Finance Controller
Job Description

What is a Finance Controller?

The Financial Controller is a senior-level role reporting into the Finance Director or Chief Financial Officer. Ultimately, they are responsible for the smooth running of the accounting operations within a business. 

They manage all of the company’s financial transactions including, accounts payable, receivable payroll and control accounts. 

As a senior-level position, a Financial Controller can be expected to present, recommend and advise other members of the senior leadership team and board members on financial matters.

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Finance Controller Job Description

Here, our team have created a detailed and focused job description for the role of Finance Controller:
 

Job Description

A Financial Controller would be in charge of budgeting, creating and presenting financial forecasts and financial reporting. They would also be the main point of contact for external auditors. 

Company details and relevant information

Here you would add details about your company, your history and what you can offer.
 

Finance Controller Responsibilities

Responsibilities can vary, depending on the type of organisation you work for, but some of the main responsibilities of a Financial Controller can include

• Accounts receivable
• Accounts payable
• Billing
• General ledger
• Preparing the budget
• Financial forecasting and reporting
• Keeping a record of all financial transactions 
• Ensuring compliance on all financial matters
• Contributing to the overall financial strategy and making key decisions
• Managing cash flow
• Management of other finance team members
• Supporting the CFO and other board members with reports and planning

Working hours
 

The working hours of a Financial Controller will be dependent on the industry and organisation but the typical hours would be 9-5 Monday to Friday.

Finance Controller Skills

Important to a business’s finance team, a Finance Controller should have:

Skills
 

• Reporting
• Analytical skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Budgeting
• Leadership skills
• Communication skills
• Decision Making
• General Ledger accounting
• Microsoft Office
• Business acumen
• Ability to influence
• Negotiation skills

Experience

A Financial Controller is a senior-level role and often requires individuals with management and financial accounting experience. They would also be expected to have a high level of competency across:

• Audit and assurance
• Reporting
• Strategy and decision making
• Financial management
• Governance, risk and control
• Leadership and management
• Budgeting

Finance Controller Qualifications

To ensure that your business hires the most suitable candidate for the role of Finance Controller, the applicant must hold specific qualifications, including:
 

• A relevant degree in subjects such as Maths, Economics or Business
• Completed ACCA, CIMA or ACA qualifications 

It’d also be beneficial for a Finance Controller to have:

• Strong stakeholder management
• Leadership skills
• Previous experience as an accountant or in another financial position
• Previous experience in a supervisory role

Finance Controller Salary

Often determined by experience, qualifications and company size, a Finance Controller in the UK currently earns between:

Entry-level Financial Controller with <1 year of experience: Circa £35k (including bonus & commission) 

Finance Controller with 1-4 years of experience: Potential of approximately £41k

Financial Controller with 5-9 years of experience: £50k

Financial Controller with 10+ years of experience: £53k+

Download our salary guide now to benchmark your HR salary.

Where can I advertise a job for a Finance Controller?

The finance industry is highly competitive when it comes to hiring suitably skilled and experienced candidates as Finance Controllers. At Four Recruitment, we work directly with businesses looking to recruit for this position and can advertise relevant job openings on our site.

How can I recruit for a Finance Controller?

We can help you to recruit a highly qualified and professional Finance Controller that will fit well within your team. Through outsourcing your hiring processes, you can be sure that only the most appropriate candidate joins your finance team. You can also have a look at our blog post for advice on how to build out the ultimate finance team

If you’d like us to help support your recruitment efforts, contact us today to learn about how we can supplement your processes.

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