Financial Controller job description guide

A Financial Controller is a senior management role that overseas all functions of an organisation’s finance and accounting department. For smaller businesses, this may even be an executive position.

A Financial Controller job description should call for high-level analytic skills, brilliant management ability and at least five years’ experience.

Financial Controller duties and responsibilities of the job

As the role is responsible for managing all finance and accounting operations, it’s critical that a Financial Controller job description captures the breadth, diversity and seniority of the role. A Financial Controller’s duties and responsibilities generally include:

Developing financial strategy, including risk minimisation plans and opportunity forecasting

High-level financial reporting and analysis

Regular budget consolidation

Cash flow management

Improving efficiencies and reducing costs across the business

Stakeholder management

Debt management and collection

Preparing company tax and BAS statements

Ensuring compliance with statutory law and financial regulations

Developing financial reviews and providing investment advice

Payroll processing

Working closely with management or executive teams to share reports and analysis findings

Well-developed leadership skills

Mentoring

Financial Controller job qualifications and requirements

A Financial Controller job description should ask for one or several degrees as well as extensive experience managing finance teams, preparing and analysing reports and making improvements to fiscal tools and systems. Relevant qualifications are in the fields of:

Finance or Economics

Accounting

Business Administration

Business Law

In addition to Bachelor or Master degrees, it would be beneficial for the job description to describe candidates who have participated in a CPA (Certified Practising Accountants) or CA (Chartered Accountants) program. This globally recognised program denotes high-professional competency.

Ideal candidates could also be members of, or connected to recognised professional associations such as the Finance and Treasury Association, Australian Bankers Association or FINSIA.

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