Financial Controller Job Description Template
Own all financial operations, reporting, and compliance for the business. You'll build and lead the finance function, working directly with the exec team to drive cash management and strategic financial planning.
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Why hire a Financial Controller?
As a company scales past $10–50M revenue, founders need a dedicated finance leader who can manage complexity—tax, audit, payroll, forecasting—while they focus on growth. You're the financial backbone.
Financial Controller salary ranges
Approximate annual gross salary bands (Q2 2026). Always adjust for your city, seniority, and the candidate’s experience.
United States
$110,000 – $160,000
United Kingdom
£70,000 – £110,000
Eurozone
€85,000 – €130,000
Financial Controller responsibilities
- Close monthly books and produce accurate P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements within 5 business days
- Build 12–24 month financial forecasts and manage working capital to maintain healthy cash runway
- Design and implement finance processes, controls, and systems that scale from 30 to 100+ staff
- Lead tax planning, file corporate returns, and manage audit relationships to minimize liability and optimize structure
- Manage accounts payable, receivable, and payroll operations; oversee banking and credit facilities
- Partner with CEO on board reporting, investor updates, and M&A financial due diligence
Skills & requirements
Required
- 7+ years accounting or FP&A experience, including 3+ years in a controller or finance operations lead role
- Proficiency with cloud accounting software (Xero, NetSuite, or Sage) and Excel financial modelling
- UK GAAP or IFRS knowledge; experience with VAT, corporation tax, and statutory compliance
- Ability to interpret and explain financial data to non-finance executives and boards
- Understanding of SaaS or subscription metrics (ARR, MRR, churn, CAC payback) if B2B SaaS background
- Proven experience building and mentoring a small finance team (2–4 people)
Nice to have
- FCA or ACA/ACCA qualification, or equivalent professional accounting credential
- Experience in scaling businesses through Series A/B funding or M&A transactions
- Familiarity with financial planning tools (Anaplan, Adaptive Insights) or BI platforms (Tableau, Looker)
Copy-ready Financial Controller job description
Financial Controller [Company name] · [City], [Country] · [On-site / Hybrid / Remote] $110,000 – $160,000 (US) · £70,000 – £110,000 (UK) · €85,000 – €130,000 (EU) — gross/year
Own all financial operations, reporting, and compliance for the business. You'll build and lead the finance function, working directly with the exec team to drive cash management and strategic financial planning.
Why this role exists As a company scales past $10–50M revenue, founders need a dedicated finance leader who can manage complexity—tax, audit, payroll, forecasting—while they focus on growth. You're the financial backbone.
What you'll do
- Close monthly books and produce accurate P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements within 5 business days
- Build 12–24 month financial forecasts and manage working capital to maintain healthy cash runway
- Design and implement finance processes, controls, and systems that scale from 30 to 100+ staff
- Lead tax planning, file corporate returns, and manage audit relationships to minimize liability and optimize structure
- Manage accounts payable, receivable, and payroll operations; oversee banking and credit facilities
- Partner with CEO on board reporting, investor updates, and M&A financial due diligence
What you'll need
- 7+ years accounting or FP&A experience, including 3+ years in a controller or finance operations lead role
- Proficiency with cloud accounting software (Xero, NetSuite, or Sage) and Excel financial modelling
- UK GAAP or IFRS knowledge; experience with VAT, corporation tax, and statutory compliance
- Ability to interpret and explain financial data to non-finance executives and boards
- Understanding of SaaS or subscription metrics (ARR, MRR, churn, CAC payback) if B2B SaaS background
- Proven experience building and mentoring a small finance team (2–4 people)
Nice to have
- FCA or ACA/ACCA qualification, or equivalent professional accounting credential
- Experience in scaling businesses through Series A/B funding or M&A transactions
- Familiarity with financial planning tools (Anaplan, Adaptive Insights) or BI platforms (Tableau, Looker)
What we offer
- Salary: [range, gross, with currency and time unit]
- [Equity / bonus / commission if applicable]
- [Health, PTO, learning budget, equipment — only what's real]
- [Work mode + flexibility]
About [Company] [2–3 sentences: stage, customers, traction. Keep it specific.]
Want it tailored to your company and country?
The free generator writes a country-aware, inclusive, salary-formatted version in 30 seconds — then ranks the applicants when they roll in.
Frequently asked
What does a Financial Controller do?
Own all financial operations, reporting, and compliance for the business. You'll build and lead the finance function, working directly with the exec team to drive cash management and strategic financial planning. As a company scales past $10–50M revenue, founders need a dedicated finance leader who can manage complexity—tax, audit, payroll, forecasting—while they focus on growth. You're the financial backbone.
What should a Financial Controller job description include?
A strong Financial Controller job post has a one-line hook, why the role exists, 6 outcome-led responsibilities, a clear list of required skills, the salary range, and a country-specific compliance line. Use the copy-ready template above as a starting point.
How much does a Financial Controller earn?
Approximate annual gross bands (Q2 2026): $110,000 – $160,000 in the US, £70,000 – £110,000 in the UK, and €85,000 – €130,000 in the Eurozone. Adjust for city, seniority, and experience.
How do I write a Financial Controller job description fast?
Use Penroll's free job description generator — enter the title and country and it produces a complete, inclusive, salary-formatted Financial Controller post in about 30 seconds, no signup required.
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