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Divisional controller skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Carol Sullivan,
Thomas King
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical divisional controller skills. We ranked the top skills for divisional controllers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 6.7% of divisional controller resumes contained payroll as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a divisional controller needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 divisional controller skills for your resume and career

1. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how divisional controllers use payroll:
  • Prepared tax data and reporting documentation required for payroll and commercial vehicle fleet compliance.
  • Analyzed payroll expenses compared to budgeted labor.

2. Reconciliations

Here's how divisional controllers use reconciliations:
  • Managed balance sheet account reconciliations, reviewed income statements, report financial results.
  • Managed preparation and review of journal entries and completion of account reconciliations.

3. Internal Controls

Here's how divisional controllers use internal controls:
  • Provide leadership in overseeing and monitoring daily operations to ensure accuracy and integrity of accounting systems, operations and internal controls.
  • Developed internal controls to validate and ensure compliance with GAAP/SOX and other governmental regulations.

4. CPA

Here's how divisional controllers use cpa:
  • Supervised accounting staff of three as well as external financial consultant and consulting CPA and controller of subunit of this division.
  • Coordinated annual financial audit with external CPA firm and implemented internal controls to satisfy recommendations from auditors.

5. GAAP

Here's how divisional controllers use gaap:
  • Ensured company's financial statements properly reflected GAAP, and met federal and state income tax requirements.
  • Performed balance sheet audits of various divisions for adherence to GAAP and Corporate policies and procedures.

6. General Ledger

Here's how divisional controllers use general ledger:
  • Provided accounting and operational consulting to business managers in regard to reconciliation and operational usage of lending's general ledger activities.
  • Led division team in complete accountability for all general ledger activity, financial management, and accounting functions.

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7. Journal Entries

Journal entries can be defined as an act of keeping or making records of any transactions either economic or non-economic. The journal entries are made in the accounting systems of an organization. The entries are filled with two main fields; debit and credit. The debit and credit must be equal at the end of a journal entry else it is not considered correct. The journal entries also keep the date of transactions and the names of the accounts that were affected by the transactions.

Here's how divisional controllers use journal entries:
  • Prepare financial statements including all related journal entries and reconciliation's.
  • Process and manage all day to day accounting functions to include A/P, A/R and journal entries for Mid-Atlantic division.

8. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.

Here's how divisional controllers use r:
  • Write Stored Procedures in SQL and call SQL queries using RODBC package in R to automate reporting.

9. SOX

Here's how divisional controllers use sox:
  • Assisted in maintaining departmental documentation in compliance with SOX requirements by comparing and analyzing daily reports with corporate claims processing system.
  • Supervised all aspects of annual corporate budget process including establishment of SOX compliance for annual and statutory audit engagements.

10. Financial Analysis

Here's how divisional controllers use financial analysis:
  • Reviewed capital expenditure requests and prepared financial analysis for requests over $100k.
  • Performed standard and special project financial analysis to determine operational cost effectiveness.

11. Account Reconciliations

Here's how divisional controllers use account reconciliations:
  • Prepared account reconciliations/analysis on a monthly basis.

12. Close Process

A close process is the necessary closing steps required to prepare the accounts for recording the transactions of the next period. Its purpose is to reset or close the temporary account balances on the general ledger, and the accounting system for a company's financial data including income statement and accounts payable.

Here's how divisional controllers use close process:
  • Developed month-end close process that eliminated non-value added activities and procedures.
  • Streamlined financial close process Result: Decreased financial close process from 7 days to 4 days.

13. External Auditors

Here's how divisional controllers use external auditors:
  • Interfaced with external auditors during acquisition of company and prepared financial statements for auditors for completion of financial due diligence process.
  • Assisted in the annual financial audit of the division working closely with external auditors.

14. Balance Sheet Accounts

Here's how divisional controllers use balance sheet accounts:
  • Audited all balance sheet accounts for incorrect amounts, over-allowance, project tracking, signatures, etc.
  • Instituted a reconciliation process for all balance sheet accounts to be reviewed on a quarterly basis.

15. Direct Reports

Here's how divisional controllers use direct reports:
  • Managed a staff of 17 including 4 direct reports and a member of the Division's leadership team.
  • Supervised the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable Departments, with a staff of 4 direct reports.
top-skills

What skills help Divisional Controllers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on divisional controller resumes?

Carol SullivanCarol Sullivan LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, The University of Texas Permian Basin

Microsoft Office is most important in my professional opinion, but also Accounting software like QuickBooks is important. Computer literacy is really important, especially if employees continue to work remotely.

What soft skills should all divisional controllers possess?

Thomas King

Department Chair, Director, Master of Accountancy Program, Professor, Accountancy, Case Western Reserve University

The ability to develop working relationships with a wide range of colleagues who have diverse skills.

What hard/technical skills are most important for divisional controllers?

Dr. Douglas Boyle

Chair & Professor, Director, Doctorate in Business Administration Program , Director, Nonprofit Leadership Program, The University of Scranton

While it is important to be technically competent in all areas of accounting, you add the most value by being an expert in a few areas. That is why you may consider pursuing additional credentials (as shown above) in areas of interest to you. This enables you to master the technical skills and demonstrate such skills on your resume.

What divisional controller skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Gary P BraunGary P Braun LinkedIn profile

Professor, California State University - Chico

Technology, technology, technology - there are different forms of this, but the intersection of data analysis and technology seems like the place that has the most bang for the buck. Perhaps I am overstating it here, but in my 35-plus years in the accounting world, there has been a continuous march toward the use of computer technology tools. My advice would be to either do a graduate program that has a focus on technology or to pick up certifications in specific tools. Another option would be to find free resources on these topics (MOOCs, for example). Also, for students wanting to be certified, I would say another great use of time is to get the hours needed to sit for the exam and to take the exam ASAP.

What technical skills for a divisional controller stand out to employers?

Dr. JP Krahel Ph.D.Dr. JP Krahel Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Accounting, Accounting Department Chair, Loyola University Maryland

First, Excel. It's the most basic, essential tool for the accounting professional. If you can come in on Day 1 knowing essential keyboard shortcuts, proper formula and reference use, and how to format a spreadsheet properly, you'll have an immediate advantage over your peers.

Second, believe it or not, is writing. People think that accounting is all about numbers, but really, it's less about the math (which Excel does for you) and more about being able to explain the deeper meaning behind the results. Can you explain complex depreciation methods to an audit client? Give bad news to a tax client in an understandable way? These are big deals.

Third is data analytics. Given the immense volume of data now available to firms, someone who can extract, clean, and present that data using modern software tools will have an edge. It's really another form of communication, and one that early-career accounting professionals would do well to familiarize themselves with before entering the workforce.
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Read more about what experts have to say about divisional controller

List of divisional controller skills to add to your resume

Divisional controller skills

The most important skills for a divisional controller resume and required skills for a divisional controller to have include:

  • Payroll
  • Reconciliations
  • Internal Controls
  • CPA
  • GAAP
  • General Ledger
  • Journal Entries
  • R
  • SOX
  • Financial Analysis
  • Account Reconciliations
  • Close Process
  • External Auditors
  • Balance Sheet Accounts
  • Direct Reports
  • Revenue Recognition
  • Asset Management
  • Variance Analysis
  • Fixed Assets
  • ERP
  • Due Diligence
  • Human Resources
  • Cash Flow
  • Financial Data
  • Financial Results
  • Management Reports
  • Sarbanes-Oxley
  • Tax Returns
  • A/P
  • Margin Analysis
  • KPI
  • Financial Operations
  • Financial Systems
  • Product Line
  • Real Estate
  • Internal Audit
  • IFRS
  • Financial Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Process Improvement
  • ROI
  • Executive Management
  • Trend Analysis
  • Physical Inventory
  • Financial Aspects
  • WIP
  • Financial Statement Preparation
  • Cost Savings

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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