Finance role
Division Controller Recruiters
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You interview a short list.
Financial Headhunters: Hiring a controller who struggles with the division between corporate deadlines and local reality.
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- Controller
- CFO
- VP Finance
- FP&A Director
- Accounting Manager
- Director of Accounting
- Assistant Controller
- Tax Director
- Treasury Manager
- Internal Audit Director
- Senior Accountant
- Financial Analyst
- Head of Financial Reporting
- Commercial Lender
- Chief Credit Officer
- Business Systems Finance Lead
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Accounting, finance, banking and insurance
- We reach people who aren’t on job boards
- Replacement terms on standard searches
01
What does this hire really come down to?
This role requires someone who manages the entire month end close process independently. They must produce GAAP compliant statements while directing staff on reconciliations and flux analysis. You need a person who takes full ownership of the balance sheet reconciliations.
They face daily pressure balancing divisional operational needs with corporate reporting deadlines. This person identifies accounting errors before they reach your desk. They must possess the technical knowledge to research ASC standards and explain variances to non-financial operational managers clearly.
Ask how they prioritize the audit PBC list when operational data is late. Request specific examples of how they reorganized a closing schedule to reduce hours. Determine if they can draft technical accounting memos when new contracts arise or if they only rely on external auditors for answers.
You need to determine the scope of this controller role by testing their grasp of the granular mechanics behind the financial close. Ask the candidate to walk you through a specific instance where their department failed to meet a reporting deadline due to incomplete data feeds from operations. The goal is to see if they take immediate control of the situation or if they blame other departments. Press them on how they verify the integrity of the underlying journal entries before the final review. If they suggest that they rely primarily on the ERP system to catch errors, push back. Require them to describe their process for manual reconciliation of high risk accruals. Ask for an explanation of how they handle tax nexus issues that arise when a division shifts its physical sales footprint. A strong candidate provides a clear answer on their method for translating complex technical accounting requirements into plain language for site managers who lack a financial background. Focus on whether they have performed an actual bank reconciliation during their tenure or if they have only observed it. Verify their knowledge of current revenue recognition standards. Question them on their specific approach to managing the interaction between local ledger activities and corporate consolidated requirements. If a candidate cannot provide a concrete example of a time they had to correct a significant ledger misstatement, you should question their depth of hands on experience. Determine if they have drafted technical memos for auditors or if they simply outsource that task to outside firms. Look for evidence that they have managed the entire ledger and reporting lifecycle. If their answers are vague or shift focus to team oversight without mentioning the technical substance of the ledger, they lack the operational depth required for this role.
02
What do we check before you see anyone?
We prioritize candidates who clarify their specific decision on whether to prioritize immediate cash flow accuracy over long-term tax optimization during a year-end close. We review their ledger history to confirm they personally resolved specific intercompany elimination errors rather than relying on system automation. You must weigh the tradeoff between a candidate who keeps internal records pristine but requires significant training on your corporate reporting software and one who understands your reporting package but needs guidance on internal controls. We filter for those who provide granular detail on their audit preparation method when primary data sources are unreliable.
- 01Verify they personally executed multi-entity consolidations rather than just reviewing outputs from a system.
- 02Confirm they have managed the PBC list for an external audit from start to finish without missing deadlines.
- 03Evaluate hands-on ERP experience to confirm they build custom reports and fix ledger discrepancies without help.
- 04Validate they have directly supervised staff accountants including setting performance goals and checking their account reconciliations.
- 05Determine if they explain the difference between management-focused reporting and statutory filing requirements.
- 06Check that their CPA status or progress aligns with their claimed technical knowledge level of GAAP.
03
Where do we find them?
We recruit from medium to large corporate accounting teams or division offices of national firms. Candidates often work in private industry at the plant or regional level.
Active candidates typically seek this role when their current division lacks growth or when they have hit a ceiling in a smaller subsidiary. They move for better exposure to complex accounting operations or when they want more control over a business unit financials.
04
Which hiring mistakes should you watch for?
- 01Hiring someone who spent their career only in shared service centers where they never handled a full balance sheet.
- 02Prioritizing candidates with only audit experience who lack the operational nuance needed for monthly accounting management.
- 03Overlooking candidates who have not worked directly with plant or operational managers because they struggle to explain financial impacts.
05
The search in three steps
- 01Target professionals currently managing regional or divisional ledgers within comparable operational complexity.
- 02Filter for individuals who demonstrate specific technical ownership of the close and audit readiness.
- 03Present selected candidates for technical interviews and leadership evaluation against your specific divisional requirements.
How your Division Controller search runs
How does The Six-Step Search work?
One sequence, from a well-defined seat to a shortlist you can judge.
Search Calibration
We start with a call about the seat, the books, the owners and the people the hire will work with. We learn what the role must fix in the first year and what would make a candidate wrong even if the resume looks right.
You get: A written search brief: scope, must-haves, deal-breakers and the pay range, agreed with you.
Market Mapping
We map the companies and institutions where the right people already work: similar size, similar ownership, similar complexity, in your market and in others.
You get: The target list of companies and institutions we will search, reviewed with you before outreach.
Professional Contact Intelligence
We find direct ways to reach the people on the map. Most are employed and not reading job boards, so reaching them takes real research.
You get: Direct routes to people who are not on job boards, researched for your search.
Persistent Personalized Outreach
We call and write to people individually and follow up. Interest varies, so we discuss the actual opportunity rather than promising a particular response.
You get: One-to-one conversations about your actual role, followed up, never a mass email blast.
Live Candidate Qualification
We speak with every candidate before you do. We check scope, systems, reporting lines, compensation expectations, location and why they would move.
You get: Only candidates we have spoken with, checked on scope, systems, pay, location and motive.
Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
You receive a short written brief on each finalist covering what they have done, where they are thin and what they want. Then we help with interviews, references and the offer.
You get: A short written brief on each finalist, plus help with interviews, references, counteroffer risk and the offer.
Questions people ask
When is a fee owed for finding someone who manages the balance sheet month end?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
How do you define decision rights for this role?
This person manages the division ledger and reporting. They report to a corporate controller and hold authority over local accounting staff actions.
Do you handle contract or temporary staffing?
Our primary work is permanent search. We manage contract or interim engagements on an individual basis if requirements are confirmed in writing.
Do you employ or insure contract workers?
No, we never claim to employ, pay, or insure contract workers.
How soon will I see a Division Controller shortlist?
It depends on the seat, the location and the pay. We give you an honest read after the calibration call and we do not promise dates we cannot control.
What about counteroffers on a Division Controller hire?
We ask every Division Controller candidate early why they would move and what their employer might do to keep them. Counteroffer risk goes in the written brief before you make an offer.
What is your guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your Division Controller job and forward whoever applies. We do not send stacks of unscreened resumes, and we do not recruit outside accounting, finance, banking and insurance.
Start a search
Tell us about the seat.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Not ready to start a search?
Get a practical read on the talent market or the job description. No fee or obligation.
What does the published pay data show?
$166,570 national annual median. SOC 11-3031: Financial Managers.
BLS reports Division Controller within a broader occupation. It does not publish separate wages for this exact title, credentials, seniority or industry. Compare the listed SOC duties with your actual role before using this range.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released 2026-05-15. This is not a separately measured salary for this exact title.
Read the full salary guide