The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Graduate Scheme (Finance/Treasury)
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Daily cash positioning, basic bank reconciliations, understanding payment processes, initial data gathering for forecasts, and getting to grips with our core systems.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently accurate daily cash reports.
- Ability to independently reconcile bank accounts with minimal errors.
- Proactive in identifying and escalating discrepancies.
- Solid understanding of our internal controls and procedures.
- 2
Accounts Assistant / Junior Finance Role
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Moving from general ledger work to understanding cash flow impacts, mastering Excel for financial analysis, and learning the operational side of banking and payments.
You're ready to move on when
- Demonstrated strong attention to detail in previous roles (e.g., audit feedback).
- Proactive interest in cash management and treasury functions.
- Strong Excel skills for data manipulation and basic modelling.
- Ability to quickly learn new financial systems and processes.
- 3
Operations Analyst (Banking/Financial Services)
2-4 yearsSkills to master
- Translating banking operations knowledge into corporate treasury needs, understanding internal finance processes, and adapting to a corporate rather than bank environment.
You're ready to move on when
- Deep understanding of payment systems and bank statements.
- Experience with bank portals and operational troubleshooting.
- Strong communication skills for interacting with banking partners.
- Ability to apply a 'client-side' perspective to treasury operations.