Published: September 17, 2024 – The Financial Controller manages the monthly financial closing process, and ensures accurate income statements and balance sheets in compliance with GAAP. This role involves providing detailed financial analysis and reporting to support plant management, including inventory control, budgeting, and forecasting. The controller also acts as the primary liaison with corporate finance and oversees audits, cost accounting, and regulatory compliance.
An Introduction to Professional Skills and Functions for Financial Controller with a Cover Letter
1. Capabilities for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Support branch in petty cash/procurement requests if needed (i.e. proper GL, cost center, etc.)
- Validate branch-related cash expenses, and ensure proper documentation is attached for reimbursements
- Support the FBP in any activities
- Ensures branch/regional transactions (sales/costs) are recorded accurately.
- Train internal users on the internal finance system
- Train new joiners on sales controlling processes and guidelines
- Develop and implement accounting processes by analyzing current processes and recommending changes
- Manage Salesforce partner relationships to ensure accurate Rev share reporting
- Support the Customer Success department with reporting/billing for customers’ incentive budgets
- Help with the evaluation, establishment, and enforcement of internal controls
- Prepare special financial reports as requested by management by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends
- Perform other accounting, financial, or administrative tasks
Skills: Petty Cash Management, Expense Validation, Financial Process Improvement, Internal User Training, Sales Controlling Training, Salesforce Partner Relationship Management, Reporting and Billing Support, Internal Controls Evaluation
2. Performance Metrics for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Perform daily sales spot check
- Perform daily branch balance cash checks and confirm with the branch
- Support daily reconciliation of sales against collection, work with the branch to resolve variances (excess or shortage of funds)
- Perform monthly cash settlement reports and confirm with the branch
- Work with the branch on timely cash deposits, ensure the balance is cleaned for the end of the month/week
- Ensure closing activities about branch sales are executed timely
- Follow up on all outstanding bookings
- Prepare and submit requests for staff debits, ensure root causes identified
- Work with the revenue assurance team to resolve any inconsistencies (bank reconciliation, cash-in-hand vs books balance, refunds, etc.)
- Prepare monthly branch performance reports
- Calculate and submit agent sales commission
- Budgeting and forecasting for SBU
Skills: Sales Spot Checking, Cash Balance Verification, Sales Reconciliation, Monthly Cash Settlement, Timely Cash Deposit Management, Branch Sales Closing, Revenue Assurance Collaboration, Agent Commission Calculation
3. Key Deliverables for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Maintain and enhance the Company’s documented accounting system of policies, procedures, and practices.
- Effectively interface and manage designated outsourced functions of the financial department (i.e. Bill.com, Level set, and AR Collect)
- Lead the resources and operations of the accounting department, including optimizing the design of the current organizational structure to achieve the department's goals and objectives.
- Ensure that Client/Customer invoicing is consistently completed according to Company policies, procedures, and practices.
- Ensure that accounts receivable are collected according to Company policies, procedures, and practices.
- Ensure that accounts payable are paid according to Company policies, procedures, and practices.
- Ensure that all reasonable discounts are taken on accounts payable.
- Ensure that Company payroll processes are completed according to Company policies, procedures, and practices.
- Ensure that bank reconciliations are completed at designated intervals by Company policies, procedures, and practices.
- Monitors and confirms financial condition by conducting audits and providing information to external auditors
- Ensure that required Company debt payments are completed according to Company policies, procedures, and practices.
- Ensure that all Company required financial statements are completed according to Company policies, procedures, and practices.
- Ensure that all Company insurance policies and requirements are maintained, monitored, and reported by Company policies, procedures, and practices.
Skills: Accounting System Management, Outsourced Financial Function Management, Accounting Department Leadership, Client Invoicing, Accounts Receivable Collection, Accounts Payable Management, Payroll Processing, Bank Reconciliation
4. Outcomes for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Ensure quality and timely delivery of the monthly/quarterly/annual financial reporting packages
- Provide monthly analysis and reports and highlight corrective actions to take to meet with business plans
- Develop business processes by working with key staff in different departments
- Develop strategic financial analysis and direction to meet business objectives and profitability
- Set up and prepare Budgets and regular Outlook planning
- Discuss with GM and business partners in setting actions to align with company strategy and annual plans
- Supervise day-to-day cash/banking and cash management activities
- Lead finance team to strongly support business request and meet management expectation
- Monitor credit management, DSO, credit limit, payment terms, overdue accounts, and bad debt provision to provide an early warning signal to the local management team
- Supervise and deal with auditors, tax consultants, company lawyers, governors, bankers, etc., and comply with local tax and legal requirements (financially related)
- Regularly produce, review and optimize the Company’s operational and financial performance metrics, measurements, and benchmarks including Monthly Budget-Versus-Actual Variance
- Provide financial analyses for capital investments, pricing decisions, and contract negotiations.
- Coordinate the provision of Company financial information to external auditors for annual audits
Skills: Financial Reporting, Business Process Development, Strategic Financial Analysis, Budgeting and Outlook Planning, Cash Management, Credit Management, Audit and Tax Compliance, Financial Performance Metrics Analysis
5. Milestones for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Work with the development team, and complete proformas, cash flow projections, budgeting, job costing and analysis, project monitoring, review payments to subcontractors, construction loan draws, and variance reporting, including post-mortem analysis, and handover to property management
- Involved in development and construction financing, including negotiating agreements and terms with lenders and investors, and completing analysis of agreements
- Team leadership including direct oversight of 3+ employees, mentoring and developing junior staff by providing support and guidance
- Prepare and review working papers and financial statements monthly
- Prepare and review financial and management ad-hoc reports
- Review Job Costs for assigned construction companies
- Responsible for the timely preparation of quarterly and annual financial reporting packages
- Preparation of corporate tax returns
- Review bank reconciliations, invoices and all types of journal entries, including a detailed review of coding
- Support cash management and treasury requirements
- Monitor and regularly report on the Company’s debt levels and compliance with debt covenants.
- Comply with local, state, and federal government reporting requirements and tax filings.
Skills: Proformas and Cash Flow Projections, Budgeting and Job Costing, Construction Financing Negotiation, Team Leadership and Mentoring, Financial Statement Preparation, Job Cost Review, Corporate Tax Return Preparation, Debt Compliance Monitoring
6. Criteria for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Responsible for full Balance Sheet & Income Statement accountability.
- Responsible for month-end closing, monthly forecast and annual budgeting.
- Ensure the company’s financial status, operating results and working capital are optimized in the most efficient ways in line with budget and forecast projections.
- Provide analytical advice and coordinate functional department managers to support performance delivery.
- Promote and support continuous improvement in business processes to achieve higher effectiveness and efficiency.
- Maintain the company’s compliance & risk control framework (SOX) and monitor the organization acting according to this framework.
- Assess the payback of investment projects and ensure the standard CAPEX management process is strictly followed.
- Support costing team regarding standard cost maintenance and update, operational performance and flex model review
- Lead, manage and develop the site finance team.
- Work with internal and external auditors to address reporting and internal control issues.
- Work with Tax, SAFE and banks, as well as other government authorities to ensure compliance with local regulations.
Skills: Balance Sheet and Income Statement Accountability, Month-End Closing, Financial Forecasting and Budgeting, Performance Analysis and Support, Compliance and Risk Control Management, Investment Project Assessment, Costing Team Support, Finance Team Leadership
7. Attributes for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Effectively lead a team of accounting staff across a highly technical, operational accounting environment.
- Ensure the timely and accurate completion of all control account reconciliations, driving best-in-class performance and ensuring a rigorous financial control framework is established and applied at all times.
- Work with the Director of Finance providing advice to the business on the required application of standards in projects/opportunities to ensure the commercial application thereof e.g. IFRS9, IFRS15, IFRS 16 impacts
- Oversee the period-end close and reporting process through the Financial Operations team with expert knowledge of financial and management accounting.
- Oversee the completion of the statutory accounts, using expert technical knowledge and a high degree of judgment.
- Prepare all accounting judgment papers for review by the Director of Finance.
- Provide accounting support for projects such as the separation of SSEET from SSE Plc including the development of accounting policies and procedures and supporting the implementation of a new ERP system.
- Work with the Business Partner team and Telecoms Finance teams to identify and implement initiatives and opportunities e.g. process improvements
- Establish cash flow forecasting processes.
- Ensure policies and procedures are in place to comply with all statutory, legal and regulatory requirements.
- Ensure that the working capital of the business is as efficient as possible by ensuring that there is the right team and processes in place to ensure that all billing, payments and collections are undertaken effectively to maximize cash in the business.
Skills: Team Leadership in Accounting, Financial Control Framework, IFRS Standards Application, Period-End Close and Reporting, Statutory Accounts Oversight, Accounting Policy Development, Cash Flow Forecasting, Working Capital Optimization
8. Standards for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Establishing, running and developing consistent and efficient reporting, systems, and standard operating procedures across the business
- Preparation of all key financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet), Cashflow
- Ensuring strong systems of financial governance and controls are in place throughout the Group.
- Management and ongoing development of the internal control environment, ensuring its suitability for the company's public market obligations
- Owning, developing and maintaining, group accounting policies including assessment of the impact of new accounting standards
- Maintain all financial systems to ensure they reflect the needs of the business and meet all necessary statutory and compliance requirements including maintenance of an appropriate chart of accounts
- Act as primary contact for the company’s auditors and tax accountants and other outsourced financial activity
- Responsible for the preparation of external statutory financial Group reporting including taxation, and managing any complexities around multi-currency, global entities, and local statutory obligations
- Manage, direct and develop the Financial Accounting team to ensure the accuracy and completeness of all accounting records and compliance with all accounting-related laws and regulations
- Operate a timely and robust month-end close process and prepare timely monthly accounts for Board review
- Operate all day-to-day banking activities including payment runs
- Proactively manage the Company’s working capital maximising cash benefit
Skills: Financial Reporting Systems Development, Financial Statement Preparation, Financial Governance and Controls, Internal Control Environment Management, Group Accounting Policy Management, Auditor and Tax Accountant Liaison, External Statutory Reporting, Working Capital Management
9. Expertise Areas for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Work across the organization, lead the implementation of the transformation process work closely with the senior finance team
- Ensure development and delivery of solutions to improve business insight and the business's ability to meet reporting obligations
- Review, redefine and implement the finance operating model
- Be accountable for the successful delivery, planning, implementation and embedding of the Finance deliverables in the organization
- Map critical processes identifying what issues are with remediation plans for solutions
- Optimise end-to-end finance processes focussing on cross-team, matrix working to deliver outcomes and ensure control optimization
- Lead a process to ensure that current and future business requirements are comprehensively mapped
- Preparation and review of Management accounts, Balance Sheet and P&L accounts
- Be responsible for statutory accounts, corporation tax computation and statutory returns
- Supervise and lead the annual audit process and worked with auditors to ensure compliance with statutory accounts and tax requirements for annual returns
- Responsible for the cash management of the company, ensuring that cash flows are accurately monitored and forecasts
- Liaising with HMRC across the different tax regimes to ensure compliance with legislation and timely reporting and payments
- Ensuring adherence to all financial and legal obligations regarding accounts, expenditures and reporting
Skills: Transformation Process Implementation, Business Insight Improvement, Finance Operating Model Redefinition, Process Mapping and Remediation, End-to-End Finance Process Optimization, Management Accounts Preparation, Statutory Accounts and Tax Compliance, Cash Management and Forecasting
10. Core Competence for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Perform monthly closing of financials for the facility following GAAP with full income statement & balance sheet responsibility for plant location.
- Conduct operational financial analysis for both corporate & operational management stakeholders.
- Provide daily financial reporting of production and expense metrics to the Plant Manager, serving as a business partner.
- Ad hoc reporting as requested by internal stakeholders.
- Inventory Control, including obsolescence monitoring & inventory turn analysis.
- Lead and prepare an annual budget and monthly forecasts comparing projected results to the prior year, budget and previous forecasts.
- Fixed Assets, safeguarding and tracking.
- Apply cost accounting reviews, monitor and analyze production standards including variances
- Prepare reports for regulatory agencies
- Participate in all audits
- Perform operational analysis, trend projections and forecasting vs. monthly budget metrics.
- Liaison & primary communicant to corporate finance.
Skills: Monthly Financial Closing, Operational Financial Analysis, Daily Financial Reporting, Ad Hoc Reporting, Inventory Control, Budgeting and Forecasting, Fixed Assets Management, Cost Accounting and Variance Analysis
What Are the Qualifications and Requirements for Financial Controller in a Cover Letter?
1. Knowledge and Abilities for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Experience in financial management within an SME business.
- Strong experience in producing monthly management accounts, including balance sheets, profit and loss, cashflow forecasts and performance against KPI information.
- Strong IT skills and a desire to improve systems and processes.
- Experience in HR and legal process and practice.
- Ability to work on own initiative with an attention to detail.
- Ability to arrive at sound business decisions and be comfortable in communicating and implementing them.
- Experience working to tight deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- The ability to clearly articulate financial information to colleagues and stakeholders.
- Professional accountancy qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)
Qualifications: BA in Accounting with 5 years of Experience
2. Experience and Requirements for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Must be qualified (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) or studying for
- Must have the energy and enthusiasm to take the business to the next level
- Displaying the strength of a senior manager, someone who understands how to grow and improve an SME.
- Knowledge of statutory obligations, tax, VAT and statutory accounts.
- Understanding of stock management and product supply in a merchanting business.
- The commercial aptitude to evaluate and problem-solve effectively.
- Experience with asset financing, including receivables financing.
- Hard-working – a sense of urgency, but calm under pressure
- Results-driven and focused on outcomes
- Strong relationship builder and stakeholder manager
Qualifications: BA in Finance with 4 years of Experience
3. Skills, Knowledge, and Experience for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or equivalent
- Experience in a multinational listed business
- Experience working with overseas regional teams in a matrixed environment
- Ability to work with high volumes of data
- Ability to work on your own as an independent contributor
- Critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
- Exhibitions/events sector experience
- Experience in M&A or rapid growth start-up
- Desire to be best in class but with the ability to work well in a team
Qualifications: BA in Financial Economics with 2 years of Experience
4. Requirements and Experience for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- CIMA or ACCA qualified Accountant or equivalent
- Experience in accounting/finance/auditing
- Experience in financial reporting in a global matrix organization.
- Expertise in US GAAP and IFRS along with strong transactional finance capabilities
- Experience in managing a team of finance professionals
- Solid understanding of Internal Control procedures, e.g. SOX knowledge
- Solid understanding of tax concepts.
- Flexible and able to prioritize multiple issues and deadlines.
- Commercially focused on business partners
- Work well under pressure with the ability to handle several tasks simultaneously with a self-starting, proactive approach.
Qualifications: BA in Business Administration with 6 years of Experience
5. Education and Experience for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Commercial real estate background strongly desired- will consider mixed-use and multifamily
- Must have A Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Strong at closing the books quarter to quarter including consolidations.
- US SEC Reporting and Filing Experience
- Real estate accounting experience/real estate accounting software experience (TM1, MRI, etc).
- Must be a strong “connector” - tying team and processes together
- A positive and ethical role model, with strong influencing skills.
- Demonstrate exceptional integrity
- Have the ability to make sound decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience and judgment
- Demonstrate strategic vision and agility
Qualifications: BA in Economics with 3 years of Experience
6. Professional Background for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Experience in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related fields
- Managerial experience, preferably in a non-profit, healthcare, or accounting firm environment.
- Value-Based Purchasing knowledge and/or experience
- Must have A Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Excellent management and analytical skills with the desire and ability to lead and develop others.
- Problem-solving and decision-making capacity in a government and managed care reimbursed environment.
- Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders.
- Results-oriented and passionate about operational excellence.
- Strong technical accounting background with a thorough knowledge of US GAAP.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, presentation skills, facilitation skills, and negotiation skills.
- Demonstrated ability to adapt practices, processes, and techniques to changing priorities and issues and drive proactive, effective change leadership.
Qualifications: BA in Management with 7 years of Experience
7. Education and Qualifications for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Finalist/qualified ACA/ACCA/CIMA accountant or equivalent level of experience.
- Strong financial modeling skills (Excel) and the ability to manipulate large sets of data with ease.
- Exceptional communication skills with proven ability to present information to drive action.
- Experience working within a professional services environment.
- Strong work ethic – comfortable handling multiple stakeholders and managing workload to ensure a high standard of work at all times.
- Highly organized with a logical approach to solving problems and an investigative mind.
- Collaborative – enjoys working as part of a diverse team and can bring those with differences together.
- Proactive – takes initiative and demonstrates the ability to highlight an opportunity and then drive it to completion independently.
- Entrepreneurial – has an innovative approach to work and is not afraid to implement new processes or try new ideas.
- Focused on quality and getting results – driven to get things right the first time.
Qualifications: BA in Business Management with 5 years of Experience
8. Accomplishments for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Proven experience working in Accounting
- Fluency in Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)
- A good working knowledge of GAAP
- Experience with OracleNetSuite or similar accounting system
- Proficient in identifying and resolving problems
- Have a practical, hands-on, can-do attitude
- Be meticulous and own the numbers
- Be able to earn the trust and build relationships with colleagues
- Have a polished and professional appearance with exemplary communication skills (both written and spoken)
- Must have A Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Qualifications: BA in Taxation with 4 years of Experience
9. Key Qualifications for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Must be Qualified (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)
- Must have worked in a Start-Up/SME environment.
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Good knowledge of XERO accounting software
- Organised and able to manage own workload
- Being commercially aware and possessing in-depth experience in working towards KPIs
- Ability to plan, prioritise and cope under pressure
- Be a team player and motivator
- Must have strong collaboration skills
- Excellent communication skills, and demonstrate an ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels of experience, in particular with non-financial colleagues.
Qualifications: BA in Auditing with 3 years of Experience
10. Abilities and Experience for Financial Controller Cover Letter
- Experience in an Accounting or Controller Role
- Manufacturing or Distribution experience
- Relevant experience working in fast-moving, dynamic and growing business
- Trading operations, Financial, or Capital Markets experience
- Professional qualifications such as CFA or CPA
- Strong analytical and data-interpretation abilities
- Excellent problem-solving and presentation skills
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Advanced proficiency in Excel/PowerPoint, general ledger systems (SAP)
- Possesses a collaborative, team-oriented, and flexible approach to partnered work
- Very hands-on work ethic
Qualifications: BA in Mathematics with 8 years of Experience