Group Controller CV: Example and Template
How to structure your CV as a Group Controller so that consolidation experience, closing expertise and reporting systems are immediately recognisable.
Currently 7 open Group Controller positions in Switzerland, 3 of them from the last 7 days. GETEC Group 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.
What qualifications are expected for a Group Controller in Switzerland?
A degree in business administration from a university of applied sciences or university is usually expected, plus further training in accounting - ideally the Federal Diploma of Higher Education as Certified Expert in Accounting and Controlling.
State your qualifications using titles commonly used in Switzerland: Federal Certificate in Financial and Managerial Accounting, Certified Expert in Accounting and Controlling (HFP), Certified Public Accountant, or a Master's in Accounting and Finance. If you come from auditing, that is a strong signal - state clearly how many group financial statements you have audited and under which standard.
The decisive proof is the accounting language. Specify whether you consolidate under Swiss GAAP FER (including FER 30 group accounts), IFRS or US GAAP, and whether you also prepare standalone OR financial statements for the tax authorities in parallel. If you have independently handled first-time adoptions, purchase price allocations, impairment tests or deferred taxes, this belongs explicitly in the CV.
Add system-related certifications, as they are often mandatory in job postings: LucaNet, CCH Tagetik, SAP Group Reporting, OneStream or Oracle HFM. Further training from veb.ch, EXPERTsuisse or the Controller Akademie also shows that you stay up to date on FER audits and IFRS changes.
How do I build a convincing work experience section as a Group Controller?
For each position, first describe the consolidation scope, then three to four results with figures.
Add a brief context line under each position: group revenue, number of consolidated companies, number of countries and currencies, team size, and who you reported to. A Group Controller with 18 companies in 9 countries has a completely different profile from someone with three Swiss units - the reader must recognise this within five seconds.
Then quantify your impact using metrics that matter in group reporting: fast close duration in working days, reduction of intercompany differences in CHF, forecast accuracy in percent, working capital or DSO improvements, number of automated reports and hours saved. Example: "Halved closing time from 12 to 6 working days" instead of "Optimised the closing process".
Also show the project side, since group controlling is rarely pure routine. Acquisitions and integrations into the consolidation scope, system migrations, building a consolidation manual, introducing a rolling forecast or preparing an ICS under OR 728a are the topics that set you apart from a pure financial accountant.
How long should the CV be, and is a photo needed?
Two pages are standard, and a professional portrait photo is still customary in Switzerland and is generally expected.
Keep it to two A4 pages, even with ten or more years of experience. The last two to three positions should each get four bullet points, older roles can be summarised in one line. A three-sentence profile at the top plus an "At a Glance" section with consolidation scope, standards and systems helps the HR manager enormously.
A professional portrait photo in the top right, place of residence, nationality or residence permit (e.g. C or B), and year of birth are common practice in Switzerland. State CHF amounts with an apostrophe (CHF 85'000) and list your language levels according to the CEFR. English at C1 level is practically a prerequisite for group functions; French or Italian are a real advantage for groups with units in French-speaking Switzerland or Ticino.
Avoid unexplained gaps and state your availability as well as your notice period - three months is normal at this level. List references as "available upon request", and include work references and copies of diplomas with your dossier, as these are expected in Switzerland. Adapt keywords such as Swiss GAAP FER, IFRS, LucaNet or fast close to the specific job posting so that your dossier also gets through the pre-selection.
Which languages the postings require
Of 6 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| German | 6 (6) |
| English | 2 (2) |
Who hires Group Controller in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| GETEC Group | 1 |
| Swissbit AG | 1 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 7 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Simon Brunner
Group Controller, Certified Expert in Accounting and Controlling (MAS Corporate Finance)
Group Controller with 11 years of experience in group consolidation for a publicly listed industrial group with 18 companies in 9 countries. Responsible for monthly, half-year and annual financial statements under Swiss GAAP FER and IFRS, segment reporting, currency translation under IAS 21, and the group-wide budget and forecast process covering CHF 480 million in revenue. Combines technical closing expertise with automation in LucaNet and SAP S/4HANA, acting as a sparring partner for the CFO and the auditor.
What sets me apart
Consolidation mastered in detail: Independently set up capital, debt and expense/income consolidation, elimination of intercompany profits and equity valuation - including purchase price allocation for two acquisitions with CHF 62 million in transaction volume.
Dual accounting background: Runs Swiss GAAP FER 30 group accounts and IFRS reporting for bank covenants in parallel; knows the reconciliation differences in leasing (IFRS 16), pensions (IAS 19 vs. FER 16) and development costs.
System-based automation: Led the migration of the consolidation tool from Excel to LucaNet: eliminated 240 manual mapping steps, reduced the error rate in the intercompany reconciliation process from 4.2% to 0.3%.
Interface with the auditor: Maintains audit files, the consolidation manual and ICS evidence under OR 728a; completed the last three audits with no management letter findings of material significance.
Key achievements
Fast close from 12 to 6 working days. Restructured the group closing process, standardised the reporting calendar for 18 units and automated intercompany matching - halving the closing time with unchanged headcount.
Working capital reduced by CHF 14.8 million. Introduced group-wide DSO/DIO monitoring per company; reduced DSO from 62 to 48 days, cutting net financing costs by CHF 310'000 per year.
Forecast accuracy increased to 97%. Built a rolling forecast (5 quarters) with a driver-based model per segment; reduced the EBIT forecast-to-actual variance from 9.4% to 3.1%.
Experience
Group Controller — Helvetia Precision Group AG, Zug, 2019 - present
Publicly listed industrial group, CHF 480 million revenue, 18 companies in 9 countries, team of 3 Group Accountants.
- Responsible for group financial statements under Swiss GAAP FER 30 as well as the IFRS reporting package; reduced closing time from 12 to 6 working days.
- Manages the budget process covering CHF 480 million in revenue and CHF 38 million in capital expenditure across 18 units within a 9-week calendar.
- Consolidated two acquisitions (CHF 62 million) including PPA and goodwill impairment testing under FER 2.13 into the scope within 5 months.
- Automated 24 monthly reports in Power BI, reducing manual effort in group reporting by 320 hours per year.
Senior Group Accountant — Nordwand Consumer Holding AG, Basel, 2015 - 2019
Family-controlled trading group, CHF 210 million revenue, 9 subsidiaries, reporting to the CFO.
- Prepared quarterly and annual consolidation for 9 companies in CCH Tagetik; reduced intercompany differences from CHF 1.9 million to under CHF 40'000.
- Introduced a group policy for currency translation under IAS 21 and documented 34 accounting matters in the consolidation manual.
- Supported the initial transition from OR accounting to Swiss GAAP FER within 8 months, with an opening balance free of audit qualifications.
- Reduced the number of open audit findings from 11 to 2 within two audit cycles.
Controller / Audit Assistant — Rheintal Audit & Advisory AG, St. Gallen, 2012 - 2015
Mid-sized audit firm, mandates ranging from CHF 20 million to CHF 300 million in revenue.
- Conducted 28 ordinary and limited statutory audits under Swiss Auditing Standards (PS) as a team member.
- Audited 6 group financial statements under Swiss GAAP FER, including determination of the consolidation scope and deferred tax calculation.
- Developed a cost accounting model for 4 SME mandates that for the first time enabled contribution margin transparency at the product group level.
Education
Certified Expert in Accounting and Controlling, Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education (HFP) — Controller Akademie / SVF · 2018
MAS, Corporate Finance — Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Business · 2015
Bachelor of Science FH, Business Administration, majoring in Accounting & Controlling — ZHAW School of Management and Law · 2012
Federal Certificate in Financial and Managerial Accounting (eidg. FA), 2014 · Swiss GAAP FER Update Seminar, veb.ch, 2023 · IFRS Certificate Program, ACCA, 2021 · LucaNet Certified Consultant - Consolidation, 2020