Table 1Transition record

accounting managertofinancial controller

A accounting manager already meets 76% of what the financial controller role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.

From accounting manager

76%

Overlap1

To financial controller

28 Skills carried over

4 Required, not held

25.8 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 25.8

This move: 25.8 of 100 · adjacent

1 Share of the financial controller role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the accounting manager 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 28 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 manager background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held liaise with auditors communication, collaboration and creativity
already held draft accounting procedures communication, collaboration and creativity
already held manage the general ledger information skills
already held supervise accounting operations management skills
already held explain accounting records management skills
already held ensure compliance with accounting conventions information skills

All 28 carried skills, including the 13 the financial controller role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 9 missing skills fall into 4 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, 2 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 analyse financial risk optional
optional, not held inspect government expenditures optional

02 management skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held exert expenditure control required

optional, not held manage profitability optional

03 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held insolvency law optional

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held liaise with shareholders 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 28 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held accounting department processes knowledge
already held analyse financial performance of a company skill
already held create a financial plan skill
already held enforce financial policies 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 tax legislation knowledge
already held advise on financial matters skill
already held advise on tax planning skill
already held check accounting records skill
already held disseminate information on tax legislation skill
already held draft accounting procedures skill
already held financial forecasting knowledge
already held liaise with auditors skill
already held liaise with financiers skill
already held manage budgets skill
already held manage the general ledger skill
already held prepare financial auditing reports skill
already held prepare tax returns forms skill
already held statistics knowledge
already held supervise accounting operations skill
already held support development of annual budget skill

5 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held analyse financial risk optional
optional, not held insolvency law optional
optional, not held inspect government expenditures optional
optional, not held liaise with shareholders optional
optional, not held manage profitability optional

34 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 advise on bankruptcy proceedings skill
not needed by the target role advise on public finance skill
not needed by the target role analyse market financial trends skill
not needed by the target role attach accounting certificates to accounting transactions skill
not needed by the target role bookkeeping regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role calculate tax skill
not needed by the target role corporate social responsibility knowledge
not needed by the target role depreciation knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with disclosure criteria of accounting information skill
not needed by the target role evaluate employees skill
not needed by the target role financial analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role financial management knowledge
not needed by the target role follow company standards skill
not needed by the target role forecast organisational risks skill
not needed by the target role fraud detection knowledge
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 inform on fiscal duties skill
not needed by the target role integrate strategic foundation in daily performance skill
not needed by the target role international financial reporting standards knowledge
not needed by the target role liaise with managers skill
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 manage staff 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 account allocation skill
not needed by the target role perform cost accounting activities skill
not needed by the target role perform dunning activities skill
not needed by the target role plan health and safety procedures skill
not needed by the target role public finance knowledge
not needed by the target role strive for company growth skill

1 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

optional, not held insolvency law optional

Index

Other moves recorded from accounting manager

Full index of moves from accounting manager

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.