How to hire a controller

How to hire a controller, step by step

Here's a step-by-step controller hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a controller job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new controller
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a controller do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The controller hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a controller to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a controller that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of controllers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Controller	Description	Hourly rate
   Controller	Financial managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies and plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.	$33-69
   Business Manager-Finance Manager	A business manager/finance manager is responsible for handling the financial transactions of an organization, analyzing financial reports, and monitor investment activities. Business managers/finance managers strategize effective techniques to boost the organization's financial performance and identify business opportunities to increase revenues... Show more	$35-73
   Manager/Finance Accounting	A manager of finance accounting's role is to oversee the financial activities in a company or organization. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with other departments to gather financial data, analyze the revenues and expenditures, and develop written reports and presentations... Show more	$31-61

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPA
   • Payroll Processing
   • Reconciliations
   • Cash Management
   • Internal Controls
   • GAAP
   • External Auditors
   • Account Reconciliations
   • Cash Flow
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Financial Data
   • Journal Entries
   • Oversight
   • Financial Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage NAV production, calculation of performance fees, IFRS accounts and subscription/redemption analysis.
   • Lead transition of company from sole proprietor to NYSE list company subsidiary, including implementing new financial reporting system.
   • Manage a team of junior staff accountants and maintaining quality control throughout the entire monthly billing, A/P & A/R processes.
   • Manage treasury, open several new accounts, establish new procedures and controls, monitor daily activity.
   • Produce monthly account reconciliations, post monthly journal entries and review, analyze, correct and issue monthly comparative financial statements.
   • Perform accounting research and special projects as required including cash flow analysis, cost projections, reconciliations and other financial analysis.

   More controller duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your controller job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A controller salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, controllers' average salary in hawaii is 39% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level controllers earn 51% less than senior-level controllers.
   • Certifications. A controller with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a controller's salary.

   Average controller salary

   $101,204yearly

   $48.66 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level controller salary

   $70,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average controller salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maine	$121,606	$58
   2	New York	$121,157	$58
   3	California	$120,399	$58
   4	New Jersey	$113,947	$55
   5	Massachusetts	$112,814	$54
   6	Maryland	$104,004	$50
   7	Washington	$103,734	$50
   8	Pennsylvania	$103,476	$50
   9	District of Columbia	$101,435	$49
   10	Nevada	$99,021	$48
   11	Oregon	$96,765	$47
   12	Arizona	$95,033	$46
   13	Michigan	$93,938	$45
   14	North Carolina	$93,723	$45
   15	Minnesota	$93,663	$45
   16	Texas	$92,304	$44
   17	Illinois	$92,188	$44
   18	Ohio	$90,642	$44
   19	Tennessee	$87,400	$42
   20	Missouri	$86,517	$42

   Average controller salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Perkins Coie	$186,620	$89.72
   2	Instacart	$148,643	$71.46	12
   3	White & Case	$144,620	$69.53	1
   4	Firstservice Residential California, Inc.	$140,054	$67.33
   5	Related Companies	$137,441	$66.08
   6	Luxe	$137,395	$66.06
   7	ZS	$137,157	$65.94	1
   8	The Walt Disney Company	$135,603	$65.19	61
   9	Marathon Petroleum	$135,582	$65.18	1
   10	Neuberger Berman	$133,404	$64.14	8
   11	Bloomberg	$132,552	$63.73	27
   12	BP America Inc	$130,365	$62.68	3
   13	General Motors	$128,570	$61.81	2
   14	Cisco	$128,530	$61.79	4
   15	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$125,744	$60.45	3
   16	Nokia	$125,409	$60.29
   17	First National Realty	$125,369	$60.27
   18	Koch Industries	$124,628	$59.92	4
   19	Pathway Medical	$124,462	$59.84
   20	Barclays	$123,028	$59.15	6

4. Writing a controller job description

   A job description for a controller role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a controller job description:

   Controller job description example

   Directs financial activities of the organization. Establishes, or recommends to management, major economic objectives and policies for company. Prepares reports which summarize and forecast company business activity and financial position in areas of income, expenses and earnings based on past, present and expected operations. Responsible for preparation of annual hospital budget. Advises management on desirable operational adjustments due to budget constraints and changes in hospital reimbursement. Supervises preparation of schedules and other documentation for audits of company's accounts.
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   
   Directs and participates in the development of accounting and internal control policies and systems.
   Coordinates and controls the facility's cash and investment management activities.
   Provides advice and assistance to department heads and managers in analyzing and interpreting financial data and reports and in presenting that information to their departments.
   Defines and communicates new/revised position responsibilities and/or reporting relationships and determines necessary staffing changes.
   Ensures that accurate information is provided on a timely basis and assists, as needed, in facilitating the efficient conduct of external audits, examinations and related financial projects.
   Ensures that a monthly time schedule is established for the processing of computer reports necessary for the preparation of monthly financial statements; implements corrective action as necessary to meet established deadlines.
   Consistently develops a detailed plan of action prior to implementation of a new procedure.
   Regularly examines alternative methods of providing required accounting services in order to reduce departmental operating costs.
   Promotes good staffing practices by maximizing the utilization of human resources; forecasts and anticipates the personnel needs of the department with regard to fluctuations in the projected workload; holds staffing at a functional minimum.
   Consistently demonstrates the ability to establish appropriate departmental priorities.
   Consistently completes all assignment in a timely manner, thorough and appropriately detailed.
   Demonstrates effectiveness in pulling together all the necessary information needed to compare revenue and expenses and determine the facility's actual financial position.
   Effectively maintains all required records for the department; demonstrates good organizational skills.
   Monitors the implementation of checks and balances which continually evaluate accounting practices, reporting procedures and record keeping.
   Other duties as assigned.
   
   Qualifications
   Bachelors in Business, Healthcare Administration, Accounting, Finance or similar required.
   Prior management experience preferred.
   Excellent computer knowledge.
   Advanced Excel user.
   Excellent knowledge of accounting software packages and spreadsheets.
   
   Job: Accounting/FinancePrimary Location: TN-Knoxville-Knoxville Rehab HospitalOrganization: 4097 - Knoxville Rehab HospitalShift: Day

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find controllers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your controller job on Zippia to find and recruit controller candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting controllers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new controller

   Once you've found the controller candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a controller?