Hiring Process for Financial Controllers
Hiring a financial controller is an important step in expanding your company. Their role is crucial in ensuring accurate financing reporting and data analysis. You want to find a candidate who will hit the ground running and fit into your company culture. When you work with FD Capital, we can curate the hiring process to accommodate your needs.
At FD Capital, we work with candidates and companies on both sides of the recruitment process. We’re specialists in recruiting financial controllers and work with companies throughout the UK and beyond.
Contact our team at recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk or call us on 020 3287 9501 for a no-obligation consultation. Find financial controller jobs with www.fdcapital.co.uk and explore the latest financial controller vacancies, including part-time, interim, and remote job opportunities.
What is a Financial Controller?
A financial controller is the senior financial professional responsible for overseeing the company’s financial activities, reporting, and annual budgeting. They report to the CFO and act as a strategic advisor to the CEO. The main role of a financial controller is to ensure regulatory compliance and ensure adequate cash flow.
Accounting is the primary responsibility of a financial controller, but they need a varied skill set, including being able to navigate AI and financial software. Within smaller organisations, a financial controller may be the most senior financial position where there is not the workload for a CFO, and they may take on additional responsibilities as a result.
How to Recruit a Financial Controller Step-by-Step
Hiring a financial controller can be a time-consuming process. Outsourcing your recruitment to a specialist agency like FD Capital means you can utilise either traditional recruitment methods or our headhunting services.
We’ll tailor each step of the recruitment process to suit your needs and can shortlist candidates quickly as we have a talent pool available for immediate starts.
- Determine your requirements for the role
Set your hiring process up for success by determining what your company needs for the role and where it will fit into your hierarchy structure. Consider what the role will look like now and how it might develop over the next 3 to 10 years.
You should draw up an ideal candidate profile, including the sort of skills and experience your company might be missing. Most applicants will have similar qualifications and professional backgrounds, so considering soft skills is crucial to help you find the right candidate
Do You Need a Financial Controller?
If your financial controller will be engaging with stakeholders, you’ll want a candidate with strong communication skills who can develop relationships with third parties and financial institutions.
The job description will form your basis for the hiring process. Break down exactly what the role of financial controller will involve at your company and where the successful candidate will fit into your leadership structure.
Our team can help you curate a job description that addresses your company’s skills gap to help you find the right candidate as quickly as possible. Specialist recruiters, such as FD Capital, can get your job description and advert in front of the most suitable candidates. You’ll get access to the agency’s network of financial professionals, including passive candidates who are not actively seeking new opportunities but may consider a move for the right role.
- Set a salary range
Our team can give you valuable insights on financial controller salary trends to ensure you offer a competitive rate that will attract the right candidate and work for your company’s budget. While you may advertise the role as having a ‘competitive’ salary, you’ll need to know internally what salary you can afford.
- Internal vs. Outsourcing
You’ll need to decide whether you’ll conduct the hiring process internally or outsource it to a specialist recruitment agency. When you outsource your FC recruitment, you’ll still have full visibility of the process but with access to a wider talent pool of candidates. Outsourcing speeds up the process and is more cost-efficient.
- Internal vs. Outsourcing
You’ll need to decide whether you’ll conduct the hiring process internally or outsource it to a specialist recruitment agency. When you outsource your FC recruitment, you’ll still have full visibility of the process but with access to a wider talent pool of candidates. Outsourcing speeds up the process and is more cost-efficient.
- Set the interview process
Most hiring processes for financial controllers will have at least two interview stages. You’ll want to decide who in your organisation will attend the interview and ensure they’re available for your chosen date. In addition to an interview, you may decide to set a technical task or presentation.
These tasks should be determined early in the hiring process to ensure they’re standardised for all candidates.
- Establish a timeline
Setting a timeline for your hiring process makes it easier to stay on track and prevent unnecessary delays. Consider the time involved with screening candidates and contacting references between interview stages.
Your timeline should also include the onboarding process and account for the successful candidate needing to serve their notice at another company. While it might only take a few weeks to recruit a candidate, it may be a month or more before they can start.
Having a timeline is also beneficial for candidates as it allows them to set their expectations and remain engaged in the hiring process. Candidates will also know when they should be expecting feedback.
What can a Group FC do for my business?
- Shortlist your candidates
Once you get to your final 2 or 3 candidates, it’s time to conduct your final interviews and reference checking. You want to choose the candidate who best matches the job description and who will fit into your company culture.
When you find the right candidate, you can offer them the role of financial controller and start the onboarding process.
Recruit a Financial Controller with FD Capital
Recruitment of Group Financial Controllers is what we do best! Talks to use today and let us find you the perfect candidate. Often one of our in-house team is available for an immediate start call us on 020 3287 9501 for an initial chat.
FD Capital is the UK’s leading bouquet financial recruitment agency, specialising in connecting companies of financial professionals with companies throughout the UK and beyond. Our talent pool includes financial controllers available to work on a part-time, full-time, and interim basis, both in-house and remotely.
The FD Capital leadership team consists of entrepreneurs, consultants, and financial executives who understand both sides of the recruitment process. We offer traditional financial controller recruitment and headhunting services.
Become part of our talent pool of finance controllers by contacting our team at recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk or 020 3287 9501 to find out more about our recruitment services.
We are confident whatever your business requirements are, we can find the perfect match for your business and situation.
FD Recruit / CFO Recruit
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