How to hire a corporate controller

How to hire a corporate controller, step by step

Here's a step-by-step corporate 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 corporate controller job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new corporate controller
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a corporate controller do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your corporate controller job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a corporate controller for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect corporate controller also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of corporate controller salaries for various roles:

   Type of Corporate Controller	Description	Hourly rate
   Corporate 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.	$47-100
   Accounting Director	An Accounting Director supervises the general accounting and financial reporting functions, as well as financial services within a company or organization. They also ensure that all transactions and financial policies for their organization meet federal regulations and standards.	$42-92
   Finance Director	A finance director's role is to oversee all financial activities and aspects of a company or organization. One of their duties is to gather necessary financial data and cultivate reports on essential matters such as revenue and budget, provide risk assessments and estimates, implement vital policies, and allocate funds within the company... Show more	$36-87

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Payroll
   • CPA
   • GAAP
   • Internal Controls
   • External Auditors
   • General Ledger
   • Reconciliations
   • Cash Management
   • Financial Reports
   • Oversight
   • Treasury
   • Close Process
   • Cash Flow
   • Due Diligence

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage general accounting staff (A/P, A/R, & G/L), financial planning, reporting and analysis functions.
   • Direct and manage all aspects of the external audit, including implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.
   • Lead implementation of SyteLine ERP solution to replace outdate manufacturing software and streamline manufacturing and transaction processes.
   • Develop long-term financial/ operational strategy for high-tech company as well as managed accounting, finance, and treasury operations.
   • Facilitate maintenance of treasury and risk management activity serving as primary point of contact for all financially relate matters.
   • Implement procedures for standard journal entries, monthly reconciliations, account analysis and documentation to support the monthly reporting requirements.

   More corporate controller duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the corporate controller job description is a good way to get more applicants. A corporate controller salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a corporate controller in Mississippi may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level corporate controller. Additionally, a corporate controller with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average corporate controller salary

   $144,304yearly

   $69.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level corporate controller salary

   $99,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average corporate controller salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$167,773	$81
   2	Massachusetts	$158,754	$76
   3	Washington	$155,734	$75
   4	Pennsylvania	$145,592	$70
   5	Connecticut	$142,784	$69
   6	Nevada	$136,187	$65
   7	New York	$135,992	$65
   8	New Jersey	$134,433	$65
   9	Texas	$131,939	$63
   10	Michigan	$130,714	$63
   11	Georgia	$128,795	$62
   12	Colorado	$128,628	$62
   13	Illinois	$128,207	$62
   14	Utah	$126,975	$61
   15	District of Columbia	$123,938	$60
   16	Ohio	$122,704	$59
   17	Indiana	$121,312	$58
   18	South Carolina	$120,792	$58
   19	Minnesota	$119,235	$57
   20	Florida	$116,305	$56

   Average corporate controller salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	SideCars	$175,125	$84.19	2
   2	Tastemade	$160,863	$77.34
   3	Cranial Technologies	$156,426	$75.20
   4	Juno Inc.	$154,719	$74.38	2
   5	J. Morrissey & Company	$154,211	$74.14	2
   6	Juniper Networks	$153,618	$73.85
   7	BGC Partners	$152,514	$73.32
   8	Goodwin Recruiting	$151,692	$72.93
   9	PHP Agency	$151,626	$72.90
   10	Century Group	$151,396	$72.79
   11	Sanford Rose Associates International	$149,718	$71.98
   12	Creative Financial Staffing	$149,688	$71.97
   13	Lucas Group	$149,179	$71.72
   14	Randstad North America, Inc.	$149,012	$71.64	21
   15	Enerpac Tool Group	$148,718	$71.50
   16	Management Recruiters International(MRI)	$148,709	$71.49	3
   17	Jobot	$148,244	$71.27
   18	Kforce	$148,235	$71.27	101
   19	CallMiner	$147,536	$70.93
   20	Kinney Drugs	$147,437	$70.88

4. Writing a corporate controller job description

   A corporate controller job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a corporate controller job description:

   Corporate controller job description example

   Reporting to Portfolio Manager/Ownership, responsible for financial and/or accounting duties of a complex nature in accordance with property management and corporate requirements and procedures. Responsible for assisting in monthly financial reviews, annual budgeting, CAM, and Tax reconciliations. Also, will be responsible for Lease Abstracts, auditing, and other areas of a corporate financial reporting nature.
   
   Review or prepare Lease abstracts when necessary for new and updated tenants when required, review leases to ensure correct rents are being charged.
   
   Assist Property Managers in analyzing monthly property financial reports for accuracy. Review monthly variances with managers.
   
   Provide support and assistance to property accountants and managers as relates to calculation, reconciliations and billing of tenant real estate tax and CAM, other accounting, and financial reporting issues.
   
   Provide support with monthly forecasting, play an active role in analyzing and preparation of annual budgets in conjunction with managers.
   Prepare state sales tax reporting as necessary. Participate in client financial audits as requested. Monitor the closing process to assure that all activities are completed as scheduled and /or necessary to provide reporting as required for all properties accounted for in the New York accounting department. Advise appropriate management of all delays or problems encountered therein. Provide meaningful input and feedback to the Assistant Regional Controller regarding the performance of the property accountants. Assist the Assistant Regional Controller in the establishment of new properties, as assigned, including setting up of new bank accounts. Demonstrate high level of customer service with client contacts and internal team.
   
   Corporate Responsibilities: Responsible for Corporate accounting and reporting functions. Prepare billing for property and asset management fees. Review and approve broker commissions and payments. Assist Clients with investment reporting and capital management.
   Skills, Education and Experience:
   Bachelor's degree in accounting and/or finance required, CPA preferable. Minimum of 5 years of previous property management accounting or financial experience. Must possess strong understanding of all financial and operational reporting requirements and property management procedures. Experience with property accounting systems (Yardi, MRI) preferred. Must handle multiple tasks, manage time effectively, and establish priorities to meet deadlines in a fast-paced and changing team environment. Perform additional job duties and support special projects as assigned. Possess excellent written and oral communication skills.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right corporate controller for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit corporate controllers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 corporate controller

   Once you've decided on a perfect corporate controller candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new corporate controller first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 corporate controller?