Financial Controller
Also advertised as: Finance Controller, Financial Controller, Financial Reporting Manager, Group Financial Controller, Head of Finance
Runs the finance function of a business, overseeing reporting, controls and a small team.
What the job involves
Financial controllers own the monthly management accounts, statutory reporting and internal controls for a business or division. You manage a small finance team, work closely with the finance director or owner, and are the point of authority on how the numbers are put together. It is typically reached after several years post-qualification.
Typical responsibilities
- Produce monthly management accounts
- Manage year-end statutory accounts and audit
- Oversee payroll, credit control and purchase ledger teams
- Maintain financial controls and processes
- Advise senior leadership on financial performance
Common employers
- Mid-sized companies
- Not-for-profits
- Group finance functions
- Private equity backed businesses
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£45,000 – £55,000 a year
With experience
£60,000 – £85,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5-40 hours
Working environment
Office based or hybrid
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Financial reporting
- Team leadership
- Accounting software
- Budgeting
- Stakeholder communication
Transferable skills you may already have
- People management
- Project coordination
- Analytical reporting
Requirements employers ask for
- Financial reporting
- Team leadership
- Accounting software
- Budgeting
- Stakeholder communication
- ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification
Useful but not essential
- People management
- Project coordination
- Analytical reporting
- Experience managing a finance team
- ERP system experience
Helpful qualifications
- Experience managing a finance team
- ERP system experience
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Accounting
- Related subject: Finance
- Related subject: Business
Where this career can lead
next
Finance Director
next
Chief Financial Officer
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Central, influential role in a business
- Strong salary once qualified
- Clear route to finance director
What people find hard
- Accountable when numbers are wrong or late
- Year-end and audit periods are demanding
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a financial controller?
- required
- How much does a financial controller earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £45,000 to £55,000 a year, rising towards £85,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include People management, Project coordination, Analytical reporting.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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