How And Why I Do What I Do as a Business Controller

CareerVisualHexagons2Working as a Business Controller means being accountable for the financial representation of a business’s activities from many different angles. It requires experience in a variety of domains and is made tremendously more efficient when closely tied to the implementation of related systems & processes in order to deliver predictable, reliable results. This means building yourself a rich toolbox, all the while relying on a deeply ingrained operating framework.

Obviously that kind of rick background isn’t built in a void. I owe my gratitude to the many colleagues with whom I interact on an ongoing basis. In no particular order, these include or have included: Accountants, Controllers, CEOs, CFOs, Human Resources Specialists, Project Managers, Purchasing Specialists, Developers, Technical Infrastructure Specialists, Legal Counselors, Shop Floor Operators, Tax Specialists, Auditors, Marketing Specialists, Salespeople, … They all help – or helped – make my work environment rich in challenges, learning opportunities and even good fun.

Below are pointers to subjects a business controller should be – or strive to become – proficient at. Most of them are rather universal in nature and have served me well  so far in the following domains:

  • IT Infrastructure Services
  • Software Application Development Projects
  • Human Resources
  • Wealth Management
  • Sales
  • Manufacturing

For a more chronological work history you can also view my profile on LinkedIn.

Controller’s Toolbox

  • Data Modeling
  • Project Management
  • Enterprise Resource Planning
  • Business Intelligence
  • Spreadsheets (a.k.a. Excel)
  • Spreadsheets on Steroids (a.k.a Excel “Power” options, quite literally)
  • Relational Databases
  • Multidimensional Databases
  • Tabular Databases
  • Data Warehouses

Operating Framework

  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Master Data Management
  • Change Management
  • Data Quality
  • Re-usability
  • Versioning
  • Reliability
  • Automation

Business Processes Ownership

  • Management Accounting
  • Budgeting
  • Forecasting
  • Mid-Term Planning
  • Consolidation
  • Headcount / Resource Planning
  • Analytical Accounting
  • Cost Allocation
  • Unit Cost Calculation
  • Chargeback & Invoicing
  • Expense Recognition
  • Revenue Recognition
  • Actuals Reporting & Variance Analysis
  • Pricing Modeling
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Materials Planning