Table 1Transition record

accounting analysttofinancial controller

A accounting analyst already meets 50% of what the financial controller role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From accounting analyst

50%

Overlap1

To financial controller

16 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

49.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 49.9

This move: 49.9 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the financial controller role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the accounting analyst profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A financial controller role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a accounting analyst background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held draft accounting procedures communication, collaboration and creativity
already held supervise accounting operations management skills
already held explain accounting records management skills
already held ensure compliance with accounting conventions information skills
already held check accounting records information skills
already held evaluate budgets management skills

All 16 carried skills, including the 10 the financial controller role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 21 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 3 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held develop financial statistics reports required
required, not held synthesise financial information required
required, not held track key performance indicators required

optional, not held inspect government expenditures optional
optional, not held manage the general ledger optional
optional, not held prepare financial auditing reports optional
optional, not held prepare tax returns forms optional

02 management skills 3 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held create a financial plan required
required, not held enforce financial policies required
required, not held exert expenditure control required

optional, not held support development of annual budget optional
optional, not held manage budgets optional
optional, not held manage profitability optional

03 business, administration and law 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held tax legislation required

optional, not held financial forecasting optional
optional, not held insolvency law optional

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 supplementary

optional, not held advise on tax planning optional
optional, not held disseminate information on tax legislation optional
optional, not held liaise with auditors optional
optional, not held liaise with financiers optional

05 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 supplementary

optional, not held statistics optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a financial controller role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held accounting department processes knowledge
already held analyse financial performance of a company skill
already held ensure compliance with accounting conventions skill
already held evaluate budgets skill
already held explain accounting records skill
already held financial department processes knowledge
already held financial statements knowledge
already held follow the statutory obligations skill
already held interpret financial statements skill
already held prepare financial statements skill
already held advise on financial matters skill
already held analyse financial risk skill
already held check accounting records skill
already held draft accounting procedures skill
already held liaise with shareholders skill
already held supervise accounting operations skill

14 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held support development of annual budget optional
optional, not held advise on tax planning optional
optional, not held disseminate information on tax legislation optional
optional, not held financial forecasting optional
optional, not held insolvency law optional
optional, not held inspect government expenditures optional
optional, not held liaise with auditors optional
optional, not held liaise with financiers optional
optional, not held manage budgets optional
optional, not held manage profitability optional
optional, not held manage the general ledger optional
optional, not held prepare financial auditing reports optional
optional, not held prepare tax returns forms optional
optional, not held statistics optional

23 held skills the financial controller role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role accounting entries knowledge
not needed by the target role accounting techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role analyse business processes skill
not needed by the target role create a financial report skill
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with disclosure criteria of accounting information skill
not needed by the target role forecast account metrics skill
not needed by the target role global standards for sustainability reporting knowledge
not needed by the target role identify if a company is a going concern skill
not needed by the target role identify process improvements skill
not needed by the target role international financial reporting standards knowledge
not needed by the target role investment analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role liquidity management knowledge
not needed by the target role make strategic business decisions skill
not needed by the target role manage accounts skill
not needed by the target role monitor financial accounts skill
not needed by the target role national generally accepted accounting principles knowledge
not needed by the target role perform forensic accounting skill
not needed by the target role perform stock valuation skill
not needed by the target role provide cost benefit analysis reports skill
not needed by the target role public offering knowledge
not needed by the target role review investment portfolios skill
not needed by the target role stock market knowledge
not needed by the target role treasury management system knowledge

4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held tax legislation required
optional, not held financial forecasting optional
optional, not held insolvency law optional
optional, not held statistics optional

Index

Other moves recorded from accounting analyst

Full index of moves from accounting analyst

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.