What is a finance controller and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Nate Peach Ph.D.

A finance controller manages a company's financial operations. They oversee accounting procedures, financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting. They also monitor cash flow, manage risk, and compliance. The finance controller works closely with other executives to create financial strategies that support the goals of the organization. They analyze financial data to provide insights and recommend solutions. A finance controller typically has a related degree and several years of experience. They also possess analytical, communication, and leadership skills.

What general advice would you give to a finance controller?

Nate Peach Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Economics, George Fox University

Try to stay optimistic. You've invested your time, energy, and money on a precious degree. The pandemic has not changed the value of the skills you've acquired. What it has done is to make it challenging to find a job for the moment. Things are weird right now. Many companies are redesigning their hiring practices, which is bound to cause challenges for job seekers. The skills that you developed as an economist are precious to employers, be diligent in your job search, and you will be rewarded with a great career.

ScoreFinance ControllerUS Average

Salary

7.8

Avg. Salary $105,869

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.8

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 10.18%

Black or African American 7.59%

Hispanic or Latino 14.54%

Unknown 4.11%

White 63.25%

Gender

female 38.48%

male 61.52%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

7.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a finance controller?

Pros

High earning potential
Great career progression opportunities
Opportunity to develop strong analytical skills
Work with a team of professionals
Good work-life balance

Cons

Long working hours
Need to meet strict deadlines
Need to communicate complex financial information to non-financial stakeholders
May need to make tough decisions that affect employees or the company's future
Requires a high level of attention to detail

Key steps to become a finance controller

Explore finance controller education requirements

Most common finance controller degrees

Bachelor's

69.9 %

Master's

19.9 %

Associate

5.8 %

Start to develop specific finance controller skills

Skills	Percentages
CPA	6.90%
Payroll	6.82%
Financial Controller	6.65%
GAAP	5.40%
General Ledger	5.01%

Research finance controller duties and responsibilities

Lead the implementation of a fully integrate ERP system resulting in increase financial integrity.
Supervise a staff of seven in the areas of A/P, A/R, G/L, financial reporting and payroll.
Coordinate annual financial audit with external CPA firm and implement internal controls to satisfy recommendations from auditors.
Develop and implement procedures with internal controls for all financial and operational processes to ensure GAAP compliance.

Prepare your finance controller resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your finance controller resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a finance controller resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable finance controller resume templates

Build a professional finance controller resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your finance controller resume.