Financial Controller: job responsibilities, features and reviews

At any enterprise, economic and economic control is very important. Responsibility for this work rests with the financial controller. About duties, functions and features of the representative of this profession and will be told in this article.

About profession

The financial controller is a specialist who maintains the information structure of an enterprise, conducts various audits, controls accounting for compliance, and deals with many other matters in the field of finance and economics. At each enterprise there must be a financial controller. That's why the profession in question is so important.

Being a financial controller is not so simple. It is necessary to conduct very carefully its activities. After all, the main task of the representative of the profession in question is to find shortcomings and mistakes in the enterprise's economy. However, if the financial controller is working smoothly and competently, then in the future he has all chances to become a financial director.

Duties of the Comptroller

Every employee has his own functions and responsibilities. The financial controller is no exception. The duties of the representative of the profession in question are, I must say, very extensive. Here are just a few of them:

• Drawing up, analysis and implementation of control over the budget of the enterprise.
• Drawing up of financial reports according to the established norms.
• Participation in work on the achievement of enterprise performance indicators.
• Work on the minimization of enterprise losses.
• Preparation of financial forecasts.
• Estimation of financial efficiency.

The financial controller has many other responsibilities. However, to list them all will work out with difficulty. It is worth adding only one thing: the profession in question is very complex and to some extent difficult. But this is her prestige.

Functional features of the Comptroller

All duties performed by a specialist are restricted to specific job areas. Thus, the representative of the profession in question is only responsible for certain functions of an enterprise. What kind of functions are these?

First, of course, this is a different kind of relationship with financial institutions, banks, government agencies, etc. Secondly, it is the organization of accounting management, its preparation. Thirdly, it is support for making different decisions.

The most important and basic functions were mentioned above. But here you can include some other powers. This, for example, the implementation of internal control operations , support for business projects, etc.

Necessary education

Just so you can not get any good post. The financial controller must also be an educated person. About where exactly you can learn to work on the profession in question, will be discussed further.

Specialists in the field of economics should have a higher economic education. The same goes for the financial controller. But, among other things, such an expert must have good knowledge in the field of accounting. Simply put, you still have to grow up to the position in question: for some time you will have to work as a simple accountant.

If you need to work in an international company, you will have to get a special certificate (CIPA, IFRS). In addition to this, it is necessary to know at least two foreign languages (one of them is English).

Thus, the financial controller is an expert who must have an extremely wide range of knowledge.

On the responsibility of the Comptroller

In this profession there is a special job description. The financial controller, according to this document, is endowed with certain rights and duties. There is a section on the responsibility of the employee. What does it say?

• The financial controller must bear responsibility for observing the deadlines for the performance of his functions.
• The specialist should be responsible for compliance with the rules for accounting. It is necessary to comply with accounting rules in the enterprise, as well as closely monitor the implementation of tax legislation.
• The financial controller is responsible for the safety of all existing assets of the enterprise.

Rights of the Comptroller:

• Block payments.
• Interact with government bodies, government and statistics.
• Interact with auditing companies, banks.
• Make decisions on costs (in accordance with established standards - up to a certain amount).

The qualities and skills required for work

As in any other work, representatives of the profession in question need certain qualities, skills, traits, etc. A full range of powers and rights is vested in the financial controller. Due to this , his duties are incredibly extensive. Of course, not everyone can take a prestigious position as a controller. That's why a person who wants to get this job needs to have certain qualities. These include: attention to detail, the ability to correctly prioritize, communicate, stress, and much more.

The financial controller and certain skills are extremely needed. This is an introduction to SAP, ERP, Sage, and other systems. You need to have excellent knowledge of business restructuring, as well as "mergers and acquisitions".

Only having the above qualities, knowledge and skills, you can hope for a cherished position.

About career growth

Of course, the job description will not say anything about the career growth of a specialist. The financial controller, nevertheless, has great opportunities to improve their skills, knowledge and skills, as a result of which to move up the career ladder even higher. What are the opportunities for a representative of the profession in question?

Mastering a new system (for example, MBA) by a specialist will help him significantly increase all chances of becoming a CFO. Thanks to hard work, it is possible to grow up to the CEO. But for this it is necessary, of course, to learn new skills, skills, acquire precious experience, introduce more and more working systems, etc.

It is worth saying that many financial controllers are still satisfied with their workplace and do not particularly seek to occupy higher positions. After all, in the submission of the representative of the profession in question, and so there are many people. This is a different kind of specialists, financial department assistants and other employees of the company.

On the advantages and disadvantages of the profession. Reviews about the profession

The merits of the profession in question are obvious: they are high wages, prestige, and the opportunity for rapid career growth. Here you can include work with subordinates, supremacy over all accounting, as well as some freedom of action.

Of the disadvantages is, of course, an exceptionally high responsibility. After all, the financial controller keeps almost the whole budget of a particular enterprise. This also includes the difficult development of various special systems, as well as the difficulty of working with them. Interaction with subordinates can be attributed both to the merits of the profession, and to shortcomings. Here everything will depend first of all on the controller himself.

And what do the financial controllers say and write about their profession? Perhaps this is worth knowing, because it is from them you can get the most reliable information about the profession. Here are some testimonials:

"The main thing is to show real, lively interest in the company you work in. You need to truly root for it, maybe even live it, only then will work be truly beloved and valuable."

"In my work, the main thing is discipline, and only by planning every little thing in advance will it be possible to succeed." The financial controller has no place for error. "

"My profession is really difficult, but it's impossible to follow everything, but it's important to understand that you have a huge responsibility." Often understanding this stimulates effective work. "

Almost every financial controller is proud of his profession. Feedback on the work is usually positive. And this is completely justified.