I am now a part time Controller/Senior Accountant. In the US I have mainly worked for small, start up companies, taking full Controller responsibility for the finance function. My main area of expertise is that I understand how finance departments work, having spent over 20 years auditing and working in finance departments and with financial systems around the globe.

EDUCATION | Chartered Accountant (equivalent of CPA)

HOW TO GET STARTED | The majority of Controllers or Senior Accountants will have trained as a CPA (or overseas equivalent!) and will have had experience auditing a variety of public and private companies as part of that training. In my experience, an effective Controller has to have had experience beyond that provided by a public accounting firm and so a first step out of 'the profession' would be to take a position in a large finance function. Here you can start to learn the difference between the theory taught as a CPA and the practice. A CPA firm gives you a very good grounding in accounting rules and theory. Practical experience brings it all together.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | For someone who has an analytical mind, that enjoys working with numbers and solving problems my current job is ideal.

how I got started | I trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant (equivalent of CPA) in the UK then worked as an internal auditor for an international media and publishing company before moving to the US.

why this job?| The most important aspect of my current career is that I have been able to make it work around my family responsibilities. Here in Silicon Valley there is a preponderance of small start up companies who only need/can afford a part time finance function. The corporate culture is also much more relaxed and flexible and, as long as I get my job done, I can work hours that suit me. There are times when I need to work longer hours, particularly when it comes to working on financing or acquisitions, but I have never found the workload overwhelming. There is also the possibility of working from home, particularly when I need to be on international conference calls outside of normal working hours.

why I love this job!| I enjoy being able to bring my international experience and knowledge to assist on cross border issues, for example, where the US company exports products to the EU and has to deal with European VAT and duty issues. When I was working as a pure Controller, I enjoyed the fact that I was fully responsible for the systems and the numbers reported each month and for the numbers used by my CFO to judge the performance of the company and to make decisions on its future strategy.

my typical day| I spend much of my time digging into numbers and unwinding transactions in order to explain or correct the numbers reported by the financial systems. In my current job I work along side the Controller, working on projects as well as taking responsibility for all aspects of our three international subsidiaries. I understand the differences, as well as the universal aspects of finance departments in different countries and can use this experience to help bridge the gap between US Management and their overseas operations, customers and suppliers.

what they are | Depending on the culture of the company and/or the willingness of the Controller to get involved in the business aspects of the business, the basic work of a Controller can get monotonous. A Controller is responsible for the efficient working of the finance function but I do not believe that it is possible to be an effective Controller without fully understanding and being active in all aspects of the company's business. Often there may be a residual belief in some non-finance functions that accountants are just responsible for numbers and cannot add any value to the 'business' functions. Changing such attitudes can be a challenge but it is well worth the effort.

all about growth | A standard career path from Controller would be to a CFO. However, there is no reason why an effective Controller who has integrated themselves into and understands all aspects of an organisation, and who has the requisite entrepreneurial skills could not go all the way up to CEO. I have also seen several Controllers who have taken their skills and set up their own businesses providing finance expertise either as a Contract Controller to smaller companies or Consultancy advice on specific projects to larger companies.

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