There’s a highly capable treasurer I know who has over 26 years of experience in some amazing roles.

He approached me recently and said something I couldn’t fathom…

“I don’t really know how the recruitment process works”.

You see, in those 26 years, he’s NEVER had to network.

His first few companies effectively became one business through mergers and acquisitions. Then a couple of later roles came through single-conversation introductions.

So one conversation here, a former colleague there, maybe a recommendation from an old boss…

Each time, his next role basically just appeared.

That is, until now.

Now the business is winding things down and his role is disappearing.

Suddenly, he’s having to go to the job market for the first time in years.

And his reaction was panic because he had never properly built his network.

The problem for him (and many other treasurers) is that networking works best long before you need it.

Treasury professionals can go years without really building an external network because treasury careers are often stable for long periods.

You could join as an analyst, progress internally, move with a manager, and before you know it, 15 years have passed without ever really needing to network.

But then one day…

The CFO changes, the company restructures, the role winds down, the team gets cut, and suddenly you need the network you never built.

And the thing is, networking isn’t just for finding jobs when you need one.

With a good network, your next job will find YOU.

Opportunities often come through conversations long before they become job adverts…

• A former colleague hears about a restructure.
• A recruiter remembers your name because they met you last month.
• A treasurer remembers speaking to you at an event.

That’s how a lot of treasury hiring actually works.

So, take a minute and think…

How does your network look right now? Have you been neglecting it?

I know a lot of treasury professionals are brilliant at networking for their company.

They maintain relationships with banks, auditors, investors, internal stakeholders…

And yet they never do it for themselves.

But if you do it for your company every single day, why wouldn’t you do it for your own career as well?

That is exactly why we run our Treasury Career Corner LIVE.

People sometimes think they’re “just events.” But they’re not. They’re networking on steroids.

In one evening, you might:

• Meet 40 other treasury professionals
• Speak directly with senior treasurers from major companies
• Hear how other treasury teams are solving problems
• Have conversations that turn into future opportunities years later

Oh, and best of all… they’re free.

That’s the bit that always amazes me. People will happily spend hours scrolling on social media, but won’t spend one evening investing in themselves.

And you don’t have to wait for one of our events to build your network. You can start right now.

Open LinkedIn. Find four people you haven’t spoken to properly in a while, and arrange four meet-ups.

Coffee, beer, whatever.

Take just 20 minutes and catch up.

Because if you can improve the networking side of your career by just 1% each week, by the end of the year, the difference is massive.

Best regards,

Mike

P.S. Have I convinced you? I hope I’ll see you at our next LIVE event. Here’s where you can find me:

• Treasury Career Corner LIVE in London – https://treasuryrecruitment.com/event/tcc-live-london-jun-2026/
• Treasury Career Corner LIVE in Chicago – https://treasuryrecruitment.com/event/tcc-live-chicago-oct-2026/
• Treasury Career Corner LIVE in New York – https://treasuryrecruitment.com/event/tcc-live-ny-oct-2026/
• Treasury Career Corner LIVE in London – https://treasuryrecruitment.com/event/tcc-live-london-nov-2026/
• Treasury Career Corner LIVE in Amsterdam – https://treasuryrecruitment.com/event/tcc-live-netherlands-nov-2026/

The role of treasury has become increasingly demanding over recent years, with the rise of globalisation, the onslaught of new treasury technologies, the pressures of regulations and compliance, and not to mention the more strategic role treasury is now playing in boardrooms around the world.

BUT what does this mean for you on a day-to-day basis as treasury practitioners?

What skills do you need to master in order to cope with these evolving pressures?

What skills do you need to consider as leaders in the industry today, to ensure that your teams are future-proofed and ready to take on these challenges?

Well after many months of research and many hours of in-depth discussion with some of the most high-profile treasurers in the industry, we have compiled the ultimate characteristics and skills assessment tool which we are calling…“THE TREASURY SKILLS WHEEL”

Treasury Skills Wheel

The ‘Treasury Skills Wheel’ is made up of 12 key skills and qualities a treasurer needs that have also been identified as critical to success. Skills that every treasury professional should aim to master as part of their long-term career success. The skills are broken down into two categories:

• Hard Skills – classified as ‘teachable’ skills or those that are easy to quantify, and;
• Soft Skills – which are a combination of people skills, personality traits and attitudes

The mix and required amount of expertise within each skill will vary depending on your level of experience and the type and scope of the role you are performing, but the principle here is ensuring a full breadth of expertise across each of these core skills – you will ensure you de-risk your future and remain ‘future-proofed’ for the market changes that lie ahead.

Top 4 hard skills

1. Qualifications

In some professions, a specific qualification may not be needed but in treasury and/or finance, the more qualifications, the better. That is not to say that qualifications should be viewed in isolation. Individuals should not be excluded because they don’t have one or included just because they do BUT possessing a qualification can certainly help to add another level of expertise and theoretical knowledge that will unquestionably add value.

2. Diverse Experience

As the role of treasury evolves, gaining as much experience in as many different areas as possible will enable you to flex and adapt to the changing demands. A robust team is filled with people who are able to bring different things to the table. Those that have different points of view and different examples and experiences to draw from.

3. Project Management

As treasury professionals, you are increasingly required to step out of your traditional roles and take on additional responsibilities. This has led to project management becoming an increasingly prominent part of the role, whether through systems implementation, acquisitions or development of new financial models. Whatever it may be, gaining strong project management skills will be a real differentiator.

4. Technical Expertise

Today, the world of treasury and technology go hand-in-hand. As treasury professionals, you need to embrace these developments and recognise the value it can add to the industry and to your roles. It allows you to streamline processes and move to more efficient ways of working. By developing a breadth of systems and technology expertise you will be in far greater demand.

Qualities of a good treasurer – why are soft skills more important than ever?

Soft Skills are behavioural skills – a combination of personality traits and attitudes and in some respects, you could argue that these are the areas where the most improvement is needed. Ten years ago, the corporate treasurer was almost siloed and segregated from the rest of the business. Today it is a different story. Treasury is now much closer to the operation and much more high profile than ever before, which naturally brings with it a new set of skills that the treasurer will need to embrace.

Top 8 soft skills needed

1. Relationship Building

The role of the treasurer has always involved aspects of relationship building and stakeholder management but today, strong relationship-building skills are more critical than ever. Treasury has a real ‘seat at the table’. It has become a business advisory role, supporting in key business decisions compared to the operational function some regarded it to be in the past. This brings with it the need to harness and cultivate stronger relationships.

2. Communication

As the role of treasury has become more valued and recognised across the business from an operational perspective, the need to effectively communicate with a wider audience has become more important. It is no longer treasurers talking to treasurers or other finance partners. It involves articulating complex situations and problems to non-finance people. So mastering your communication skills and adapting them to different environments is key to future success.

3. Propensity to Learn

Treasury continues to evolve and grow bringing new challenges and demands. As a result, it is absolutely essential that any treasurer possesses a desire to learn. A hunger to constantly develop. An innate curiosity to broaden their knowledge.

4. Strategic Thinking

The role of the treasurer has become more strategic over recent years, moving away from the more transactional and operational function it was considered to be in the past. Technology advancements have played a big part in this shift. As processes have become more automated, treasury teams have had to demonstrate and add value in other ways. As a result, being able to think and act strategically has become an absolutely essential skill for success.

5. Risk Tolerance

With any strategy or strategic decision, comes an element of risk. As a result, being open to taking risks will be a critical skill for any treasurer in the future. Naturally, risk management is a major part of the daily life of a treasurer, but when we think about managing risk in the sense of our own personal development, it brings on a whole new meaning. If you can intelligently take on risk, and be courageous enough to rise above your fears, you will certainly find opportunities that others will miss.

6. Change Resilience

The role of the treasurer and treasury function as a whole is constantly changing and this pace of change does not look to be slowing down anytime soon. As a result, being able to embrace change will become an essential skill to master.

7. Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is about demonstrating eagerness for a particular task. Feeling energised and passionate about what you are doing. If you lack enthusiasm, the task will feel very laborious and most likely you will feel a bit unhappy with what’s going on. Of course in any job, there are going to be some tasks that you find dull, that’s just life. Although if you are finding that you’re spending more time feeling bored than you are enthused, perhaps you are in the wrong job!

8. Personal Drive

If you were to look at the qualities of a treasurer. Or the people you are most inspired by whether professionally or personally. It is likely one of their main qualities will be ‘personal drive’. This is your intrinsic desire or motivation to achieve a certain goal. People with strong personal drive tend to be very action and results-oriented. They are able to stay focused when times are tough or challenging. They are more determined to bounce-back from disappointments or setbacks. Having people with these characteristics within your teams can obviously be considered very valuable, particularly in the industry in which we operate where change is a daily occurrence!

So, there you have it. The Top 12 skills and characteristics of a treasurer required for future success and an overview of our highly publicised Treasury Skills Wheel.

One final thing to say – please remember that change doesn’t happen overnight. It will take time to develop these skills personally, and time to nurture and grow these skills within your teams. It is also, not a case of “YUP, mastered that skill, NEXT!…” It is an evolution. It will involve continuous investment and focus, but it is without question that it will be an investment well worth making.

Treasury Skills Wheel Guide

The Treasury Skills Wheel Guide explains the thinking behind the framework and the 12 skills identified as critical for long-term treasury career success. Covering both technical expertise and behavioural competencies, it provides a practical overview of the skills treasury professionals need to develop to remain relevant, adaptable and effective in an evolving treasury environment.

CLICK HERE to Download The Treasury Skills Wheel Guide

Treasury Skills Wheel Evaluation Form

The Treasury Skills Wheel Evaluation Form is a practical self-assessment tool designed to help treasury professionals evaluate their experience across each of the core skills within the Treasury Skills Wheel. Whether used as part of a personal development plan, annual review process or career planning exercise, it provides a simple visual framework for identifying strengths, development areas and future learning opportunities.

CLICK HERE to Download the Treasury Skills Evaluation Form

Want more Treasury Career Advice?

Check out our other resources including CV / Resume Advice, Interview Techniques and LinkedIn optimisations.

View Resources

I’ve had more and more treasury professionals reaching out to me recently, saying:

“Mike, does this look legitimate?”

Or:

“Do you know this recruiter?”

That in itself tells you something.

Treasury people are generally pretty commercially aware. They’re not usually the easiest people to scam.

But the volume of this stuff is increasing, and some of it is getting much more convincing thanks to AI.

Years ago, you could spot a scam email miles away. They’d all have the trademark broken English and weird formatting. But these days, AI can generate perfectly written outreach in seconds.

So the old warning signs are disappearing.

That’s why treasury professionals need to look beyond the wording itself.

One treasury candidate sent me an approach recently for what was supposedly a confidential Pepsi role.

It looked polished, credible, and well-written.

But then they asked to submit his CV immediately before even speaking to him properly.

That’s your first red flag right there.

A proper recruiter will want to understand you first:

• Your background
• What you’ve actually done
• What you want next
• Whether the role even makes sense

They should NEVER just fire your CV into the market and hope for the best.

A few years ago, this was mainly candidates being targeted. Now it’s treasury professionals, recruiters, and anyone with a visible LinkedIn profile.

So, if you’re active or visible in the market, you’re a target.

I even covered this in a recent podcast with Ben Loper. One thing he’s done is remove his real photo from LinkedIn and replace it with a cartoon image so it can’t be scraped and reused. It sounds drastic, but it shows how far this has moved.

Ben made some really important points throughout the podcast. He explained that the old ways of verifying people online simply don’t work anymore.

In the past, if someone contacted you, you could:

• Google them
• Check their LinkedIn
• Look at their company website
• Watch a video of them speaking

…and assume they were genuine.

Now, AI can create fake websites, cloned voices, realistic avatars, and even fake video calls that look completely legitimate.

That’s why Ben said treasury teams are bringing back some “old-school” fraud checks again:

• Code words
• Known contacts
• Secondary approvals
• Manual verification calls

Because sometimes the simplest checks are now the safest ones.

He even replaced his real LinkedIn photo with a cartoon avatar to stop fraudsters scraping and reusing his image online

“I used to say, okay, this person called me. I can do a Google search. I can go to their website. I see their picture, I see ’em on video. Okay. This is really that person. Now with AI avatars and the ability to create synthetic voices, you can’t do that anymore.”

“It doesn’t take a lot of resources to completely fabricate a vendor or anything like that.”

In the show he also explained that they had changed their photos on certain platforms because;

“Cartoon avatars are nice because obviously if a cartoon calls you that something’s up…”

Now, to give you one real example, I was recently approached by a firm called “Global Executive Careers.”

They offered to introduce a candidate to me for free – how generous, right?!

…it wasn’t.

They were charging the candidate and then pushing their CV out to recruiters under the guise of “introductions.”

So, now how do you spot these fake “recruiters” when, at first glance, they appear perfectly normal…

If you work in treasury recruitment every day, it’s easy to spot. If you don’t, it’s very easy to miss.

You just have to do a little digging.

If you’re ever in doubt, here are the questions you should be asking:

1. Does the recruiter actually have a track record?
2. Do they have recommendations?
3. Have they placed treasury people before?
4. Do they understand treasury properly?
5. Can you find evidence they’ve been around for years rather than weeks?

Or does it all feel a bit… thin?

One really useful trick is to reverse search an image.

I had a fake “treasury recruiter” years ago using what turned out to be a stock image.

One quick reverse image search later, and the same woman was apparently a furniture model, a travel blogger, and an executive recruiter… that’s quite the career portfolio!

Here’s how to do a reverse image search:

• Right-click the image
• Save it
• Google a reverse image search engine and upload it

You’d be amazed at what comes back.

You have to be especially careful these days, and I fear it’s only going to get harder to tell the real from the fake.

But if you’re ever in doubt when you’re approached about a treasury role, just slow things down. Ask yourself if this recruiter REALLY understands you. Make sure you’ve spoken to them properly and see if their online presence actually stacks up.

Most treasury professionals are technically very strong. But this isn’t about technical treasury knowledge. It’s about awareness.

The scams ARE getting better. The emails are cleaner. The profiles look more convincing.

And that’s exactly why people are starting to get caught out.

But once you know what to look for, you’ll be back to spotting them from a mile away.

Best regards,

Mike

P.S. If you’re feeling doubtful about a recruiter’s credibility, let me know and I’d be happy to take a quick look into them for you.

There’s a myth I’d like to bust.Some candidates ask me:

“Wouldn’t it be easier to resign first so I’m more available and can start sooner?”

I can see the logic. But in reality, it rarely works like that.

Good companies will wait for the right candidate. And if they won’t, they were probably not the right opportunity to begin with.

That question usually gets asked after they say something like…

“Mike, I’ve had enough. I can’t stand it anymore. I’m thinking of handing in my notice.”

And I get it.

You might feel stuck. Frustrated. Undervalued. Or maybe the progression you were promised hasn’t materialised.

But here’s the key point:

You never want to go from a bad situation to a worse one.

Because that’s exactly what can happen if you leave without a plan.

You resign with good intentions, to take your time and find the right role…

But then reality kicks in.

The bills don’t stop. Mortgages. Rent. Family. Life…

Suddenly, urgency replaces strategy, and you start thinking:

“I just need a job – ANYTHING.”

That’s when people take the wrong role out of desperation. And six months later, they’re looking again.

Now your CV starts to raise questions. It looks like job hopping, even though you left for the right reasons.

All of that because of one rushed decision.

That’s why my advice is simple:

Don’t leave without something else lined up.

And when you do move, it has to be a genuine step forward – something that develops you, challenges you, and moves your career in the right direction – not just an escape.

Otherwise, you’re just resetting the same problem in a new company.

And a similar point applies to interim roles.

Should you go interim while you figure things out?

They can work, but go in with your eyes open…

Most companies bring in interims to clear backlogs and handle the work others don’t have time for. The more visible, high-impact work usually stays with the permanent team.

That’s just how it works.

And if you bounce between short-term roles, it can start to create a pattern that raises questions.

So again, it’s not necessarily a bad option, but it needs to be a considered decision, not a reaction.

So what should you do if you’re in a role you don’t enjoy…?

It might not be what you want to hear, but…

You should stay. For now.

Keep getting paid, but use that time properly:

Get clear on what you actually want next. Be selective about the roles you explore.

Then move when the opportunity is right, not when the frustration peaks.

There’s a big difference between leaving strategically and leaving emotionally.

One moves your career forward, the other can set you back.

Don’t make the wrong choice.

Best regards,

Mike

 

I genuinely wish I could say yes every time someone asks for my help.

But the reality is that I have to tell a lot of people…

“Sorry, but I can’t”.

It’s not because I don’t want to. It’s more that, in some cases, I simply have no power.

We’re a specialist corporate treasury recruitment firm. That means we go deep. Not broad. 

And because of that, there are a lot of situations where I’m simply not the right person to help.

However, rather than just saying “no” and leaving it there, I thought I’d put this together to actually help you understand where I can add value and where I can’t.

So, here are the most common situations where I’m probably not the guy you need to be coming to.

The first one is the most common…

1. If you’re working in banking and you reach out asking about corporate treasury roles…

I get it. You’ve heard about corporate treasury. It sounds interesting. You want to make the move.

But here’s the challenge…

Our clients don’t come to us and say;

“Find me someone from banking who wants to try treasury.”

They come to us and say;

“Find me someone who has done this before.”

Cash management. Liquidity. FX. Systems. Funding. All of it in a corporate environment.

It’s a different skill set. A different shape of role.

So when I say I can’t help, it’s not a brush-off. It’s just being honest about what clients are asking for.

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

But it does mean the route is usually longer, and often involves stepping sideways or even backwards to get the right experience first.

2. Experience (or the lack of…)

We don’t recruit entry-level treasury roles.

So if you’re just starting out or trying to break into treasury from scratch, I’m not going to be able to place you.

Again, that’s not me being unhelpful.

It’s just not what we’re hired to do.

But what I can say is this: Treasury is a practical profession.

All you need is a little exposure…

That might come from moving internally, picking up treasury-related projects, or building experience alongside your current role.

But sending your CV to a specialist recruiter without that foundation won’t get you where you want to go.

3. “Do you have fully remote roles?”

Short answer: almost never.

When companies are fully remote, they typically hire directly. They don’t use a specialist recruiter.

And in treasury, most teams still want some level of collaboration. Being in the room still matters.

So if your search is only focused on fully remote roles, you’re narrowing your options significantly.

4. It’s the geography.

If you’re based in a region we don’t cover, I can’t represent you there.

If you don’t have the right to work in the region, I can’t legally place you.

And I know that’s frustrating. But there are still options; it just requires a different approach…

Think about local recruiters, internal moves, or targeting companies that offer sponsorship.

Those are your best ways in.

Now, every single week, I hear from at least a handful of people who fall into one of these categories, whom I just can’t help. But here’s the important bit:

If you read any of this and your heart sank thinking I could’ve been talking about you, know this: 

None of this is a dead end. Think of it as direction.

What frustrates me isn’t people reaching out. It’s when people ignore the advice and keep pushing in the same direction… Or they send the same generic message to twenty recruiters and hope something sticks.

That never works.

The people who make progress are the ones who take a step back and think, “OK… if this route isn’t working, what do I need to change?”

They go on to build the right experience.

And when they come back a year or two later…

That’s when I can actually help.

So if you’re thinking of reaching out to me, here’s the simplest way to approach it.

• Be specific.
• Be relevant.
• Do a bit of homework.

And if I can help, I will.

If I can’t, I’ll nudge you in the right direction.

My goal has never been to get someone a job. It’s to help them get the right one, even if I’m not the person who places you there.

Best regards,

Mike

Earlier today, a candidate who was seeking a new role said to me:

“Can you keep this confidential? My manager is a close connection of yours.”

And I was happy to tell them that I ALWAYS keep it confidential, no matter what.

I wouldn’t have gotten this far in this business if confidentiality wasn’t at the core of everything.

In fact, my wife asked me to keep a secret the other day, and I said that I’m basically the keeper of secrets!

Call me Mike… Confidential Richards.

That’s not actually my middle name… and I’m definitely not telling you what it is either, (otherwise AI might steal it and try to replicate me).

But joking aside, this is the reality of what we do.

People come to me when they’re not ready to have that conversation publicly.

• They’re exploring, but not ready to tell their team
• Their manager is in their network
• The timing just isn’t right internally
• Or they simply want to understand their options first

It doesn’t matter what the reason is. From my side, no CV gets shared, no conversations happen, nothing moves forward without your say-so. Simple as that.

But it’s not just candidates. It works both ways…

We’re often asked to run confidential searches as well. And there are a whole range of reasons for that, too.

Sometimes it’s internal sensitivity…

They may be replacing the current Treasurer, who hasn’t yet announced their move,

and they want to handle it properly.

Sometimes it’s external sensitivity… 

A Finance Director wants the new Head of Treasury agreed in advance so they can introduce them to banks and financing partners before anything is public.

Or sometimes it’s a planned change…

The incumbent may not even be aware yet, and the CFO wants to ensure a clean, immediate transition.

Then sometimes it’s just the hassle factor… 

They trust us, they’ve appointed us, and they don’t want 20 other recruiters calling them asking to work the role.

Would I like to advertise all of these roles?

Are you mad? Of course I would!

There are searches I’ve worked on that I’d have LOVED to have been able to shout about.

To name a few:

• Head of Treasury for AMS
• Treasurer for Blackstone Real Estate
• Treasurer for Ceres Life
• Treasury Director – Europe & Asia for Filtration Group
• Head of Capital Markets & Financing  & Corporate Finance & Treasury Manager for Porsche
• Petrochemicals Global Treasurer for SABIC
• Group Treasurer for Senior Plc
• Treasurer for Streamland Media
• Group Treasurer for Techtronic Industries

They were all fantastic roles that most treasurers would jump at. But when a client says:

“Mike, it’s a confidential search.”

I respect that, because that’s the job. That’s the trust.

So whether you’re a candidate quietly exploring, or a client needing to manage something carefully behind the scenes…

Confidentiality isn’t a nice extra. It’s the foundation.

And without it, none of this works.

Best regards,

Mike

P.S. If you want proper, honest, confidential career advice. Or you’re hiring and need things handled the right way, you know where I am.

Our fees range from 25 to 30% of base salary, with three flexible models to suit your search

So, you want to understand our fees and how we structure them?

No problem, read on.

Understanding Treasury Recruitment Fees

It depends, but let me explain.

We specialise exclusively in recruiting Treasury Professionals. It’s a niche market, and unlike generalist recruiters, we don’t fill hundreds of roles each month. We don’t benefit from the bulk volume that lets generalist agencies offer cheap rates, and honestly, that’s fine by us.

We invest time, research, and precision into every search to find the right person, not just the next available one. We’ve been recruiting Treasury talent globally for over 25 years, and we know what works.

That level of expertise, reach and focus comes at a cost. It also delivers real results.

Why We Don’t Compete on “Cheap” Fees

Here’s the conversation I have most weeks:

“Mike, the other agencies on our PSL work at 15%. You’re at 25 to 30%. Can you match them?”

The simple answer is no, and here’s why.

Quality Treasury recruitment takes time, insight and specialist knowledge. At 15%, you’ll likely get a few CVs from a database and a recruiter who can barely spell Treasury, let alone understand how to recruit one.

So go ahead, give it to your cheaper agencies first. They might get lucky. But more often, after 6 to 8 weeks there’s no result, and that’s when I get the call:

“Mike, we’ve been searching for weeks with no success. Can you take this on?”

Of course we can. But by that point, the market is what I’d call scorched earth. A series of generalist recruiters have blanketed it, mis-sold the role, and turned off the very Treasury Professionals you wanted to attract in the first place. The good ones have already decided you’re not serious about Treasury and tuned out.

Then comes the second part of the conversation: “Mike, can you match the cheaper fees too?”

No. We’re being asked to take 100% of the risk on a search that’s already been damaged, on a contingent basis, with no guarantee of revenue. That’s not a fair ask, and we won’t do it.

This is exactly why investing in a specialist partner from day one saves you both time and reputation.

Our Treasury Recruitment Fee Models

We believe in transparency and flexibility. Depending on how you want to work with us, there are three proven ways to structure your search:

1. Contingent Search, No Win, No Fee

Our contingent model is straightforward. You only pay if we successfully place a candidate.

Key details

• Typical fee: 25 to 30% of base salary
• 100% risk on us, if we don’t deliver, you don’t pay
• Fast access to our Treasury network and database

If we recruit you a Treasurer earning £200,000 or $300,000, the right person will pay for themselves many times over. Through bank fee savings, refinancing, a new Treasury Management System, or simply by motivating the team and getting more out of them in the first 12 months.

If they can’t deliver that kind of value, they’re not the right hire anyway.

2. Retained Search, Shared Commitment, Guaranteed Focus

This is our most effective partnership model. It gives you dedicated time, resources and accountability from day one.

How it works

• Exclusive engagement on your role
• Fees split into three equal stages:
  • 1/3 upfront (Retainer)
  • 1/3 on shortlist presentation
  • 1/3 on completion

The retainer funds the search itself, paid research, dedicated time, the proper hunt for both active and passive Treasury talent.

Will I make loads of profit from the retainer fee? No. We barely break even at that stage. The profit is in the completion fee, which means we’re motivated to actually finish the job.

Our record: 100% success rate on retained Treasury searches over the past 25 years.

Have we lost money on retained searches? Yes, occasionally. But we’ve never failed to deliver, and I don’t intend to start now.

3. Staged Search, The Best of Both Worlds

If you want something between a full retained and contingent approach, our Staged Search model is the perfect middle ground.

Structure

• 1/3 upfront retainer (covers research time)
• 2/3 on successful placement

It shares the risk between both parties. You get more focus and commitment than a purely contingent search, without the full exclusivity of a retained agreement.

If I don’t recruit the role, I lose money. So believe me, I’m incentivised to find you the right person. It’s a genuine win-win.

Which Treasury Recruitment Model Is Right for You?

Each approach has its benefits depending on your timelines, budget and hiring strategy.

• Contingent Search suits faster, lower-risk hiring
• Retained Search delivers the highest commitment, precision and success
• Staged Search offers flexibility if you’re testing the waters

If you’re not sure which model fits best, let’s have a conversation and tailor an approach to your needs.

Why Clients Choose The Treasury Recruitment Company

• 25+ years of global Treasury recruitment expertise
• Specialist network of Treasury Professionals worldwide
• 100% retained search success rate
• Trusted by major corporates and private equity firms across the UK, US and Europe

Our clients know that specialist expertise pays for itself. Better hires, faster placements, and stronger long-term results.

How much does treasury recruitment cost?

Treasury recruitment fees at The Treasury Recruitment Company typically range from 25 to 30% of the candidate’s base salary. The exact fee depends on the seniority of the role and the search model you choose: contingent, retained, or staged.

What’s the difference between contingent and retained search?

A contingent search is no win, no fee. You only pay if we successfully place a candidate, and we carry 100% of the risk. A retained search means you commit to working exclusively with us, paying in three equal stages (retainer, shortlist, completion). Retained search delivers higher commitment, dedicated research, and better results for senior or hard-to-fill roles.

Why are specialist treasury recruiters more expensive than generalists?

Specialist treasury recruiters invest in deep market knowledge, a dedicated treasury network built over many years, and the time required to find the right person rather than the next available CV. Generalist agencies recruit at volume and offer lower fees, but rarely understand the technical demands of treasury roles.

The cost of a wrong hire, or a prolonged search that damages your reputation in the market, far outweighs the difference in fee.

 How long does a treasury recruitment search take?

Most retained treasury searches complete within 8 to 12 weeks from start to placement, depending on the seniority of the role and the geographic market. Contingent searches can be faster for more common roles, but timelines vary based on candidate availability.

Next Steps

If you’re hiring in Treasury, let’s chat. We’ll walk you through each model and help you choose the best structure for your next search.

More resources for employers:

• Check Out Our Global Treasury Salary Survey – benchmark compensation by level and region
• Hire Treasury Talent – explore our services and success stories
• Treasury Career Corner Podcast – hear directly from Treasury leaders we’ve placed and partnered with

Or simply book a 15-minute consultation with Mike Richards to discuss your next hire – email Mike@TreasuryRecruitment.com

Let’s grab a coffee and chat.

We’re coming up to that time of year again. April approaches, companies start doing their annual reviews, and treasury professionals begin thinking about pay.

And I see the same mistakes happen again and again…

Here’s the first one:

Someone walks into their manager’s office and says, “I want a pay rise.”

Starting with that question is the fastest way to end the conversation.

Your salary is there to pay you for doing your job.

You are paid a salary for turning up each day.

Managing the cash, running the liquidity, handling the FX exposure, dealing with the banks, and delivering the reporting, etc.

That’s the basic duties of your role.

If the conversation starts with “I want a pay rise”, the natural response from a manager is simple:

“Why?”

And they would be completely within their rights to follow up with:

“What have you done to deserve one?”

That’s where lots of people I chat to get stuck.

If you can’t say where you’ve gone above and beyond your job and MADE A DIFFERENCE, then honestly, you shouldn’t be getting a pay rise.

Before you even ask the question to your manager, answer these questions:

• Have you saved the company money?
• Have you delivered a major project?
• Have you implemented a new treasury system?
• Have you reduced costs or streamlined processes?

If you’ve done something that materially improved the business, that should be your starting point.

For example, if you implemented a treasury management system that reduced manual work and effectively replaced three or four full-time roles, that’s real value.

You’ve saved the company money.

Start with that. Now the pay discussion becomes logical rather than emotional.

Another mistake people make is leading with market data, like our salary survey.

Yes, that data is there to help you. But that doesn’t mean you should walk in and say:

“Mike’s salary survey says I should be paid £80,000.”

Again, that’s the wrong order. The sequence should be:

1. Give evidence for the value you’ve delivered
2. Explain how your role has grown
3. Then benchmark the salary

The salary survey is the final piece of the puzzle. 

It should support your case, not be the entire basis of it.

So, with all this considered, the reality is that not everyone will deserve a pay rise this April.

But every once in a while, I come across someone who is genuinely underpaid…

I’ll look at their CV and be impressed, ask what they earn, and almost fall off my chair knowing that I could get them a 30% pay rise tomorrow.

Why does that happen?

Often, because they’ve never benchmarked themselves. They’ve stayed in the same role for years, doing great work, but never tested their market value.

And you don’t have to leave your job to understand your value.

You can look at a salary survey to benchmark it.

You can talk to peers at conferences.

Compare responsibilities.

Sometimes two people are doing almost identical roles, and one of them is earning £10k to £20k more. The only difference between them is that one of them asked around.

To close, I just want to say that there’s a final point worth remembering:

Salary isn’t the whole story.

When we analyse the data from our treasury salary survey, pay is seldom why people leave a job.

It’s a factor, yes. But it’s not the biggest one.

What you tend to see is:

• Lack of progression
• Frustration in the role
• Poor leadership
• Limited development opportunities

Salary sits somewhere in the mix, but it’s never the whole story.

So, if your pay review is coming up, here’s a simple rule:

Don’t walk into the room asking for a pay rise. Go in prepared to explain the value you’ve created.

If you can clearly show how you’ve improved the business, saved money, or delivered meaningful change, the pay conversation becomes much easier.

And if you’re not sure where your salary sits in the market, that’s exactly why we produce the Treasury Salary Survey twice a year.

It’s there to give you the data to support the conversation. But ONLY once you’ve made the case.

Best regards,

Mike

P.S. Have you benchmarked your salary yet? Click here to see where you stand.

The simplest way to explain it;

• an Assistant Treasurer assists, whereas
• a Deputy Treasurer deputises

But let me explain more!

The Assistant Treasurer

The Assistant Treasurer role tends to feature in larger organisations.

In some businesses there can even be 2 Assistant Treasurers — one might focus on Front Office activity and supervise the operations team whilst the other oversees treasury controls and the Middle and Back Office functions.

An Assistant Treasurer role is hands-on with strategic touchpoints.

On any given day, an Assistant Treasurer might be setting FX and interest rate strategy, executing funding and deals, managing risk exposures, handling intercompany loan documentation, running rolling cash flow forecasts, or making sure treasury activity stays compliant with group policies.

Crucially, an Assistant Treasurer is expected to refer many major decisions up the chain to the Group Treasurer.

They are senior, trusted operators but they are not the Deputy.

The Deputy Treasurer

The Deputy Treasurer is a different proposition. Where there may be two Assistant Treasurers in a large business, there is usually one Deputy.

They are the defined second in charge and the deputy to the Group Treasurer.

Often the most important distinction is authority: a Deputy Treasurer carries the same sign-off capability as the Group Treasurer and is expected to act in their stead when required to do so.

The remit is correspondingly broad.

A Deputy Treasurer takes overall responsibility for daily treasury operations, oversees the Treasury Management System, helps arrange and implement business debt across bank and debt capital markets, ensures financial risk is identified and mitigated, manages the Group’s liquidity position, maintains key banking relationships and leads the wider treasury team.

They oversee front, middle and back-office activity rather than sitting within one of them.

How to Tell Them Apart

Job titles across treasury can be misleading.

A Treasury Manager in a mid-sized business may be doing the work of an Assistant Treasurer elsewhere, and an Assistant Treasurer in a smaller organisation may effectively be operating as a Deputy.

The most reliable way to assess seniority is to look past the title and examine three things:

• The scope of decisions the person can sign off on
• The breadth of the function they oversee
• The reporting line into the Group Treasurer

As a simple rule of thumb.

• an Assistant Treasurer runs a significant piece of the treasury function and escalates major decisions upwards
• a Deputy Treasurer is empowered to make those decisions themselves.

Why This Matters

For hiring managers, getting this right affects everything from the brief to the calibre of candidate you attract.

Briefing a search for an Assistant Treasurer when the role genuinely needs a Deputy will lead to mismatched expectations on both sides.

For treasury professionals, understanding where you sit on this ladder and what the next step actually looks like is key when planning you next step in your treasury career.

Both roles are critical to a well-run treasury function.

The Assistant Treasurer brings depth and execution across a specific remit.

The Deputy Treasurer brings authority and breadth across the whole function.

Knowing which one you need or which one you are – is the first step to making the right hire or the right move.

If you are recruiting for a senior treasury role or exploring your next career step, we would be delighted to help.

10 years ago, I wrote 2 articles called ‘The Do’s and Don’ts of Sending Me Your CV’.

They were blunt. Slightly ranty in places. And very clear.

They also didn’t land…

A decade later, people are still sending me any old rubbish.

So I thought I’d try again with a refreshed version for 2026, and a few new additions that didn’t exist back then.

Let’s start with the one that refuses to die:

DON’T send me your CV if you’re copying in 10 other recruiters and opening with “Dear Everyone”.

That email tells me you’re looking for any job, anywhere, no thought behind it.

Treasury careers don’t progress like that.

DO send me your CV if you want a proper conversation about the next step in your career…

Send your CV directly, explain why you’re reaching out, and tell me what you’re actually looking for. Or better yet, go that step further…

Call Me! 

Give me a buzz, we can have a chat.

The next one is still painfully common…

DON’T send me your CV if it’s completely generic, along with a generic cover letter.

How do you know it’s generic?

If I can lift your opening paragraph and paste it onto someone else’s CV without changing a word.

Overused phrases like “motivated”, “flexible”, “team player” have been meaningless for at least twenty years.

They tell me nothing about how you operate in treasury or what problems you’ve solved.

Which brings me to personal statements…

DON’T send me your CV with a personal statement.

I hated them ten years ago. I still hate them now.

The amount I read “I am a flexible, motivated individual who has great attention to detail” is genuinely shocking.

It’s even more shocking when I see detail spelt detal…

Personal statements split opinion down the middle. Some readers tolerate them. Others bin the CV immediately. So that’s not a risk worth taking.

THIS IS WHAT YOUR RESUME IS THERE FOR……

It’s been my experience that whilst 50% of your readership don’t mind a Personal Statement, 50% dislike or in many cases hate it!

Great let’s flip a coin!

Heads   they think I’m OK.

Tails    I’m in the “NO” pile of paperwork

Greatttt, you’ve applied for 10 jobs in the past 3 months.

Now you know why 5 never called you for interview.

Also please note I don’t think I have ever had a client ever say.

“Mike I wish the candidate had told me a bit more about some of their generalised attributes and why they were an all-round good person!”

Your resume is there to tell me your story

DO send me your CV with a short, specific summary that makes it clear why you’re relevant to this role. Not who you are in general, but how you will solve the problem in front of the hiring manager.

Another one that hasn’t changed: tailoring.

DON’T send me your CV if you are applying for a specific role and it isn’t tailored to a role…

If you haven’t read the job description and adjusted your CV to reflect what the role actually needs, it shows.

DO send me your CV if you have read the job advert and tailored your CV to it.

Highlight where:

• Your experience relates to the position
• Your achievements intersect with the role
• You are a match to the role!

The person reading your CV wants to find the right person for the role – make it easy for them to say yes to you!

Now for 2026 onwards…

AI.

Used properly, AI can be genuinely helpful.

I’ve seen candidates use it well to review structure, tighten language, check whether their CV actually reflects what a role is asking for.

They add their CV (without personal address and contact info, of course!) and ask AI to tell them to match their CV to the role and create a list of the top 3 areas where they align. It makes it easy for the reviewer to say yes and send them through to the next round.

But used badly, it’s obvious within seconds.

DON’T send me your CV if it reads like it was written entirely by AI.

You might think it’s “polished”, but more likely it’s filled with empty language and no real substance. It gets ignored just as fast as a bad cover letter.

AI should help you clarify your experience, not invent it or smooth it into something generic.

And one important rule once again if you are using AI: don’t upload anything you wouldn’t be comfortable putting on a public noticeboard.

Strip out your contact info and confidential information. If you wouldn’t hand it to a stranger, don’t feed it into a system you don’t control.

Now, to finish up, a couple of quick-fire irritations while I’m on the topic:

• Seventeen-page CVs still land in my inbox. War and Peace has already been written. Your CV doesn’t need a sequel.
• Spelling still matters. Comb through; just hitting spellcheck isn’t always enough.
• Listing “Microsoft Office” as a skill in a senior treasury CV does you absolutely no favours. In treasury, it’s assumed. Calling it out is like saying you know how to open an email.
• If you don’t have the right to work where the role is based, or you’re applying for areas we don’t cover, no amount of clever wording will fix that.

The CVs that stand out haven’t really changed much in ten years. They’re clear. They’re targeted. They show impact. And they respect the reader’s time.

I’m still here to help people move their treasury careers forward. That part hasn’t changed either.

But if you’re going to send me your CV in 2026, please at least give it a fighting chance before you hit send.

Best regards,

Mike

P.S. If you want a look at the kind of CV I’d be happy to see land on my desk, we’ve got CV templates for six different treasury roles you can access for FREE here.