Overview
The Management Pathway is tailored to finance professionals in a senior management or leadership role who want to enhance their own understanding of data analytics and develop the analytics capabilities of their teams.
Upon successful completion of the case study, you’ll receive the ICAEW Data Analytics Certificate (Management Pathway) to evidence the skills you’ve learned on the course.
The course will enhance the value that you and your teams can bring through focusing on evidence-based insights to support decision making.
This course provides a structured programme of learning through a mix of e-learning, instructional videos and exercises to test and confirm your understanding. The focus is on learning and application of concepts and techniques to the finance profession.
After you've completed the learning, you’re ready to attempt the case study, in which you’ll assume the role of a senior manager in charge of an analytics team. You’re tasked with advising whether a target company meets the investment criteria for a private equity firm. You’ll need to understand, review, and challenge the work undertaken by your data analytics team and communicate your findings effectively to support decision making.
On successful completion of the case study, you’ll be awarded with the ICAEW Data Analytics certificate (Management Pathway).
Suitability
This course has been designed for CFOs, Financial Controllers, Partners, Heads of Department, and Senior Managers, who are seeking to develop their data analytics capabilities.
This course will help you to understand the business benefits of applying data analytics, support you to develop an effective data analytics function within your organisation, and enhance your ability to effectively communicate the outputs from a data analytics assignment to inform strategic decision making.
If you’re looking to develop your hands-on data analytics skills, such as programming in Python, then the Analyst Pathway is more suited to you.
Key course features
- Designed and tailored to the needs of senior managers and leaders working in finance roles (decision support and assurance)
- Online learning programme comprising 20 hours learning plus 10 hours case study
- 100% online, modular structure enabling you to work at your own pace
- This is the full course including the business case study and Certificate upon successful completion
- ICAEW Certificate on successful completion of case study to evidence attainment
Course outline
1. Evidence based decision making
In this unit we look at the strategic business case for analytics and explore how and why data driven models can be used to improve decision making. We look at key data analytics concepts including big data and technologies and introduce the data analytics process. We consider where data analytics sits within the organisation, and explain the benefits of finance leaders owning or exerting their influence over analytics within the business.
2. Data Strategy, Governance and Integrity
In this unit we explain the strategic importance of data within the organisation. We cover what is meant by data strategy and the role that finance should play in formulating data strategy. We explore data governance covering ethics around the use of data and data security including how data is accessed and (should be) treated in order to ensure its safety, reliability, and trustworthiness. We look in detail at data management, which covers the tools, processes, and architectures to achieve stated data governance objectives.
3. Exploratory Data Analysis
In this unit we cover the principal attributes of datasets and explain the benefits of using exploratory data analysis. We’ll look at how exploratory data analysis enables you to evaluate different business scenarios which can be tested statistically, graphically represented and summarised to provide sound scientific evidence to support decision making.
4. Forecasting and Risk Management
The ability to accurately predict future trends is a priceless asset to any business. In this unit we look at how data driven approach to forecasting differs from traditional methods, and how predictive analytics enables you to forecast with greater accuracy and reliability. We then go on to explain the role of analytics in risk management, and how analytics can offer insights into the characteristics of anomalous journal entries, helping identify inappropriate accounting, control overrides, or inefficient processes.
5. Decision-making: influencing through visualisation
In this unit we focus on presenting and communicating the results of data analytics to improve business decision making. Using narrative as well as visualisation techniques, we explain how to review data visualisations and enhance business communications to influence key decision makers.
Case study
You’re in a senior management role advising a private equity firm on whether a target company is a good investment. Your team will undertake data analytics to support the advice given and your role will be to evaluate the team’s work and to communicate the findings.
The task will require you to demonstrate your understanding of data management, governance including considering the ethical implications of using data analytics. You’ll be required to demonstrate the ability to interpret and appropriately challenge the analytics work undertaken by the team in the areas of forecasting and anomaly detection. You’ll determine how to effectively communicate the outputs to support decision making.
Study method
The ICAEW Data Analytics Certificate Programme is only available online.
This course gives you the flexibility to study when and where you want, with unique online resources designed to give you structure, keep you motivated, and cement your understanding of the subject. They include instructional videos, use cases, practical exercises, and a case study.
Course pricing
Course price: £529 (excl.VAT)
ICAEW members are eligible for a discount on this course. Visit icaew.com/dacert and login using your member login to reveal your discount code.
If you’re looking to purchase multiple courses for your team or organisation, Enterprise Licences are available. For enquiries please contact clientsolutions@kaplan.co.uk.
If you’re looking to develop your hands-on data analytics skills, such as programming in Python, then the Analyst Pathway is more suitable for you.