What is the difference between a finance director and a controller?
Finance Director vs Financial Controller:
A Finance Manager is tasked with responsibilities such as managing investments and expenses, monitoring cash flow, and negotiating financial terms of contracts. Whereas, a Finance Controller is responsible for the daily financial operations of a business such as accounting and reporting.
Finance Directors (also known as directors of finance or directors of financial planning) are part of senior management, and they manage the financial aspects of an organization. Part of their role is to ensure that the finances of the company are sound.
A controller is not the same as a CFO or VP of Finance. A CFO or VP of Finance are often higher-level positions that are on the executive team. Meanwhile, a controller is usually a lower-level position that is less involved in strategic planning or external affairs and mostly involved in internal reporting.
CFOs drive growth. Controllers enable it. They are precise, detail-oriented accounting professionals who make sure the company's internal operations run smoothly, accurately and on budget.
Under the guidance of the Finance Director a Controller also maintains standard operating procedures for all accounting and bookkeeping functions. The FD is the financial leader of the business.
Finance Director/ VP of Finance is essentially the same role, however if you have a VP of Fin, but need a strategic person at the same level (or a little higher) then you have the CFO. Below that is Controller (Chief Accounting Officer).
Director Finance salary in India ranges between ₹ 15.5 Lakhs to ₹ 101.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 52.8 Lakhs. Salary estimates are based on 1.7k latest salaries received from Director Finances. 10 - 25 years exp.
Directors of finance are members of a senior executive team who manage all aspects of a company's financial health and long-term growth. They establish and maintain a company's financial strategy for earning profits and oversee the finance and accounting operations.
Oversees and reviews accounting tasks, including payroll, taxes, and compliance. Presents financial reports to executives, board members, investors, and other stakeholders. Collaborates with the executives and directors to create budgets and track key performance indicators.
Can controller become a VP of finance?
Vice President of Finance Career Path
Vice presidents of finance usually begin their career with entry-level financial analyst and accounting roles. Some commonly held titles before becoming a vice president of finance may include senior financial analyst, finance director and controller.
Controllers manage companies' financial departments. They oversee accounting teams, advise executives on finance matters, help create company budgets and ensure that accounting functions run smoothly.
The vice president of finance outranks the controller.
Since CFOs are responsible for more decision-making and oversee more facets of a company, they usually earn more. The average base salary for a controller is $93,961 per year , while the average base salary for a CFO is $123,912 per year .
Chief accounting officers (CAOs) and financial controllers are both accounting experts who report to the chief financial officer (CFO)—but these two roles have subtle, nuanced differences.
The controller is a senior manager with input into the company's strategy and planning. An MBA and years of senior-level accounting are the usual prerequisites.
The CFO is in the highest position, almost the same as the CEO. Even though the CFO reports their job directly to the CEO, they still have the same position as the executive of the company. In the financial field, the finance director is under CFO.
Jobs that are very similar to a Financial Director include a Chief Financial Officer, Vice President Finance, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Finance Manager, Finance Consultant and Financial Controller.
In a typical large organization, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the highest-ranking finance officer in the company. Hierarchically speaking, they rank third, behind the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) - again, in a typical hierarchy.
- Develop Strategic Thinking. ...
- Leadership and Communication Skills Are a Must. ...
- Build Your Personal Brand. ...
- Find a role where you will be mentored. ...
- Network and Build Relationships. ...
- Move Up or Move On.
Who is above financial controller?
The most obvious difference between these two positions is the positions themselves - their place within the hierarchy. The CFO is ultimately the head of the finance department. They're the financial controller's boss, as well as the accountants', financial analysts, and often also the HR and Operations departments.
Traditionally, the financial controller is an executive role in small companies, given it's likely their highest-level finance position. As organizations increase in size, the controller may be a senior manager reporting to the CFO or CEO.
As of Mar 6, 2024, the average annual pay for a Director Finance in the United States is $129,353 a year.
To become a finance director, you need a bachelor's degree in a field such as finance or accounting. A master's degree can also bolster your resume, and in some cases, it's required. A finance director must also have at least 10 years of professional experience, which can be complemented by certifications.
Finance Director Years | Percentages |
---|---|
40+ years | 68% |
30-40 years | 26% |
20-30 years | 6% |
References
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-make-move-from-financial-controller-finance-director
- https://resumeworded.com/career-profiles/financial-director-career-profile
- https://www.proformative.com/questions/cfo-vs-controller-vs-finance-director/
- https://work.chron.com/difference-between-comptroller-vice-president-finance-5984.html
- https://fd4.co.uk/finance-director-compared-to-financial-controller
- https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/director-finance-salary
- https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/controller-versus-cfo
- https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/accounting/financial-controller.shtml
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/controller.asp
- https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Director-Finance-Salary
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/business-and-marketing/become-a-financial-controller/
- https://www.aprio.com/cfo-vs-controller-whats-the-difference-and-why-it-matters/
- https://www.spendesk.com/blog/controller-vs-cfo/
- https://www.oracle.com/erp/cfo/cao-vs-controller/
- https://www.thefinancepeopleuk.com/blog/do-you-need-a-finance-manager-or-finance-controller
- https://kayoneconsulting.com/cfo-vs-finance-director-vs-controller/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/professionals/011316/controller-career-path-qualifications.asp
- https://builtin.com/learn/careers/finance-director
- https://builtin.com/learn/careers/vice-president-finance
- https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-does-financial-director-do
- https://www.cfoconnect.eu/en/resources/finance-insights/key-finance-team-roles-responsibilities/
- https://hiring.monster.com/resources/job-descriptions/management/finance-director/
- https://www.zippia.com/finance-director-jobs/demographics/
- https://newlifecfo.com/finance-director-vs-cfo/