Corporate treasurer

Corporate treasurer job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Corporate treasurers are employed by major/multinational companies operating within a range of industries including retail, telecommunications and manufacturing. Typical responsibilities of the job comprise:

• assessing, reviewing and protecting company financial wellbeing;
• ensuring cash flow is adequate;
• handling daily cash balances and the money market;
• ensuring that proposed projects are likely to be beneficial;
• managing major projects such as company re-financing;
• assessing the likely impact of problems such as late payments, limited cash flow etc;
• making decisions about company funding options, insurance contracts and other financial issues;
• carrying out risk management activities;
• liaising with company investors, bankers and senior managers;
• negotiating and evaluating overdrafts and loans with bankers;
• problem solving;
• planning;
• writing reports;
• maintaining records;
• recruiting, training and supervising junior staff;
• attending board meetings;
• making company board presentations;
• keeping up-to-date with developments within the profession/industry.

Corporate treasury is a popular career choice, offering only a small number of direct graduate entry vacancies each year. The majority of these arise in London and other major UK and international cities. Vacancies are advertised via the internet, by careers services, specialist recruitment agencies, in national newspapers, and publications such as TARGETjobs City & Finance, Business Week, The Financial Times, The London Financial News, The London Evening Standard, Investors Chronicle, The Economist, and The Treasurer.

Undertaking relevant sector/company research, attending presentations, networking and speculative applications are essential. The Association of Corporate Treasurers produce a list of larger employers, which may be a useful source of contact information.

Qualifications and training required

A good honours degree (min 2.1) in a subject such as business studies, management, accountancy, finance, mathematics or economics is usually required for entry into the profession. Relevant paid or voluntary experience gained via job shadowing, vacation work and placements (often known as internships) is particularly beneficial.

Key skills for corporate treasurers

Employers look for adaptable graduates with good IT, analytical, interpersonal, numerical, time management and verbal/written communication skills. Familiarity with how the money markets operate and the work of corporate treasury departments is advantageous.