Table 1Transition record

financial managertofinancial controller

A financial manager already meets 75% of what the financial controller role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.

From financial manager

75%

Overlap1

To financial controller

29 Skills carried over

5 Required, not held

27 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 27

This move: 27 of 100 · adjacent

1 Share of the financial controller role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the financial 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 29 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 financial 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 ensure compliance with accounting conventions information skills
already held prepare tax returns forms information skills

All 29 carried skills, including the 12 the financial controller role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 8 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 2 required, 1 supplementary

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

optional, not held inspect government expenditures optional

02 management skills 2 required

required, not held exert expenditure control required
required, not held explain accounting records required

03 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held follow the statutory obligations required

04 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held insolvency law optional

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held disseminate information on tax legislation 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 29 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 financial department processes knowledge
already held financial statements knowledge
already held interpret financial statements skill
already held prepare financial statements skill
already held synthesise financial information skill
already held tax legislation knowledge
already held advise on financial matters skill
already held advise on tax planning skill
already held analyse financial risk skill
already held check accounting records 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 liaise with shareholders skill
already held manage budgets skill
already held manage profitability 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

3 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held disseminate information on tax legislation optional
optional, not held insolvency law optional
optional, not held inspect government expenditures optional

77 held skills the financial controller role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role accounting knowledge
not needed by the target role accounting entries knowledge
not needed by the target role accounting techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role advise on investment skill
not needed by the target role advise on public finance skill
not needed by the target role advise on risk management skill
not needed by the target role align efforts towards business development skill
not needed by the target role analyse business plans skill
not needed by the target role analyse insurance risk skill
not needed by the target role analyse market financial trends skill
not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
not needed by the target role banking activities knowledge
not needed by the target role bookkeeping regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role budget for financial needs skill
not needed by the target role budgetary principles knowledge
not needed by the target role business loans knowledge
not needed by the target role collect financial data skill
not needed by the target role communicate with banking professionals skill
not needed by the target role conduct financial audits skill
not needed by the target role control financial resources skill
not needed by the target role corporate law knowledge
not needed by the target role cost management knowledge
not needed by the target role create a financial report skill
not needed by the target role debt collection techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role debt systems knowledge
not needed by the target role develop company strategies skill
not needed by the target role develop financial products skill
not needed by the target role economics knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with company regulations skill
not needed by the target role ensure cross-department cooperation skill
not needed by the target role ensure information transparency skill
not needed by the target role estimate profitability skill
not needed by the target role ethics knowledge
not needed by the target role execute feasibility study skill
not needed by the target role financial analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role financial jurisdiction knowledge
not needed by the target role financial management knowledge
not needed by the target role financial markets knowledge
not needed by the target role financial products knowledge
not needed by the target role follow company standards skill

37 further entries not listed here

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 financial manager

Full index of moves from financial 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.