City controller vs senior director of finance

The differences between city controllers and senior directors of finance can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a city controller and a senior director of finance. Additionally, a senior director of finance has an average salary of $137,505, which is higher than the $110,568 average annual salary of a city controller.

The top three skills for a city controller include financial reports, payroll and balance sheet accounts. The most important skills for a senior director of finance are SR, business development, and financial management.

City controller vs senior director of finance overview

	City Controller	Senior Director Of Finance
Yearly salary	$110,568	$137,505
Hourly rate	$53.16	$66.11
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	19,157	98,470
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	8	8

City controller vs senior director of finance salary

City controllers and senior directors of finance have different pay scales, as shown below.

	City Controller	Senior Director Of Finance
Average salary	$110,568	$137,505
Salary range	Between $68,000 And $177,000	Between $88,000 And $212,000
Highest paying City	-	Foster City, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Mayo Clinic
Best paying industry	-	Pharmaceutical

Differences between city controller and senior director of finance education

There are a few differences between a city controller and a senior director of finance in terms of educational background:

	City Controller	Senior Director Of Finance
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

City controller vs senior director of finance demographics

Here are the differences between city controllers' and senior directors of finance' demographics:

	City Controller	Senior Director Of Finance
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 58.8% Female, 41.2%	Male, 74.5% Female, 25.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between city controller and senior director of finance duties and responsibilities

City controller example responsibilities.

Manage accounting systems configuration and improvement, external auditor communication and requirements, regulatory compliance and SOX controls review.
Manage accounting systems configuration and improvement, external auditor communication and requirements, regulatory compliance and SOX controls review.
Create custom reports in ADP for accounting department analysis and distribution to management.

Senior director of finance example responsibilities.

Project manage the successful implementation of Hyperion Essbase upgrade from Hyperion FM, managing cross functional resources across multiple geographies.
Maximize returns and limit risks by managing treasury and investment balances daily.
Establish, manage and monitor accounting and finance duties including the annual operating budget, financial statements and account reconciliations.
Ensure internal controls, GAAP and SOX compliance, as well as interfaced with internal and external audit reviews.
Coordinate information for external auditors and CPA firm for quarterly/annual tax/audit.
Direct the companywide planning process and implement a new Hyperion planning system.

City controller vs senior director of finance skills

Common city controller skills

Financial Reports, 41%
Payroll, 30%
Balance Sheet Accounts, 12%
Financial Operations, 8%
Firsthand Knowledge, 4%
Press Releases, 3%

Common senior director of finance skills

SR, 10%
Business Development, 8%
Financial Management, 8%
Strategic Direction, 8%
Executive Management, 7%
RFP, 7%

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City Controller vs Senior Director Of Finance

Updated January 8, 2025

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