Financial controller.
A Financial Controller leads the accounting function and is accountable for the accuracy of the company's financial reporting, the operation of internal controls, and the integrity of the books.
Role: Financial Controller Reports to: CFO
A Financial Controller leads the accounting function and is accountable for the accuracy of the company's financial reporting, the operation of internal controls, and the integrity of the books.
- Own monthly, quarterly, and annual close
- Prepare consolidated financial statements
- Design and operate internal controls; ensure SOX compliance where applicable
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
6 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
CFO
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Own monthly, quarterly, and annual close
- Prepare consolidated financial statements
- Design and operate internal controls; ensure SOX compliance where applicable
- Manage the accounting team and external auditors
- Partner with the CFO on tax, treasury, and reporting matters
- Drive process improvement and automation in finance operations
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- 10+ years of accounting experience with 3+ in leadership
- CPA or CA qualification
- Deep knowledge of GAAP/IFRS and SOX where applicable
- Experience leading a finance team
- Big-4 audit background
- Public-company controllership experience
- ERP implementation experience
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Financial Controller job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Financial Controller job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The senior band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (CFO) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What's in this Financial Controller job description template?
- A one-paragraph role summary, 6 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done, 4 required qualifications, 3 preferred qualifications, a skills chip list, and a reporting line. All editable in Word and Google Docs.
- Is this Financial Controller JD legally reviewed?
- The structure and language follow current US and AU hiring practice. The document is a professionally drafted starting point — adapt it for your jurisdiction, and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing.
- Should I include salary in a Financial Controller job description?
- In jurisdictions with pay-transparency law (e.g. NY, CA, CO, WA, and AU under fair-work changes), include a salary range. Elsewhere, a range still raises application quality and shortens screening — but pull numbers from a current source, not a template.
- Can I use this for client hiring work?
- Yes — the commercial licence covers fee-paying client engagements you control. You can also reuse the document inside your own organisation indefinitely. You may not resell the documents themselves.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Accountant
An Accountant prepares and maintains financial records, ensures compliance with reporting obligations, and supports business decisions with accurate financial information..
Chief Financial Officer
The CFO leads the finance function and is accountable for the company's financial strategy, reporting, and capital structure.
This Financial Controller job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Full disclaimer.