Financial Command:

Finance and Financial Management for Decision Makers

Delivered in Partnership with STRATHCLYDE BUSINESS SCHOOL

2026 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN - Please read the Application Guidance Document before applying. LINK HERE

Financial Command: Strategic Finance for Hospitality Leaders , is drawn from Strathclyde Business Schools renowned MBA programme - equipping senior leaders with the financial insight required to make confident, informed, and strategically aligned decisions.

This 2-Day programme is designed to equip hospitality managers and aspiring leaders with a non-financial background with the essential financial skills, methods, and techniques needed to manage operations effectively.

Accounting and financial management are central to day-to-day hospitality decision-making, from understanding costs, to managing budgets and improving profitability. The programme provides a practical framework for understanding and using financial and accounting information to support informed decisions, enhance operational performance, and contribute confidently to the financial success of the organisation.

Programme Outline:

 (Part 1) - Understanding Financial Accounting & Financial Statements

•  The Nature of Accounting Information: Understanding the purpose, scope and limitations of financial statements.

• Understanding Financial Statements: Profit & Loss (P&L), Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement. Profit and cash are not the same thing!

• Financial Statement Analysis (Profit, Financial Stability and Efficiency Ratios): Analysing the financial performance and stability of organisations. Understanding liquidity, efficiency, and profitability ratios.

 (Part 2) - Management Accounting – Planning, Decision Making and Control

•  Understanding Costs and Cost Behaviour: Identifying costs and drivers of costs.

• Budgeting Fundamentals: Building, monitoring, and forecasting departmental and operational budgets. Understanding the cash budget and the master budget.

• Flexible Budgets and Variance Analysis: dealing with divergences from plan.

• Pricing and Contribution Analysis: Understanding contribution margin and break-even points.

(Part 3) - Investment Decision-Making

• Time Value of Money: Understanding, present and future value concepts

• Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Decisions: Investment decision making techniques, net present value, internal rate of return and payback period.

 (Part 4) Introduction to Performance Management

•  The Balanced Scorecard and Benchmarking: translating strategy into measurable objectives and performance indicators for staff.

Leadership Level

 Duration:               2-day programme

Who is it for:        Designed for departmental managers,  operational managers,  functional leads,  small business owners and anyone who needs to understand the fundamental basics of financial methodologies and techniques

 Prerequisites / Expected Experience:

Participants should:

• Hold accountability for budgets, financial planning, or commercial outcomes within their organisation.

• Have a general understanding of operational performance but may not have formal financial training.

• Be interested in strengthening their ability to interpret financial information and make data-informed strategic decisions.

• Be ready to engage in collaborative discussion, share insights, and apply financial principles to real-world business challenges.

We design tailored leadership and organisational development programmes in partnership with clients, creating practical, impactful learning experiences that address evolving business challenges. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. We work closely with clients to co-design programmes that meet their strategic goals. Our programmes focus on workplace relevance, equipping participants with tools and skills to deliver long-term, measurable impact.