Companies need to have their finances in order. As a result, they employ financial controllers to prepare financial reports such as income statements and balance sheets. These individuals also help with successful audits and internal control monitoring. We have something for you if your eyes are set on a financial controller position.
We intend to help you learn more about this position; therefore, we will look at the roles, responsibilities and surrounding requirements, such as skills and education. We will also furnish you with two resume examples and a resume FAQs section covering some of the questions you might have.
Financial Controller Job Description
A financial controller is charged with financial planning and analysis and preparing the company’s financial reports, such as income statements and balance sheets. They also play offer assistance during financial audits. Other responsibilities include monitoring internal controls and managing different finance and accounting operations.
To succeed in this role, you must be knowledgeable about accounting principles and procedures and have experience creating different financial statements. Other requirements include excellent accounting administration skills and proven working experience as a financial controller or in a similar role.
Financial Controller Roles and Responsibilities
- Managing/ overseeing all the financial and accounting operations of the business
- Drafting, compiling, and publishing monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and reports in a timely fashion
- Ensuring total compliance with all local, state, federal, and industry regulations in financial procedures and operations
- Ensuring that the company meets all its reporting requirements and tax filings
- Directing, coordinating, and managing the drafting and publishing of budget reports and financial forecasts
- Ensuring that all financial transactions and reporting meet the set quality standards
- Maintaining and strengthening internal controls by developing and documenting all business processes and accounting policies
- Performing any additional controller duties as directed
- Overseeing accounting operations such as cost accounting, revenue recognition, inventory accounting, and billing.
- Managing the company’s financial transactions
- Ensuring that all the company’s accounting operations and functions are streamlined
- Coordinating the business’ audit processes
- Evaluating and managing the company’s financial risk
- Analyzing financial data for proper decision making
- Protecting and conserving business resources for growth purposes
- Offering support to company executives by providing financial information and analysis required to meet the business missions and goals
- Supporting business execution by providing the correct information at the right time
- Managing existing relationships between the company and different stakeholders, including investors, partners, and external stakeholders
- Identifying ways of improving the company’s financial efficiency and implementing them
- Researching on and answering technical accounting questions and issues
- Applying management skills in job delegation
- Improving business efficiency by cutting costs and driving business profits
- Supervising accounting teams to ensure high levels of accuracy and meeting of all compliance standards and needs
- Supervising and revising the company’s accounting practices and procedures
- Collaborating with the company’s executives to identify and take advantage of growth opportunities
- Generating actionable insights from technical and financial data and sharing them with the team
- Minimizing financial risk in collaboration with the company’s key decision-makers.
Financial Controller Required Knowledge and Skills
- Working knowledge of accounting procedures and principles
- Excellent forecasting skills
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Outstanding financial planning and analysis skills
- Financial performance evaluation
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Excellent accounting software administration skills
- Excellent analytical skills
- Strong leadership and management skills
- Financial auditing skills
- Proficiency in different accounting software
- Excellent collaboration skills
- Ability to solve technical and finance-related problems
- Excellent delegation skills
- Ability to comply with financial rules and regulations
Financial Controller Education and Experience
- Advanced degree in accounting
- Master’s degree in accounting or a related field (not mandatory, but preferred)
- Proven experience in finance management
- Experience using different accounting software
- Experience creating financial statements
- Proven experience working as a financial controller
- Combined accounting and finance experience
- Certified Public Accountant Certification and other relevant certifications
- Experience working in team settings
Financial Controller Salary
Financial controllers are paid quite well if Glassdoor estimates are anything to go by. Junior controllers make up to $120,000 yearly, while middle-level financial controllers make roughly $127,000 annually. The highest paid are the senior controllers, who make up to $156,000 yearly. All in all, these figures differ depending on the workplace, expertise, and experience levels.
Financial Controller CV Example 1
Bruce Sebastian
Physical address: 120 SE Ely Street, Oak Harbor, Washington, 95678
Email address: sebastianbruce5@gmail.com
Phone number: (240) 678-9087
Personal Profile
Senior financial controller with 10+ years of experience in financial management and analysis. Finance professional with thorough knowledge of accounting principles and procedures ready to collaborate with the accounting staff for the smooth running of the finance department. Experienced team worker with excellent verbal and written communication skills
Work Experience
07/2019- 09/2022, Financial Controller, Thunderbolt Investments, Seattle, Washington
- Managed 5+ accounting operations daily, e.g., cost accounting, inventory accounting, billing, and revenue recognition
- Ensured that all monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements were prepared in a timely fashion
- Facilitated and coordinated annual budget preparations in liaison with senior management and 10+ departmental heads
- Ensured 100% compliance with local, state, and federal financial laws and regulations
- Received and offered a timely response to financial inquiries from 20+ potential domestic investors monthly
- Built and maintained excellent relationships with ten major vendors
- Renegotiated company contracts, leading to a 22% decrease in expenses
- Ensured that all financial reports and transactions met the set quality standards
- Handled tax issues with the Internal Revenue Service, ensuring that the company remained tax compliant
- Participated in 20+ overseas labour consulting projects
02/2016- 05/2019, Senior Finance Officer, Brave Investments, San Diego, CA
- Successfully oversaw and managed daily accounting and finance functions for a $4.5M firm
- Planned and implemented new systems, improving financial operations efficiency by 30%
- Trained and supervised 15 finance staff
- Liaised with the finance and administration manager in the preparation of a $900,000+ annual fiscal year budget
- Built and maintained excellent banking relations with three financial institutions
- Attended 10+ yearly workshops and conferences for professional development purposes
02/2012- 11/2015, Finance Officer, Unique Financial Solutions, Plymouth, Massachusetts
- Participated in quarterly and annual auditing processes by furnishing auditors with relevant files, documents, and records
- Prepared and presented monthly business reports to the executive management
- Mediated yearly tax refunds of $200,000+
- Improved operational efficiency by 20% through the creation and implementation of new financial policies
- Monitored and reviewed all financial deposits and payments to ensure 100% accuracy
- Confirmed that all financial disputes from sales teams and customers were resolved in under 24 hours
Education
- 02/2007- 05/2011, Bachelor of Science in Business Finance, Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts
- 04/2004- 06/2006, High School Diploma, Seattle Senior High School, Seattle, Washington
Skills
- Languages
- Spanish
- English
- French
Technical Skills
- Financial Reporting
- Strategic planning
- Accounting
- Spreadsheets
- Numeracy
- Enterprise Resource Planning
- Data analysis
- Partnerships development
- Internal controls
- GAAP
- IFRS
- Process optimization
Soft Skills
- Verbal and written communication
- Active listening
- Learning
- Conflict management
- Writing
- Collaboration
- Organization
- Ability to work under pressure
- Time management
- Leadership
- Decision-making
- Critical thinking
- Teamwork
- Creativity
Certifications
- 06/16, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification, CFA Institute
- 05/15, Certified in Financial Management, The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business
Financial Controller CV Example 2
Kendi Michaels
Physical address: 120 NE 16th Avenue, Camas, Washington, 98607
Email address: michaelskendi5@gmail.com
Phone number: (340) 786-4564
Personal Profile
Professional financial expert with 10+ years of experience managing finance and accounting operations for different companies. Chartered Global Management Accountant with extensive knowledge of accounting principles and procedures ready to positively contribute to the organization’s finance department. Avid team worker with excellent interpersonal and communication skills needed to thrive in the finance industry.
Work Experience
07/2019- 09/2022, Financial Controller, Avenue Group of Companies, San Diego, CA
- Analyzed operational data and recommended functional improvement ideas, saving the company $100,000+ in its annual operation expenditure
- Negotiated a 0.4% reduction in interest rates from financial lending institutions, saving the company $80,000 yearly on loan payments
- Completed all assigned projects and tasks 12 hours before the deadline
- Performed bookkeeping activities with utmost precision and diligence, e.g., monthly invoice creation
- Acted as the primary liaison with bankers, three insurers, and business solicitors about financial transactions
- Strengthened internal controls by developing, documenting, and maintaining effective accounting policies and business processes
- Coordinated with the 10-member accounting team for the preparation of regular financial reports
- Collaborated with the company’s chief financial officer for the successful analysis and preparation of annual plans and periodical forecasts
- Coordinated debt collection initiatives in the organization, leading to timely debt collection from 50+ clients
- Regularly prepared and presented 100% accurate financial reports to the executive members of the company and the board of directors
- Regularly developed and implemented internal control procedures and policies
- Participated in the hiring, training, and mentoring of 13 senior finance officers
04/2016- 06/2019, Senior Financial Analyst, Tacoma General Holdings, Washington
- Used benchmarking and extensive process analysis to develop 98%, accurate financial models
- Regularly compared anticipated and actual results, identifying and working on areas of improvement based on the results
- Maintained 100% confidentiality when reviewing the company’s investment decisions and financial information
- Participated in the successful budgeting of 10+ departments
- Inspected account transactions twice to guarantee 100% accuracy
- Involved in the long-term financial planning of the organization in liaison with the Chief Financial Officer and business executives
- Prepared 95%+ accurate quarterly and annual profits forecasts using forecasting tools
- Offered financial guidance to 50+ project teams, leading to on-budget completion of projects
- Ensured compliance with company policies, financial guidelines, and local, state, and federal regulations
02/2013- 03/2016, Financial Analyst, Trust Companies, Seattle, Washington
- Used effective data mining methods to extract information for reporting and presentation purposes
- Helped business executives and sales teams in special projects evaluation through the timely drafting of performance and ad hoc analysis reports
- Prepared and presented accurate monthly reports on financial results, variance, and critical metrics
- Developed accurate economic models for proper decision-making
- Identified performance improvement opportunities within the organization, contributing to a 10% increase in operational efficiency
Education
- 02/2008- 05/2012, Bachelor of Science in Commerce (Finance option), Santa Clara University, California, USA
- 05/2005- 11/2007, High School Diploma, Spokane Senior High School, Washington
Skills
- Languages
- English
- French
- Turkish
Technical Skills
- Accounting
- Financial planning
- Numeracy
- Strategic planning
- Data analysis
- Internal control
- Partnerships development
- Process optimization
- IFRS
- GAAP
- Internal controls
- Enterprise Resource Planning
Certifications
- 07/17, Chartered Global Management Accountant Certification
- 05/15, Certified Management Accountant, The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business
Financial Controller Resume Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
1. Which Technical Skills Should I Include in My Resume?
We hope that you know what technical skills are by now. If not, these are specialized knowledge and expertise necessary for performing specific tasks. They also help in the application of different job-specific tools and applications. To thrive in this job, here is a list of what you need: excellent strategic planning skills, ability to develop fruitful partnerships, process optimization, administrative skills, process optimization, understanding/ knowledge of General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), internal controls, excellent cost analysis skills, data analysis, enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and excellent numeracy skills.
Other technical skills for your resume are operation accounting, general accounting skills, team management, business acumen, mastery of Excel and databases, Information Technology (IT) skills, budgeting, financial reporting, financial analysis, forecasting, budgeting, auditing, and strong analytical skills. Ensure you include all the skills captured in the job listing when writing your resume. Lastly, show how you applied these skills in your work experience section, and you will be good to go.
2. Which Keywords Should I Include in My Resume?
Always remember that hiring managers and recruiters rely on applicant tracking systems to weed out applicants. Therefore, include the right keywords in your resume to stand a chance. These are skills, terminologies, tools, or software that apply to the job you are applying for. They are often found in the job listing- another reason you should review your job listing once more before writing your resume.
Some common keywords for financial controller resumes are managerial finance, budgeting, auditing, financial accounting, internal audit, business strategy, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), SAP products, internal controls, forecasting, accounting, and finance. Additional keywords include compliance, MS Office, budget management, balance sheet, reconciliation, general ledger, account receivables, accounts payable, invoicing, and financial statements.
3. Which Certifications Should I Pursue and Include in My Resume?
Getting proper certifications can do wonders for your job applications. You not only get to legitimize your ability to perform or execute the required tasks but also stay competitive in the market. Some of the standard certifications for financial controllers are:
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA)– This is perhaps one of the most common certifications for those in the finance/ accounting industry. It measures a professional’s financial and accounting management skills, certifying that they can drive business performance. It is offered by the Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business and must be renewed annually.
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Certification- One of your jobs as a financial controller is financial analysis, which makes this certification valid. Offered by the Chartered Financial Analysts Institute, this credential measures your integrity, competence, and dedication as a financial controller. However, it requires more than two years of experience.
- Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) Certification- The CGMA Certification is one of the most respected accounting management designations globally. It communicates that you have a transformational mindset, strategic vision, and excellent commercial skills. It also shows the ability to analyze information, offer strategic advice, and help the business succeed. Lastly, the Chartered Global Management Accountant certification shows business and leadership acumen. It doesn’t require any periodic renewal.
Other certifications that you can try include Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and Certified in Financial Management. Ensure that the credential you get covers several aspects of financial control, and you will be good to go. You can also opt for several online courses that shouldn’t take long to complete.
4. How Can I Become a Financial Controller?
There are four main steps to becoming a financial controller. First, earn a relevant degree, which can be a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Accounting, Economics, or any relevant field. Additionally, acquire a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or Finance to qualify for senior positions. You will also need professional credentials like the ones we covered in FAQ no. 3. As you advance in your education, focus more on gaining work experience. You will probably need 5-8 years of experience in accounting or finance to be a company’s finance controller. Once you have the right education, experience, and credentials, apply for the position. Some places you can work include banks, hospitals, colleges, government agencies, and tech companies.
5. What Are the Main Soft Skills to Include in My Resume?
There are four primary soft skills that you will depend on as a company’s finance controller. They include:
- Communication- Excellent verbal and written communication skills will help you coordinate your team and communicate ideas and concerns to the organization’s management.
- Leadership- This is a leadership position. Therefore, excellent leadership skills will help you steer your team or the financial staff into achieving your organization of engagement’s goals.
- Organization– Excellent organization skills allow you to keep everything orderly and, in this case, your company’s financial records
- Critical thinking- You must think critically, especially when deciding under pressure.