Acting Financial Controller: How to Turn a Temporary Step Up Into the Permanent Role
An acting Financial Controller role is one of the best opportunities a finance professional can get. It is also one of the easiest to waste.
You get to do the job before you have the title. You find out whether you like it. The business sees you in the role. If you do it well, you have the strongest possible case for the permanent position.
But many people treat acting roles as a holding pattern. They keep things ticking over, avoid big decisions and wait for the permanent appointment. Then the business goes to market and hires someone else.
This article explains how to turn an acting Financial Controller role into a permanent position, and how to leverage the experience if the organisation decides to look elsewhere.
Why acting roles matter so much
For a hiring manager, the biggest risk in promoting someone is not knowing how they will perform in the bigger role. An acting role removes much of that risk. They can watch you do the job.
That works in both directions. If you perform well, you become the safe choice. If you play it safe and simply maintain the status quo, you give them no reason to choose you over an external candidate who promises more.
Treat it as the job, not a stopgap
The single most important thing you can do is behave like the permanent Financial Controller from day one.
That means making decisions rather than deferring them. Setting priorities for the team. Raising issues with the CFO early. Presenting results with confidence. Taking ownership when things go wrong.
It also means thinking beyond the next month-end. What would you change if the role were yours? Start doing some of it. Even small improvements show that you can lead, not just maintain.
Agree on what success looks like
Early in the acting period, have a direct conversation with your manager, usually the CFO. Ask what they need from the role while you are in it, and what they would be looking for in the permanent appointment.
This does two things. It gives you clear targets. And it signals that you want the permanent role, which many acting Financial Controllers never actually say.
Be specific. “I would like to be considered for the permanent role. What would you need to see from me over the next three months to feel confident?” is a professional, useful question.
Deliver something visible
Keeping month-end on track is important, but it is expected. To stand out, deliver at least one thing that is clearly yours.
That might be cutting a day from the close, fixing a long-standing reconciliation problem, improving the management reporting pack, closing an audit issue or leading the budget. Choose something the CFO cares about, and make sure they know it happened.
Visible results give the business a concrete reason to appoint you. They also give you strong achievements for your resume, no matter what happens.
Lead the team properly
Acting roles can be awkward when you are managing former peers. Some people avoid the leadership side to keep relationships comfortable. That is a mistake.
The team needs direction, especially during a transition. Set clear expectations, run regular team meetings, address issues directly and support people through the change. Your CFO will be watching how the team responds to you.
If someone in the team also wanted the role, handle it with care. Acknowledge the situation privately and focus on the work. How you manage that relationship will say a lot about your leadership.
Build relationships outside finance
A permanent Financial Controller works with operations, sales, HR, IT and the executive team. Use the acting period to build those relationships.
Meet the key people. Ask what they need from finance. Follow through on what you promise. When the appointment decision is made, it helps enormously if leaders outside finance are saying good things about you.
Questions to ask at the start
When you are asked to act, clarify a few things before you begin. How long is the acting period expected to last? What decisions can you make without approval? Who covers your substantive role? Will you attend executive or board meetings? Is there an acting allowance?
Clear answers set you up to succeed. They also show the CFO that you think about scope and accountability, which is exactly what they want from a Financial Controller.
Keep a record
Keep a simple running log of what you deliver during the acting period. Month-end timings. Issues resolved. Decisions made. Presentations given. Improvements introduced. Feedback received.
You will use this in two ways. First, in any internal interview or conversation about the permanent role. Second, on your resume, whether you stay or go. Details fade quickly, so write them down as you go.
If there is a formal recruitment process
Many organisations run a formal process, even when an internal candidate is strong. Do not take it personally. It is often a governance requirement, or the CFO wants to test the market.
Prepare as seriously as you would for an external role. Update your resume. Prepare examples. Research what the business will need from the role over the next two years. Internal candidates often under-prepare because they assume the panel knows them. The panel does know you, which means they will notice if you do not bring your best.
My article on internal interviews for promotion covers this in more depth.
Handling the CFO relationship
Acting in the Financial Controller role usually means working much more closely with the CFO. This relationship is critical. The CFO is most likely the person making the decision on the permanent appointment.
Understand how the CFO likes to work. Do they want detailed updates or short summaries? Do they want issues raised as they happen or grouped weekly? Do they like options or recommendations? Adjust your approach to fit.
Above all, make their life easier. A CFO who feels the finance function is in safe hands during a vacancy will think very carefully before replacing you with someone new.
What if the role is too much right now?
Sometimes acting shows you that you are not ready yet, or that you do not want the role at all. That is valuable information, not a failure.
If you find the leadership load heavy or the executive exposure uncomfortable, say so honestly and ask for support. Many first-time Financial Controllers feel the same. If you decide the role is not for you, the experience still strengthens your resume and helps you choose a better next step, perhaps in a smaller business or a more technical role.
Acting roles and pay
Acting roles do not always come with an acting allowance. If you are taking on significantly more responsibility for an extended period, it is reasonable to ask whether a higher duties allowance applies. Many organisations, particularly in the public sector, have a formal policy.
Raise it professionally and early. It shows you understand the value of the role, which is exactly the thinking you want the CFO to see.
How to present acting experience on your resume
Acting experience deserves clear, prominent space. Do not bury it in a single line under your substantive role.
A good approach is to include the acting role as a separate entry or a clearly labelled sub-heading, with dates, scope and achievements.
Acting Financial Controller (four months), national logistics business
Led finance for a $180 million business with four entities and a team of six during a vacancy.
Delivered four month-end closes on day five and the half-year review with no audit adjustments.
Presented monthly results to the CEO and executive team.
Resolved a $300,000 intercompany reconciliation issue that had carried for two years.
Led the FY budget process for 18 cost centres.
That gives a future employer clear evidence that you have already done the Financial Controller role.
If they appoint someone else
Sometimes the business chooses an external candidate. It is disappointing, but it is not the end of the story.
First, ask for honest feedback. What was missing? What would have made the difference? The answer is valuable, even if it is hard to hear.
Second, support the new Financial Controller professionally. How you behave now will be remembered, and it will shape your references.
Third, decide whether to stay. If the business sees you as ready soon, staying may make sense. If not, your acting experience makes you a much stronger external candidate than you were before. Many people land their first permanent Financial Controller role elsewhere within a year of acting.
Using acting experience in external interviews
External panels will ask about your acting role. Common questions include why you were not appointed permanently and what you would do differently.
Answer honestly and without bitterness. “The business chose an experienced external candidate with listed company experience, which was a gap for me. I learned a lot from acting in the role, particularly about leading the team through change, and I am now looking for a Financial Controller role where my experience fits” is a strong, credible answer.
Common mistakes
Treating the acting role as a holding pattern
Never telling the CFO you want the permanent role
Avoiding leadership decisions to keep former peers comfortable
Not keeping a record of what you delivered
Under-preparing for an internal interview
Hiding acting experience in one line on your resume
Your next step
If you are acting now, write down one visible improvement you can deliver in the next 60 days and one conversation you need to have with your CFO about the permanent role. If you acted in the past, rewrite that period on your resume as its own entry with clear achievements.
If you want your resume and LinkedIn to show that you have already done the job, my Gold package covers your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn and positioning strategy.
If you are acting and want help making the case for the permanent role, book a complimentary Clarity Session.
