What Do Financial Managers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Financial Managers direct and coordinate financial activities of workers in a branch, office, or department of an establishment, such as branch bank, brokerage firm, risk and insurance department, or credit department. They also examine, evaluate, or process loan applications.

Other tasks include:

• Approve, reject, or coordinate the approval or rejection of lines of credit or commercial, real estate, or personal loans.
• Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of workers in branches, offices, or departments of establishments, such as branch banks, brokerage firms, risk and insurance departments, or credit departments.
• Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter.
• Oversee the flow of cash or financial instruments.
• Prepare financial or regulatory reports required by laws, regulations, or boards of directors.
• Develop or analyze information to assess the current or future financial status of firms.

We asked Financial Managers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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77% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 47% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Financial Managers oversee the flow of cash or financial instruments. They develop or analyze information to assess the current or future financial status of firms.

A typical day for a Branch or Department Financial Manager will also include:

• Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of workers in branches, offices, or departments of establishments, such as branch banks, brokerage firms, risk and insurance departments, or credit departments.
• Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter.
• Examine, evaluate, or process loan applications.
• Approve, reject, or coordinate the approval or rejection of lines of credit or commercial, real estate, or personal loans.
• Analyze and classify risks and investments to determine their potential impacts on companies.

We asked some Financial Managers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	100% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	55% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	99% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	52% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	22% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	65% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Financial Managers also review reports of securities transactions or price lists to analyze market conditions. They may also analyze and classify risks and investments to determine their potential impacts on companies.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Financial Managers Prepare operational or risk reports for management analysis. They might also Prepare financial or regulatory reports required by laws, regulations, or boards of directors.

In addition, they Review collection reports to determine the status of collections and the amounts of outstanding balances.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Evaluate financial reporting systems, accounting or collection procedures, or investment activities and make recommendations for changes to procedures, operating systems, budgets, or other financial control functions.

To some Financial Managers, it is also their responsibility to Communicate with stockholders or other investors to provide information or to raise capital.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Branch or Department Financial Manager, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/management/financial-managers.htm

http://www.fma.org/

http://www.afponline.org/

https://www.cfainstitute.org/