What Is a Financial Controller?

Financial controllers oversee an organization's financial reports, including balance sheets, income statements, and tax filings. In many organizations, the financial controller heads the accounting and budget departments. They are also responsible for internal audits, forecasting, and compliance.

Corporate controller careers pay high salaries. According to Robert Half, corporate controllers earn a median pay of $184,250 in 2025. These roles also prepare professionals for top executive careers, such as chief financial officers (CFOs).

As a senior-level accounting professional, financial controllers bring extensive experience to their roles. Learn more about the financial controller career path and required skills.

Financial Controller Duties

The financial controller job description includes financial planning, forecasting, and reporting duties. Controllers help organizations make strategic decisions about budgeting and long-term financial goals. They also manage finance and accounting departments.

Drawing on their extensive accounting experience, financial controllers oversee financial reports for tax purposes, accounts receivable reports, payroll, and other transactions. They also create income, expense, and earning forecasts while ensuring compliance with accounting principles and regulations throughout the organization.

A financial controller's typical tasks include:

Financial Controller Areas of Expertise

Financial controllers work in diverse industries, which can shape their responsibilities and career advancement opportunities. Three common industries that hire financial controllers include the financial services sector, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Financial Services

The financial services industry includes banks, investment companies, and insurance. In addition to financial reporting and forecasting, financial controllers in this specialty need strong risk assessment and strategic planning skills.

In the financial services sector, financial controllers play a critical role in complying with international regulations when investing in foreign markets. They may also recommend investment strategies and risk management approaches.

Accounting professionals usually gain experience as assistant financial controllers before moving into financial controller roles. Experienced financial controllers can become CFOs, the top financial role in organizations.

Common Job Titles

• Corporate financial controller
• Finance controller
• Chief finance officer

Manufacturing

In the manufacturing and industrial sectors, accountants help organizations track production costs, budget for purchases, and comply with import and export financial regulations. Manufacturing financial controllers create financial statements and analyze financial information to determine budgets.

Plant financial controllers provide services at the plant level, including analyzing inventory levels, production costs, and manufacturing processes to identify ways to reduce costs. They also implement strategies to mitigate risk and improve internal controls. Controllers may advance to roles overseeing multiple sites or the entire organization.

Common Job Titles

• Plant financial controller
• Manufacturing financial controller
• Chief financial officer

Healthcare

Healthcare accountants need a strong understanding of healthcare finance and cost reimbursement. Healthcare organizations must carefully track reimbursements from insurance organizations while complying with regulations.

Financial controllers in the healthcare industry oversee accounting functions and advise executives on budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning. They create forecasts to determine priorities and goals while overseeing budgeting and reporting processes.

Healthcare organizations also implement strong data privacy policies, which financial controllers help shape. Healthcare financial controllers also oversee internal and external audits.

Common Job Titles

• Healthcare controller
• Hospital controller
• Hospital chief financial controller

How to Become a Financial Controller

Becoming a financial controller takes at least a decade. Financial controllers need a four-year bachelor's degree, and many also hold a master's in accounting or a master's of business administration (MBA) in accounting, which takes 1-2 years depending on the program.

After completing educational requirements, prospective financial controllers often pursue a professional certification such as the certified public accountant (CPA) credential.

Before moving into a senior-level role like financial controller, professionals gain experience in accounting roles. Working as a CPA or certified management accountant builds the knowledge and skills necessary to advance into controller roles. Most controllers work as assistant controllers before becoming financial controllers.

Controller Salary and Career Outlook

Financial controllers benefit from a strong salary and career outlook. Financial manager jobs such as controllers are projected to grow 17% from 2023-2033, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Financial managers earned a median annual salary of $156,100 in May 2023.

The 2025 Salary Guide by Robert Half tracks controller salaries and found that assistant controllers earn a median of $122,000, while divisional controllers earn a median of $155,750

Corporate controllers report a median pay of $184,250, with the 75th percentile earning $213,250. Industry, location, and experience can all influence earning potential.

Career Spotlight: Maribel Gonzalez

Why did you become a financial controller? What initially interested you about the field?

As a young child I helped my parents translate documents and pay bills since they didn’t speak English (I am bilingual in English and Spanish). I became their "business administrator." I enjoyed helping my parents with that, so it led to my decision to become an accountant. It’s the ability to create relevant and reliable financial information that helps business owners in their decision-making that drives me every day.

What education did you need to pursue this career?

A bachelor’s degree in accounting in addition to on-the-job training supporting various business functions.

How did it prepare you for your current role?

The bachelor’s degree provided the foundation of the accounting principles and GAAP, while being able to support the various business functions such as product development, operations, and general and administrative provided me with the knowledge of what it takes to run a business.

What was the job search like after graduating with your degree?

I graduated with a job offer from Deloitte and Touche to join their audit and assurance division thanks to my hard work, dedication, and the great networking and recruiting program at the University of San Diego (USD). I was a member of USD’s Beta Alpha Psi professional organization since my first year at USD. I encourage students to be part of Beta Alpha Psi as it will open doors for you.

What was the career path that led you to this position?

After spending five years at Deloitte and Touche, where I audited clients in various industries, but mainly in maquiladora manufacturing companies that had manufacturing operations in Tijuana, Mexico, I worked in roles such as accounting manager, controller, and senior finance manager in the biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Through these roles, I expanded my knowledge of the various functions listed above and worked with division managers and vice presidents who relied heavily on financial information such as financial statements, manufacturing variance analysis, budget versus actual analysis, gross margin analysis, break-even points, and more to make decisions. Some of those decisions included whether to continue research and development projects, restructure a business unit, or continue developing a new product.

What do you think helped you most on your journey to becoming a financial controller?

My strong work ethic, communication skills, customer service skills, and passion to help business leaders/owners grow their business and become successful.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

I’m currently a consulting financial professional with Optima Office and I’m the controller/director of accounting for about 10 entities. I start with reviewing my emails to see if any of my clients have any urgent matters or requests. I typically have a standing meeting with one of my clients or staff and then I work on financial analyses/reports as requested by my clients. I don’t do the same thing every day, which I enjoy.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of working as a financial controller?

The most rewarding aspect of my job is knowing that I’ve helped small business owners understand their financial position, which helps them grow their business. Hearing how grateful they are for understanding how their business is doing and appreciating our support.

Some of the most challenging aspects?

One of the most challenging aspects is working with clients who have cash flow issues and helping them make the tough decisions of either laying off employees or shutting a project down.

What do you think is the most important skill financial controllers need to succeed?

I think the most important skill is having great communication skills, both written and oral. Not only what to communicate but how to communicate it in a manner that is concise and to the point.

What advice would you give to students considering your career?

I would encourage students to speak with professionals in this career and develop mentor/mentee relationships with them. As a student starting out in your profession, you don’t know what you don’t know, so I think that having someone there to guide you and support you is important.

Maribel Gonzalez

Maribel has more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience. As a controller at Optima Office, Maribel provides oversight and recommends improvements within the accounting department, including procedures and systems. She has experience implementing accounting best practices, month-end close processes, and internal controls as well as budgeting and forecasting, software implementation, and facilitating data transfer to external tax preparers, auditors, and other business partners. Prior to joining Optima Office, Maribel served as a controller or senior finance manager for multiple companies within the medical device manufacturing and pharmaceutical space. She worked in public accounting as an auditor serving clients in various industries, such as manufacturing, distribution, higher education, healthcare, investments, and service in private and public sectors. Maribel holds a BS in accounting from the University of San Diego and is fluent in Spanish, written and verbal.

Questions About the Financial Controller Job Description