$143.91k
Agency: Department of State HeadquartersDepartment: Department of StateSalary: Starting at $143,913 Per year (GS 14)Dates: Open 09/21/2026 to 10/02/2026Schedule: Full-timeWork type: PermanentRelocation: FalsePosition ID:…
Finance & Accounting · Washington, DC
Controller jobs in Washington, DC
Controllers run the accounting function of a company. They own the close process, financial reporting, and internal controls, and manage the accounting team that keeps the numbers accurate and audit-ready.
375
Open roles today
$54–$132/hr
Typical pay range
$175k
Median, full-time
4
Fresh in this list
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01
Open controller roles
6 shown of 375 · sorted by freshness
$85.1k - $127.7k
, and Sales.Why This Role MattersThe Washington Post’s Finance Department is seeking an experienced Senior Accountant to join our Financial Accounting and Reporting team. This role is pivotal in ensuring the integrity of…
$110k - $140k
Our client is seeking an experienced Controller to lead accounting and financial reporting activities related to project-based operations. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate financial reporting, job cost mana…
in Washington, District of Columbia. This role focuses on maintaining strong control over cash activity, banking administration, and reporting while helping ensure smooth day-to-day financial operations. The ideal candid…
$125k - $140k
Learn more at . Job Description The Assistant Controller is a senior member of the Accounting and Shared Services team... ...closely with the Controller and VP of Finance to support accurate financial reporting, strong i…
providers, managed care organizations, and states. The Corporate Controller is a key member of the Accounting leadership team and serves... ...the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the Company’s GAAP financial repor…
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What controllers earn in Washington
Hourly first — that's how the offer arrives
| Experience | Hourly | Annual, full-time |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $54–$72 | $112k–$150k |
| Mid level | $72–$96 | $150k–$200k |
| Senior | $93–$132 | $194k–$275k |
Adjusted for the Washington market from national ranges.
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What employers ask for
The skills these listings keep naming
GAAP and technical accountingFinancial reportingInternal controlsTeam managementMonth-end and year-end closeAudit managementERP systems (NetSuite, SAP)Cash flow managementProcess documentation
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Interview questions worth rehearsing
With the thing the interviewer is actually listening for
How have you improved a close process you inherited?
Give the before and after in days, and the specific changes: reconciliation cadence, checklist ownership, or automation. Show the team came along with the change.
Tell me about your experience managing an external audit.
Describe owning the PBC list, keeping schedules ready year-round, and how the audit concluded — ideally with no material adjustments and a shorter fieldwork period.
How do you design internal controls without slowing the business down?
Show risk-based thinking: strong controls where dollars and fraud risk concentrate, lighter touch elsewhere, and automation where judgment is not needed.
How do you develop and retain your accounting team?
Mention clear ownership of areas, cross-training to remove single points of failure, and giving seniors visible stretch work like audit or systems projects.
Describe a technical accounting issue you had to research and resolve.
Pick something real — revenue recognition, leases, capitalization — and walk through the guidance you applied and how you documented the position.
How do you work with FP&A and the CFO?
Frame the controller as the source of trustworthy actuals: clean, timely closes that let FP&A forecast and the CFO speak to the board with confidence.
Tell me about a time you found or prevented a material problem.
Show vigilance plus process: how the issue surfaced, how you contained and corrected it, and the control you added afterward.
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Resume tips that move the needle
For controllers specifically — generic advice costs you here
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Lead with the scope you controlled: revenue, entity count, team size, and audit firm relationships.
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Quantify close discipline, for example a consistent five-day close across a multi-entity consolidation.
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Name clean audit outcomes and any first-year audits or system implementations you led.
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Include CPA licensure prominently; most controller postings treat it as required.
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Show a systems story, such as migrating from QuickBooks to NetSuite, since controllers often own that transition.
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Where this role goes
Typical progression
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Senior Accountant
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Accounting Manager
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Assistant Controller
04
Controller
05
VP of Finance / CFO
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