Treasurers and Controllers
Direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization.
Treasurers and Controllers direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization. The role reports a median annual salary of $161,700 in the US and is projected to grow 15% over the next decade (faster than average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.60 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Management of Financial Resources.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £76,447 a year for Financial managers and directors (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £50,000 to £120,417 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 1131). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Managers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Treasurers and Controllers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 1. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Economics and Accounting
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Customer and Personal Service
- Law and Government
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You start the day with the overnight cash position, checking balances across the organisation's bank accounts and making sure reserve levels meet both policy and legal requirements. By mid-morning you are reviewing a stack of large payment requests, approving those that follow procedure and sending back the ones missing proper support. You then meet the finance team to go through the monthly budget figures, asking why one department is overspending and what it plans to do about it. Over lunch you speak with your bank relationship manager about a short-term credit line and where to place surplus cash for a better return. In the afternoon you draft a recommendation to senior leadership on funding a new project, weighing borrowing against internal reserves. You also revise an internal control policy after an auditor flagged a gap in how purchases are approved. Much of the day is detailed checking and sign-offs, but steering the organisation through its money decisions and keeping it on a sound footing is deeply satisfying.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Evaluate needs for procurement of funds and investment of surpluses and make appropriate recommendations.
- Delegate authority for the receipt, disbursement, banking, protection, and custody of funds, securities, and financial instruments.
- Develop and maintain relationships with banking, insurance, and external accounting personnel to facilitate financial activities.
- Monitor financial activities and details, such as cash flow and reserve levels, to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met.
- Receive, record, and authorize requests for disbursements in accordance with company policies and procedures.
- Develop internal control policies, guidelines, and procedures for activities, such as budget administration, cash and credit management, and accounting.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Treasurers and Controllers do?
Direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization.
What does a typical day look like in Treasurers and Controllers?
You start the day with the overnight cash position, checking balances across the organisation's bank accounts and making sure reserve levels meet both policy and legal requirements. By mid-morning you are reviewing a stack of large payment requests, approving those that follow procedure and sending back the ones missing proper support. You then meet the finance team to go through the monthly budget figures, asking why one department is overspending and what it plans to do about it.
How much does Treasurers and Controllers earn?
The median annual salary for Treasurers and Controllers in the US is $161,700.
What is the job outlook for Treasurers and Controllers?
The role is projected to grow 15% over the next decade (faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 868,600 workers.
How do I become treasurers and controllers?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Treasurers and Controllers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Management of Financial Resources, Speaking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Treasurers and Controllers?
Our AI-durability model gives Treasurers and Controllers a score of 0.60 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Treasurers and Controllers has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.