Entering a new organization can be a daunting task for anyone, but as a new Controller, it’s imperative that you get up to speed quickly in order to make sure that there are no interruptions to day-to-day business practices. Focusing on the three Ps – Planning, People, and Processes – can help you transition smoothly into your new role and help you add immediate value.
1. Planning: Setting the Foundation for a Successful Transition
Effective planning is essential to avoid panic in leadership transitions.
Key priorities:
- Meet with your team to understand and meet immediate deadlines such as payroll, bill payments, grant reporting and tax returns. Discuss pain points to determine if there are any areas where you can make immediate improvements.
- Meet with IT to gain access to the former controller’s email, accounting and bill pay systems.
- Reach out to banking contacts to get on-line access and change signature cards, if appropriate.
- Review status of receivables to ensure that invoices have been sent and to follow up on old, outstanding amounts.
- If working with Federal money, make sure that you have access to all Federal systems and that requirements are being met.
- Review current policy and procedures guides to determine if what’s documented is really happening.
It’s important to spend time understanding your organization’s strategic goals and aligning immediate actions to drive progress and meet all deadlines. With a well-defined roadmap, you’ll be positioned to make impactful decisions from the start.
2. People: Building Trust Through Listening and Relationships
As a new Controller, your ability to succeed depends significantly on relationships with key stakeholders. Begin with a “listening tour” to foster understanding, build trust and begin collaboration. Make it a priority to meet with:
- Executive leadership to understand organizational vision and goals.
- Department heads to align on operational priorities.
- Board members and external stakeholders, such as financial institutions, major donors and vendors to gain broader perspectives on the organization.
The listening tour lets you identify pain points, assess team dynamics, and develop a rapport with colleagues. Building strong interpersonal connections helps you integrate into the culture and ensures effective teamwork and communication.
3. Processes: Trust, Verify, and Optimize
Understanding your organization’s financial processes is vital for your success. Adopt a “trust but verify” approach, where you can review, test, and refine existing processes and controls.
Key processes to walk through include:
- Financial reporting and internal controls to ensure compliance and accuracy.
- Budgeting and forecasting mechanisms to identify potential improvements.
- Audit readiness and documentation for a smooth review process.
Walk-through tests—commonly used in audits—can help gauge the reliability of these processes. This step not only builds confidence in existing processes but also identifies opportunities for improvement. Ensuring you have clear documentation of all key processes provides the foundation needed to operate effectively.
Bringing It All Together
The first few months of your tenure is critical. By focusing on planning, people, and processes, you create an environment where you can thrive. A clear plan ensures that you are ready on day one to build a collaborative network of strong relationships and refine any processes for the mission-driven organization to succeed. If you need assistance reach out to us at Han Group.
