What Do Treasurers and Controllers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Treasurers and Controllers direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization. They also supervise employees performing financial reporting, accounting, billing, collections, payroll, and budgeting duties.

Other tasks include:

• Coordinate and direct the financial planning, budgeting, procurement, or investment activities of all or part of an organization.
• Develop internal control policies, guidelines, and procedures for activities such as budget administration, cash and credit management, and accounting.
• Maintain current knowledge of organizational policies and procedures, federal and state policies and directives, and current accounting standards.
• Prepare or direct preparation of financial statements, business activity reports, financial position forecasts, annual budgets, or reports required by regulatory agencies.
• Provide direction and assistance to other organizational units regarding accounting and budgeting policies and procedures and efficient control and utilization of financial resources.
• Analyze the financial details of past, present, and expected operations to identify development opportunities and areas where improvement is needed.

We asked Treasurers and Controllers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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75% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 62% 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, Treasurers and Controllers receive, record, and authorize requests for disbursements in accordance with company policies and procedures. They supervise employees performing financial reporting, accounting, billing, collections, payroll, and budgeting duties.

A typical day for a Treasurer and Controller will also include:

• Receive cash and checks and make deposits.
• Monitor financial activities and details, such as cash flow and reserve levels, to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met.
• Provide direction and assistance to other organizational units regarding accounting and budgeting policies and procedures and efficient control and utilization of financial resources.
• Coordinate and direct the financial planning, budgeting, procurement, or investment activities of all or part of an organization.
• Maintain current knowledge of organizational policies and procedures, federal and state policies and directives, and current accounting standards.

We asked some Treasurers and Controllers 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?	97% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	43% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	93% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	20% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	47% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Treasurers and Controllers also compute, withhold, and account for all payroll deductions. They may also analyze the financial details of past, present, and expected operations to identify development opportunities and areas where improvement is needed.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Treasurers and Controllers Prepare or direct preparation of financial statements, business activity reports, financial position forecasts, annual budgets, or reports required by regulatory agencies. They might also Perform tax planning work.

In addition, they Monitor financial activities and details, such as cash flow and reserve levels, to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Evaluate needs for procurement of funds and investment of surpluses and make appropriate recommendations.

To some Treasurers and Controllers, it is also their responsibility to Maintain current knowledge of organizational policies and procedures, federal and state policies and directives, and current accounting standards.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Treasurer and Controller, 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 following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also 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.

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/