A controller is a person in the business who oversees accounting and the implementation and monitoring of internal controls, independently from the chief financial officer in some countries.
Controller job description template includes a detailed overview of the key requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills for this role. It's optimized for posting on online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize this template for your company.

Controller Job Description

Job Brief
We're looking for a Controller to help us manage our finances and make sure we're stay on budget.
Controller Duties
- Assist in financial planning and analysis, planning and implementing internal controls, and overseeing the organization's financial integrity and reporting systems.
- Co-ordinate with other managers in estimating, budgeting, and forecasting.
- Prepare financial statements, reports, and analyses.
- Coordinate with auditors and tax authorities to ensure company's financial integrity.
- Assist in the development and monitoring of internal controls.
- Manage the organization's financial accounting functions and processes.
- Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures that enhance internal controls.
Controller Responsibilities
- Perform monthly P&L and balance sheet reconciliations, chart of accounts updates, and quarterly financial statement analysis.
- Review and process journal entries for bank and credit card reconciliations.
- Perform vendor and payroll reconciliations weekly.
- Prepare and submit monthly departmental budgets including allocating expenses to project groups.
- Prepare monthly budget variance reports with recommendations for corrective action.
- Promote a strong internal control environment and ensure timely preparation of all mandated reporting deliverables.
- Implement cash management best practices and adhere to company cash policies.
- Maintain and enforce internal controls, policies, and procedures, including timely completion of all audit requirements.
- Maintain and supervise various financial systems, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax, and general ledger.
- Develop and maintain accounting policies and procedures.
- Perform year-end closing activities, including preparation of financial statements and tax returns.
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Requirements and Skills
- Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance.
- 2+ years proven experience as an Accounting Manager.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proven knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and accounting procedures.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with a constant eye on quality.
Our company is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees, regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, or age. We are a diverse and inclusive team that encourages applications from all people.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the basic functions of a controller?
- Separation of duties involving splitting responsibility for bookkeeping, deposits, reporting and auditing.
- Accounting system access controls.
- Physical audits including hand-counting cash and any physical assets tracked in the accounting system, such as inventory, materials and tools.
- Accounting reconciliations that verifies whether your system's balances match those of banks, suppliers, and credit consumers.
- Approval authority requirements.
- Standardizing financial documentation including invoices, internal material requests, inventory receipts, and travel expense reports can assist maintain consistency across time.
- Daily or weekly trial balances
What are the daily duties of a controller?
The controller is in charge of all personnel working on the accounting process, including payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory, and compliance.
What is the difference between a controller and a CFO?
To all other department managers in the organization, controllers represent the accounting function. They work together inside the business to communicate and uphold accounting rules. The CFO serves as the company's public face.
What is the controller's job level?
A senior manager who contributes to the company's strategy and planning is the controller. The customary requirements include an MBA and several years of senior-level accounting.