Controller CV: Example and Template
How to structure your CV as a Controller in financial controlling, so that closing quality, reporting depth and systems knowledge are immediately visible.
Currently 54 open Controller positions in Switzerland, across 12 cantons, 11 of them from the last 7 days. UBP - Union Bancaire Privée advertises the most.
CV example — two-page template
This template is editable straight away — or upload your existing CV and it is carried into this layout automatically.
Which qualification belongs on a Controller CV?
State the highest qualification held by accounting managers in the title and list the federal titles exactly as they appear on the diploma.
In Switzerland, the education ladder in finance and accounting is immediately recognisable to HR professionals: basic vocational training EFZ, followed by the Federal Certificate in Finance and Accounting, and finally the Federal Diploma as Expert in Accounting and Controlling. Write out the titles correctly, add the provider and year of completion, and avoid invented titles such as 'Controlling Diploma'. Those coming from a university path should name the degree programme including specialisation, for example a BSc in Business Administration with a specialisation in Accounting and Controlling, or an MSc in Banking and Finance.
Also put the qualification in context if it is not self-explanatory. For positions with a group dimension, knowledge of Swiss GAAP FER or IFRS is decisive; for SME mandates, closing expertise under the Swiss Code of Obligations, VAT practice and cooperation with the statutory auditor matter more. One sentence per qualification is enough to show which standards you master and which system environment you used during your studies or further education.
Further training belongs in its own block and should be current. A Swiss GAAP FER update, an SAP CO user certificate or a Power BI certification carry more weight than a ten-year-old Excel course diploma. List no more than four certificates, always with the year, so your learning curve remains visible and older courses don't obscure the picture.
How do I present my controlling experience convincingly?
For each position, briefly describe the company context and then list three to four results with figures, deadlines and Swiss franc amounts.
Controllers are judged on accuracy, speed and relevance to decision-making. Begin each position with a context line: revenue size, number of companies or cost centres, industry, report recipients and team size. Without this framework, no one can assess whether you were responsible for a monthly closing for a single company with CHF 12 million in revenue or a consolidation across four entities in two currencies.
Then phrase the points as results rather than a list of tasks. 'Responsible for reporting' says nothing; 'reduced monthly closing from 9 to 4 working days' or 'lowered the plan-actual deviation at EBIT level from 6.8 to 2.7 percent' shows impact. Use the key figures of your field: contribution margin, gross margin, DSO, working capital, forecast accuracy, net present value, number of cost centres or items. Write amounts in Swiss convention, i.e. CHF 85'000 or CHF 3.1 million.
Also show your systems depth. State specifically whether you built profitability analyses in SAP CO-PA, consolidated in LucaNet, ran cost accounting in Abacus, or automated reporting in Power BI with Power Query. Add process experience such as fast close, budget calendars, ICS documentation under Art. 728a of the Swiss Code of Obligations, or supporting the limited statutory audit - that is exactly what every interview will ask about.
How long should the CV be and does it need a photo?
Two pages are the standard, and a professional portrait photo is still customary in Switzerland and is usually expected.
For Controller positions, two pages are the norm: page one with profile, core competencies, systems and current position, page two with further roles, education, further training and languages. From around fifteen years of experience onward, condense the early years into a single line. Three pages are only justifiable if you have an unusually broad project list, for example several ERP implementations with clearly distinct roles.
The photo is still common practice in Switzerland: neutral background, business attire, current and professionally taken. Also expected are place of residence with canton, nationality or permit status, year of birth, and details on availability and notice period. For positions with signing authority or access to payment runs, a current criminal record extract and debt collection register extract are often requested - mention your willingness to provide these if stated in the job posting.
Pay attention to details relevant to your field: consistent number formats, correct dates without gaps, and no calculation errors in the figures cited. A Controller CV with inconsistent formats looks like a report with incorrect totals. Save the dossier as a single PDF file with a clear file name and attach reference letters and diplomas in the order specified in the job posting.
Where Controller are hired in Switzerland
How the 54 open positions are spread across the cantons.
Figures as a table
| Canton | postings |
|---|---|
| Zürich | 6 |
| Basel-Stadt | 3 |
| Thurgau | 3 |
| Aargau | 2 |
| Bern | 2 |
| Genf | 2 |
| St. Gallen | 1 |
| Luzern | 1 |
Which languages the postings require
Of 42 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| German | 30 (29) |
| English | 23 (22) |
| French | 3 (2) |
Who hires Controller in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| UBP - Union Bancaire Privée | 2 |
| Baumer Group | 2 |
| GETEC Group | 1 |
| LIVIQUE | 1 |
| CKW | 1 |
| Swissbit AG | 1 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 48 |
| Teilzeit / partiel | 1 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Simon Achermann
Senior Controller, Certified Expert in Accounting and Controlling
Senior Controller with twelve years of experience in financial controlling for manufacturing and multi-site companies with revenues of up to CHF 180 million. Core areas are monthly and annual financial statements under the Swiss Code of Obligations and Swiss GAAP FER, contribution margin and cost centre accounting, and rolling forecasts in SAP CO and LucaNet. I combine robust figures with decision papers that executive management and the board of directors understand without follow-up questions.
What sets me apart
Closing expertise under two accounting standards: I prepare monthly, half-yearly and annual financial statements under the Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 957 et seq.) and convert them into Swiss GAAP FER reporting including notes and cash flow statement.
Cost accounting that supports operations: Setting up overhead cost accounting, cost centre and cost unit accounting with machine-based hourly rates; retrospective costing uncovered around CHF 1.4 million of misvaluations in production per year.
Forecast instead of hindsight: Rolling 12-month forecast with a driver model for sales volume, material price index and FTE; forecast accuracy at EBIT level has been within 3 percent deviation for eight consecutive quarters.
ICS and audit readiness: Documentation of the internal control system under Art. 728a of the Swiss Code of Obligations with 34 key controls; the limited statutory audit has passed three years in a row without a management letter finding.
Key achievements
Reduced monthly closing from 9 to 4 working days. Standardised accrual logic, an automated interface from SAP CO to LucaNet and a fast-close calendar cut the closing time by 5 working days and saved around 480 person-hours per year.
Increased gross margin by 2.4 percentage points. Contribution margin analysis across 1,200 items identified 180 positions below contribution margin II; price adjustments and range rationalisation generated CHF 3.1 million in additional contribution margin.
Freed up CHF 4.8 million in working capital. Accounts receivable reporting with a weekly ageing list and automated reminder levels reduced DSO from 62 to 47 days and overdue amounts beyond 90 days by 71 percent.
Experience
Senior Controller / Head of Group Controlling — Alpstein Precision AG, Winterthur, since 03/2020
Industrial group with CHF 180 million revenue, 4 companies in Switzerland and Germany, 620 employees; leading a team of 3 controllers.
- Reduced monthly closing from 9 to 4 working days and built the consolidation of 4 companies in LucaNet (full consolidation, EUR currency translation).
- Introduced contribution margin accounting across 1,200 items; range and pricing measures increased contribution margin by CHF 3.1 million (plus 2.4 percentage points gross margin).
- Redesigned the budgeting process with 46 cost centre managers; reduced cycle time from 11 to 6 weeks and lowered the plan-actual deviation at EBIT level from 6.8 to 2.7 percent.
- Documented the ICS under Art. 728a of the Swiss Code of Obligations with 34 key controls; three consecutive audits without any finding in the management letter.
Controller — Limmattal Retail Group AG, Dietikon, 08/2016 - 02/2020
Retail group with 38 stores, CHF 95 million revenue, reporting to CFO and board of directors.
- Built store and floor-space reporting (revenue per m2, personnel cost ratio) in Power BI; reduced manual reporting effort by 120 hours per year.
- Prepared investment appraisals with payback and net present value for 11 store renovations worth CHF 12 million; 3 projects with negative net present value were stopped.
- Introduced a rolling 12-month forecast; improved net revenue forecast deviation from 7.5 to 2.9 percent.
- Prepared personnel cost planning on an FTE basis for 410 employees and reconciled it monthly with the Abacus payroll journal.
Junior Controller / Accounting Clerk — Nordwind Logistik AG, Kloten, 09/2012 - 07/2016
Transport and warehousing services provider with CHF 48 million revenue and 45 cost centres.
- Prepared the monthly overhead cost accounting sheet for 45 cost centres and revised allocation keys; cost centre deviations became newly explainable at route level.
- Prepared quarterly VAT returns (effective method) including input tax correction for mixed use; 16 returns with no additional charge from the FTA.
- Managed accounts receivable with an annual volume of CHF 40 million; reduced outstanding amounts over 60 days by 34 percent within 12 months.
- Prepared a fleet cost analysis for 62 vehicles; a leasing instead of purchase decision saved CHF 210,000 over three years.
Education
Federal Diploma, Expert in Accounting and Controlling — Controller Akademie / veb.ch, Zurich · 2019
Federal Certificate, Finance and Accounting — KV Business School Zurich · 2015
Basic Vocational Training EFZ, Profile E, Services and Administration sector — Berufsfachschule Winterthur · 2012
Swiss GAAP FER Update Seminar, veb.ch (2024) · SAP S/4HANA Controlling (CO) User Certificate (2022) · Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst PL-300 (2023) · Seminar on ICS for SMEs under Art. 728a of the Swiss Code of Obligations (2021)