Controller jobs: skills, pay and how to get hired
Updated 5 Nov 2026. Figures from the jobs in our search, not the whole market.
Contents
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What a controller does
A controller makes sure managers know where the company stands and where it is going. They build the budget with each department, compare the actual figures with it every month, explain the differences, update the forecast, and point out risks early: a margin falling, costs running ahead, cash getting tight. Good controllers do not just report; they challenge and advise, which finance teams call business partnering.
The title varies by country. In Germany and Switzerland a Controller is the planning and analysis role, next to the accountants. In the US, the UK and India a financial controller usually leads the accounting team and the close as well. Titles include Financial Controller, Business Controller, Group Controller, Plant Controller and, in German ads, Controller and Konzerncontroller. The ladder runs to senior controller, head of controlling and finance director or CFO; see the career paths.
The skills the ads ask for
We read a sample of the ads every day and count the skills they name. On a computer, hover a skill in the text to see its share; on a phone, the table has the same figures.
| Skill | Share of ads | What is expected |
|---|---|---|
| Controlling | 93% | Plan, measure and steer: budgets, forecasts, cost accounting, variance analysis and the monthly report. |
| Excel | 70% | Models, budgets and reports that others can follow: lookups, pivot tables, scenarios and clear checks. |
| SAP FI/CO | 10% | SAP's finance (FI) and controlling (CO) modules: cost centres, internal orders, profit centres and margins. |
| Financial Reporting | 16% | Know how the books are closed and what IFRS or local law change in the figures you report. |
| SAP | 41% | The ERP system of many large companies; most controllers pull their data from it every day. |
| Power BI | 17% | Build dashboards managers open on their own: one source of figures, few charts, clear definitions. |
| Data Analysis | 3% | Find the story in the numbers: what moved, why, and what it means for the next months. |
| Communication skills | 26% | Explain figures to managers outside finance in plain words, and write a commentary people read. |
| English | 52% | The working language of group reporting and of many international finance teams. |
| German | 42% | Asked in most controller ads in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for the work with managers. |
| SQL | 2% | Pull and join data from the ERP or a data warehouse yourself instead of waiting for IT. |
| Tableau | 4% | Another common dashboard tool, found in some companies instead of Power BI. |
Shares of the controller ads we read in the last 7 days, as of 5 Nov 2026. Our ads, not the whole market.
Three groups stand out. First, the method: controllingAsked in 93% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Plan, measure and steer: budgets, forecasts, cost accounting, variance analysis and the monthly report. itself, meaning budgets, forecasts, cost accounting and variance analysis, on top of a sound grasp of financial reportingAsked in 16% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Know how the books are closed and what IFRS or local law change in the figures you report.. Second, the systems: SAP FI/COAsked in 10% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).SAP's finance (FI) and controlling (CO) modules: cost centres, internal orders, profit centres and margins. and SAPAsked in 41% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).The ERP system of many large companies; most controllers pull their data from it every day. in most large companies, ExcelAsked in 70% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Models, budgets and reports that others can follow: lookups, pivot tables, scenarios and clear checks. everywhere, and dashboards in Power BIAsked in 17% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Build dashboards managers open on their own: one source of figures, few charts, clear definitions. or TableauAsked in 4% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Another common dashboard tool, found in some companies instead of Power BI.. Some ads add SQLAsked in 2% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Pull and join data from the ERP or a data warehouse yourself instead of waiting for IT. to pull data directly.
The third group decides who moves up: analysisAsked in 3% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Find the story in the numbers: what moved, why, and what it means for the next months. that finds the reason behind a number, and communicationAsked in 26% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Explain figures to managers outside finance in plain words, and write a commentary people read. that makes a manager act on it. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland most ads also ask for GermanAsked in 42% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Asked in most controller ads in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for the work with managers.; international groups ask for EnglishAsked in 52% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).The working language of group reporting and of many international finance teams..
Where the jobs are, country by country
Each country below has its own figures: which cities have the most jobs in our list, whether the number is going up or down, how often ads offer remote or hybrid work, what the title means there, the qualifications, and pay ranges from published research, in the local currency.
Germany
8% of the ads offer hybrid work, and 2% are fully remote.
Pay (Base salary)
- Entry level: €44,000 to €52,000 a year
- Mid-level: €50,000 to €70,000 a year
- Senior: €65,000 to €90,000 a year
Total pay: Payscale gives bonuses of about €3,000 to €13,000 a year; the other sources give base salary.
Heads of controlling earn about €74,000 to €96,000 (StepStone). Hamburg, Berlin and Munich pay the most (Indeed).
Sources: StepStone (2026), Indeed (Oct 2026), Payscale (Aug 2026), StepStone: Leiter Controlling (2026).
Pay researched on 27 Oct 2026.
The title: a Controller in Germany plans and steers: budgets, forecasts, cost accounting (Kostenrechnung) and the monthly report to managers. Ads name the area: Financial Controller, Konzerncontroller for group figures, Werkscontroller for a plant, Vertriebscontroller for sales.
Tools and rules: most German controllers work in SAP COAsked in 10% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).SAP's finance (FI) and controlling (CO) modules: cost centres, internal orders, profit centres and margins. and Excel; the books behind the figures follow HGB, the German commercial code, and group figures often IFRS.
Qualifications: the Controller IHK (Geprüfter Controller) is an exam of the chamber of commerce for people with some years in finance, covering cost accounting, planning, reporting and analysis. Many controllers have a degree in business instead. On a CV, write it under education with its year.
Job figures as of 5 Nov 2026.
United States
Pay (Base salary)
- Entry level: $70,000 to $90,000 a year
- Mid-level: $95,000 to $145,000 a year
- Senior: $125,000 to $215,000 a year
Total pay: Payscale gives financial controllers bonuses of about $2,000 to $23,000 a year, and profit sharing of about $1,000 to $15,000.
The ranges follow the US titles: assistant controller for mid-level, divisional and corporate controller for senior (Robert Half). New York and Chicago pay the most (Indeed).
Sources: Payscale (Oct 2026), Indeed (Oct 2026), Robert Half 2027 Salary Guide (a projection).
Pay researched on 27 Oct 2026.
The title: in the US a controller usually runs the accounting team and the close, answers for US GAAP reporting and the SOX controls in the US, and reports to the CFO; planning often sits with FP&A (financial planning and analysis).
Qualifications: the CPA is common for controllers in the US, because the role answers for the accounts; the CMA, from the Institute of Management Accountants, covers planning, analysis and control. On a CV, write each after your name once earned.
United Kingdom
Pay (Base salary)
- Entry level: £35,000 to £48,000 a year
- Mid-level: £48,000 to £70,000 a year
- Senior: £65,000 to £91,000 a year
Total pay: Payscale gives bonuses of about £1,000 to £10,000 a year, and profit sharing of about £2,000 to £9,000.
London pays the most (Indeed).
Sources: Indeed (Oct 2026), Payscale (Sep 2026).
Pay researched on 27 Oct 2026.
The title: in the UK a financial controller usually leads the accounts, the month-end and the year-end, often with management accounts and the budget as well; in a small company it is the senior finance job.
Qualifications: many UK ads ask for a qualified accountant: CIMA, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, for planning and management accounts; ACCA or ACA for the accounts. "Part-qualified" means exams still to take; on a CV, write the level reached.
Switzerland
Pay (Base salary)
- Entry level: CHF 80,000 to CHF 92,000 a year
- Mid-level: CHF 90,000 to CHF 120,000 a year
- Senior: CHF 115,000 to CHF 160,000 a year
Total pay: Payscale gives bonuses of about CHF 4,000 to CHF 48,000 a year, and total pay of about CHF 75,000 to CHF 193,000; Lohncheck's range is for full-time work paid in 13 monthly salaries.
The Zurich area and St. Gallen pay the most (Indeed).
Sources: Indeed (Oct 2026), Lohncheck (Q1 2026), Payscale (Jun 2025).
Pay researched on 27 Oct 2026.
The title: Swiss ads follow the German meaning: planning, analysis and reporting, often for a group under Swiss GAAP FER or IFRS. Many ask for GermanAsked in 42% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Asked in most controller ads in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for the work with managers. or French as well as EnglishAsked in 52% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).The working language of group reporting and of many international finance teams..
Qualifications: the federal diploma "Experte in Rechnungslegung und Controlling" is the senior qualification of the field in Switzerland; the "Fachausweis im Finanz- und Rechnungswesen" comes before it.
India
Pay (Base salary)
- Entry level: ₹5 lakh to ₹8 lakh a year
- Mid-level: ₹8 lakh to ₹20 lakh a year
- Senior: ₹18 lakh to ₹40 lakh a year
Total pay: Payscale gives bonuses of about ₹60,000 to ₹5 lakh a year, plus profit sharing at some companies.
Thane, Gurgaon and Noida pay the most in Indeed's small sample.
Sources: Payscale (Oct 2026), Indeed (Jan 2026).
Pay researched on 27 Oct 2026.
The title: in India a financial controller usually runs accounting, reporting under Ind AS, India's standards based on IFRS, and compliance such as GST, India's tax on goods and services, often for a foreign group's Indian company.
Qualifications: many ads ask for a CA, from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India; CMA India, from the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, covers costing and management accounting. On a CV, write the qualification and the year you cleared the final exam.
Your CV for a controller job
A controller's CV is screened by software for the words of the ad, then read by a finance director who wants to see that your figures changed a decision. Write for both.
Use the keywords the ads use
- Name the work the way ads name it: "budgeting", "forecasting", "variance analysis", "cost centre accounting", "management reporting", "business partnering", "month-end close". The skills table above shows which keywords the ads use most.
- Name your systems precisely: SAP COAsked in 10% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).SAP's finance (FI) and controlling (CO) modules: cost centres, internal orders, profit centres and margins. with the parts you used (cost centres, profit centres, margin analysis), Power BIAsked in 17% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Build dashboards managers open on their own: one source of figures, few charts, clear definitions. dashboards you built, the planning tool if any.
- Write a qualification in full and with its year: "CIMA", "CMA", "Controller IHK". If you are still taking the exams, write "in progress" and the level reached.
- Keep to what you can defend: a controller interview often includes a case built from your own CV lines.
Prove each skill
A skill in a list proves nothing. A line under a job proves it: what you planned or reported, for whom, and what changed because of it: a cost cut, a price raised, a forecast that held.
| Skill | Weak line | Strong line, with proof |
|---|---|---|
| BudgetAsked in 93% of controller ads (as of 5 Nov 2026).Plan, measure and steer: budgets, forecasts, cost accounting, variance analysis and the monthly report. | Responsible for budgeting. | Built the yearly budget with 9 cost centre managers for a 60 million euro business; agreed in 6 weeks instead of 10. |
| Variance analysis | Monthly variance analysis. | Explained each month's gap to budget by price, volume and mix; sales changed 2 price lists after the first quarter. |
| Power BI | Created dashboards. | Replaced 12 Excel reports with one Power BI dashboard used weekly by 40 managers. |
| Forecast | Forecasting. | Introduced a quarterly rolling forecast; the year-end result landed within 2 percent of the October forecast. |
| Business partnering | Supported management. | Partnered the plant manager on overhead costs; found 1.2 million euros of savings, half delivered in the year. |
Never claim a saving you only reported. If the decision was the manager's, say what your analysis added: "my analysis showed", "I proposed".
How we read our data
- The jobs: the controller jobs in our job search, matched the same way the search matches them. Our list is not the whole market, so we give shares and rankings, never counts.
- The skills: we read a sample of the ads every day and count the skills in them with a fixed word list. We keep only the counts, never the ad text.
- Pay: from published salary research, with each source and its date, as a range from entry level to senior. It is not worked out from our ads.
- Dates: every figure is worked out again each day, and shows the day it was worked out.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a controller do?
- Builds the budget and the forecast, compares the actual figures with them each month, explains the differences and advises managers on what to do. In some countries the controller also runs the accounts.
- Is a controller the same as an accountant?
- No. An accountant records and closes the books; a controller uses the figures to plan and steer. In the US and the UK, a financial controller often leads the accountants as well.
- Which skills matter most?
- Controlling itself, Excel, SAP FI/CO in large companies and dashboards in Power BI. Explaining figures to managers decides who moves up.
- Do I need a qualification?
- Many ads ask for a degree in business or finance. CIMA in the UK, the CMA or CPA in the US, Controller IHK in Germany and the CA or CMA India help where ads name them.
- What should a controller CV show first?
- Two or three decisions your figures changed, each with a number, then the systems and the planning work you own, in the words of the ads.
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