Director of administration & finance vs controller

The differences between directors of administration & finance and controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a director of administration & finance and a controller. Additionally, a director of administration & finance has an average salary of $109,366, which is higher than the $101,204 average annual salary of a controller.

The top three skills for a director of administration & finance include payroll, oversight and financial management. The most important skills for a controller are CPA, payroll processing, and reconciliations.

Director of administration & finance vs controller overview

	Director Of Administration & Finance	Controller
Yearly salary	$109,366	$101,204
Hourly rate	$52.58	$48.66
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	80,486	75,440
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	8	8

What does a director of administration & finance do?

A director of administration & finance oversees and directs an organization's administration and finance department, ensuring operations run smoothly and efficiently according to company standards and regulations. It is their duty to set goals and guidelines, lead the research and development efforts, establish procedures, manage the budgets and costs, review and evaluate financial reports, and implement the organizations' policies and standards. Moreover, a director of administration & finance leads staff and supervises all operations, solving issues and concerns if any would arise.

What does a controller do?

Controllers are employees in the accounting department who manage the finances of the organization. They are involved in the budget setting activity at the start of the company's fiscal year. Controllers are responsible for ensuring that all departments work within their respective budgets. They have the power to recommend budget cuts due to any unforeseen circumstances that may happen. They also have the ability to veto or forego budget items. Controllers should have accounting skills and auditing skills. They must also be trustworthy and should work with integrity.

Director of administration & finance vs controller salary

Directors of administration & finance and controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Administration & Finance	Controller
Average salary	$109,366	$101,204
Salary range	Between $73,000 And $161,000	Between $70,000 And $144,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Portland, ME
Highest paying state	Nevada	New York
Best paying company	UCI Health	Perkins Coie
Best paying industry	Health Care	Technology

Differences between director of administration & finance and controller education

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

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

Director of administration & finance vs controller demographics

Here are the differences between directors of administration & finance' and controllers' demographics:

	Director Of Administration & Finance	Controller
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7%	Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 8.4% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 9.4% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between director of administration & finance and controller duties and responsibilities

Director of administration & finance example responsibilities.

Manage payroll and HRIS system administration utilizing ADP and PeopleSoft applications and provide HRIS reports to employees and senior management team.
Lead the consolidation of financial and operational systems for non-acute services including rehabilitation and psychiatry services.
Provide organizational cash flow oversight as well as, update and implement inter-departmental policies.
Install ADP computerize payroll reporting with electronic tax deposits and federal/state reporting resulting in payroll processing cost savings.
Oversee the coordination of employee benefits and office administrative contacts and functions including direct monitoring of payroll processing.
Coordinate administrative operations including general oversight of office, computer and other equipment maintenance, and purchasing and vendor contact.

Controller example 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.

Director of administration & finance vs controller skills

Common director of administration & finance skills

Payroll, 12%
Oversight, 9%
Financial Management, 6%
Administrative Functions, 4%
Internal Controls, 4%
Risk Management, 3%

Common controller skills

CPA, 8%
Payroll Processing, 7%
Reconciliations, 6%
Cash Management, 5%
Internal Controls, 5%
GAAP, 5%

Director Of Administration & Finance vs. similar jobs

Director Of Administration & Finance related careers

Director Of Administration & Finance related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Director Of Administration & Finance
Director Of Administration & Finance vs Controller

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs