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Your Route to a Treasury Career - Graduate Guidelines
The treasury department is at the heart of an organisation's operations and presents an exciting environment for a new graduate. The following guidelines offer advice to the ambitious graduate seeking to enter the treasury profession. Any degree discipline is acceptable although accountancy, finance, economics or mathematics would be useful.
Routes into Treasury
Direct access
Write to a treasurer at the head office address with a CV and reasons for interest in treasury; request a visit to the department. (Most treasurers are very approachable as they are keen to see new entrants to the profession.)
Graduate training programmes
Many large companies will have training programmes for financial/accounting graduates. Request a secondment, perhaps of three months, to the treasury function. (You may be offered a permanent position in treasury once one becomes available.)
Associated departments
Join a company through the tax, corporate, finance, legal or accounting functions. This will give you an insight into how the treasury department works and any possibilities to move across.
Corporate vs bank treasury
It is not only corporates that have a treasury function. Banks provide financial services to businesses and have their own centres of treasury specialists to provide advice and products for the increasingly complex financial world. Many individuals move from one side of the fence to work on the other.
The steps for gaining access into a bank treasury role are very similar to those above.
Further study
The ACT provide the only recognised qualifications in treasury. These provide a comprehensive education in treasury matters and an excellent general grounding in financial management. They do not rely on practical experience. The study fees are often paid by a supportive employer.
Once you have completed the Associate exams, securing a position in treasury will be a lot easier - especially through all the contacts you will make during the two years of study.
A masters degree in a financial/management related discipline will enhance your CV and will offer insight into new opportunities including treasury.
Finally….a note from a treasurer……
While treasury is often seen as a specialised role, it has far reaching effects on the success of a business and opens a wealth of opportunities which, on a personal note, will rarely be bettered.
Below is a recent advert and job description for a graduate position with a FTSE 100 company, and while such opportunities are rarely advertised, it provides an example of the role a new entrant could expect.
Position of Treasury Analyst
X plc is currently seeking to recruit an ambitious graduate with numerate disciplines into the Treasury department. The post is for the position of Treasury Analyst.
Brief Description
The emphasis of this role is one of analysing and managing the Group's financial exposures, and will involve a significant amount of financial engineering. We are particularly interested in those individuals that can demonstrate good methodology, flair and versatility. The chosen individual can expect a competitive salary and benefits package along with rewarding career opportunities within X group.
Job Title : Treasury Analyst
Department: Corporate Treasury - Company Headquarters
Purpose of Position
- To transact the Group's internal and external foreign exchange and money market deals
- To monitor he Group's foreign currency exposures and recommend their appropriate management.
- To provide a currency risk advisory service to all areas of the X group.
- To continually develop financial risk management strategies to enhance the Group's overall profitability, making use of the latest financial techniques available.
- To ensure the integrity of the Group's relationships with banks and other financial institutions.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will exhibit a high degree of numeracy (preferably possessing a degree in accountancy, finance, economics or maths).
Strong analytical capability is essential. Knowledge of Windows based packages (e.g. Excel) would be useful, although not essential.
No prior knowledge of the financial markets is required. Assistance will be provided to undertake both the associate, and on completion, the membership exams for the Association of Corporate Treasurers.
Job Characteristics
The successful applicant will
- Need to work to a high level of accuracy, under pressure associated with dealing with large amounts of money in the financial markets (trades are regularly in excess of US$50m)
- Have the ability to analyse information, write concise reports and present a well reasoned verbal argument when required.
- Be able to communicate effectively with people at all levels both inside and outside the company.
- Be able to work efficiently within a small team.
If you are a graduate and would like further information on joining the treasury profession, why not read one of the profiles on the following websites:
Alternatively, please e-mail us at graduates@treasurers.org with any queries.
