Passionate about enhancing business acumen, he equips managers with the skills to make informed decisions that positively impact organizational performance.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the role of finance in business and the language of accounting used in financial reporting.
• Interpret and analyze the key components of financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
• Assess an organization's financial performance using fundamental financial ratios and trend analysis.
• Apply budgeting, planning, and forecasting techniques to support effective resource allocation and decision‑making.
• Explain basic financial models and concepts such as break‑even analysis, cost behaviour, and pricing strategies.
• Understand working capital management and its impact on liquidity and operational efficiency.
• Use investment appraisal tools, including net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR), to evaluate capital projects.
• Communicate confidently with finance professionals and integrate financial considerations into business strategy and operational decisions.