Next to international treasurers moving around the world for their careers, we see an increasing number wanting to stay where they are or return to the place where they were born.

In The Netherlands, for example, many enjoy living near the border. Like we do in Venlo. Our client in the match of the month also has an office close to the German border and had a demanding assignment for us: find local talent that speaks Dutch AND has expertise in project finance. The talent pool for this in that region is near to non-existent, especially in the current tight labour market.

At the end of the process, the client had the option to choose between a local hero with a lot of long-term potential for the company, and a project finance expert. The first landed a new position. What made the match extra sweet for us, was that we met him already over ten years ago, kept in touch and the investment paid out. That’s why we love our jobs.

Feel free to contact us for advice on your recruitment process.

As a treasury leader, you understand the importance of effective cash flow management, risk mitigation and strategic financial planning. But your role goes beyond these core responsibilities. Building a high-performing team is fundamental to your department’s success. This blog explores key considerations for treasury leaders in building a strong talent pool.

Proactive Succession Planning

While internal recruiters can facilitate the initial stages of hiring, the responsibility for maintaining a robust talent pipeline ultimately falls on your shoulders. Succession planning is a critical aspect of this responsibility. By anticipating potential departures and identifying the skills required for future growth, you can proactively source and develop talent internally. This proactive approach ensures a smooth transition and minimises disruption.

Build a well-rounded Treasury Team

While technical skills are essential, focusing solely on resumes creates a narrow lens. Look for candidates who have complementary skills and personality traits that contribute to a high-functioning team. A strong leader may need a detail-oriented teammate to ensure a balanced and efficient operation. Prioritising cultural fit alongside technical competence will encourage collaboration, build team spirit and ultimately drive departmental success.

Expand your Search

Relying solely on internal recruiters or external agencies introduces an element of risk. To mitigate this, explore alternative recruitment channels. Industry conferences, professional organisations and targeted online platforms can be valuable sources of highly skilled individuals. Proactive outreach demonstrates initiative and commitment to strengthening your team.

Strategies to Retain Your Top Treasury Talent

Attracting talent is only the beginning. Retaining high performers is just as important. Prioritise professional development opportunities to enhance their skills and keep them abreast of evolving industry trends. Clearly defined career paths provide motivation and demonstrate a commitment to employee growth. In addition, fostering a culture of open communication, appreciation and work-life balance creates a positive work environment, promotes employee satisfaction and reduces turnover.

Conclusion: Building a strong treasury team together

At Treasurer Search, we understand the unique challenges faced by Treasury leaders in building exceptional teams. Our extensive market knowledge, combined with a focus on long-term client relationships, positions us as your trusted partner in managing the talent spectrum.

We invite you to get in touch with us! We look forward to discussing your specific needs and working with you to build a high-performing treasury team that will enable your department to achieve its strategic goals.

You are busy with the day-to-day running of the business, right? The crucial treasury responsibility may also lie with you. Then you know this part is never finished, and that’s where we step in.

Treasurer Search is THE PARTNER for finding interim treasurers, we are the biggest party in the Benelux in this field, and this is why:

Treasurer Search has…

• A high-quality network: We have more than 300 interim treasurers worldwide, and almost 200 in the Netherlands, with diverse expertise and experience.
• Fast results: Most of our assignments are filled in within a few days.
• Familiarity: We know all our interim treasurers personally, know what they are capable of, and when they are available.
• Personal service: We take the time to discuss your needs and requirements.

Do you already know in which area you need reinforcement? We have interim staff available for various treasury disciplines, such as:

• TMS implementation
• Managing operations
• FX management & policies
• Funding
• Daily Cash Management

Connect now with your partner for interim treasurers, and let me bring you added value to your business. In for a quick call?

The story of this Match of the Month is about a non-European with a great education, a lot of talent and a bit of relevant experience. We presented him to many clients both for permanent as well as interim roles. Often him not being an EU citizen seemed to be an issue. His first assignment in The Netherlands he picked up through our services and he delivers ever since.

We found him various positions and not too long ago he picked up a new assignment through another recruiter. As turned out, it wasn’t made a match in heaven, and the assignment ended prematurely. Contracts in interim management deserve a professional approach, both in setup as well as roll out. Luckily one of our clients asked him to return so he is back on track with the support of our interim management expert Ron.

This experience underscores a crucial element we consider during interim placements: matching personalities, not only just skills. The most qualified candidate on paper might not always translate to a smooth working relationship within the client’s team.

Feel free to contact us for advice on your recruitment process.

It’s time to celebrate!

We’re turning 15 years old, and to mark this milestone, we’re sharing 15 interesting facts about our journey and what makes Treasurer Search unique. Buckle up and discover our story, from humble beginnings to a leading force in the industry!

Company Growth

1. This year 15 employees!

2. Evolved from home office to our own office from 1999!

3. Updated our brand communication- future-ready!

Client Focus

4. Serve diverse industries, from large-cap to mid-cap

5. Main source of assignments: returning to clients

6. Ongoing candidate support, from junior until retirement

International Presence

7. Offices in both the Netherlands and Germany, 4 nationalities in the team

Unique Offerings

8. Unique Vacancy Overviews on LinkedIn

9. Involved in RT Program, guest lectures at the Minor Treasury of the Hogeschool Utrecht

10. “Treasurer Test” – our unique assessment tool

Team Culture

11. Hand-on, flexible and fun team!

12. Highly dedicated team with low turnover

13. Diverse team with a wealth of talents and expertise

14. Active participation in online webinars

15. We customize, are personal & professional

What could our #16 fact be next year? Feel free to share your thoughts with us!

Recruiting for a treasury specialist is different from recruiting for a Group Treasurer. Technical skills and knowledge are considered a given at this level, personality becomes a more important factor, and stronger connections to business leaders are expected. Mass recruiters are not used anymore, companies are less likely to do the search themselves, and senior executive firms and niche firms like ours are used to find the candidate.

Why finding your next Top Treasury Executive requires a specialised approach

Finding a new Treasury Professional may seem straightforward, but when it comes to group treasurers, a whole new level of expertise is required. At Treasurer Search, we understand the nuances of these critical roles and the specialised approach required to attract top talent. Pieter found his first Group Treasurer of a listed firm before 2000, a first in a string of many that is still being extended.

The Importance of Soft Skills

While technical skills and financial knowledge are essential, they only paint part of the picture for a Group Treasurer. Even more than for junior and medior treasurers. At this senior level, soft skills become paramount. The ideal candidate will possess:

• Strategic thinking: The ability to align treasury functions with overall business objectives.
• Strong communication skills: Collaborate effectively and communicate complex financial concepts to diverse stakeholders.
• Leadership: Inspiring and guiding a team to achieve key financial goals.
• Business acumen: Understanding the broader business environment and its impact on financial strategy.
• Relationship building: Fostering strong relationships with internal and external partners.

Tailored Recruitment Strategies

Finding a Group Treasurer demands a far more targeted approach than relying on bulk recruitment methods. These senior positions are rarely filled, and companies often lack the internal expertise to conduct a thorough search. This is where specialized executive search firms like Treasurer Search come in. Identifying & screening candidates, approaching them, and guiding the process are handled more thoroughly and discretely than with junior positions.

Our Approach

• Deep industry knowledge: We possess and continue to invest in a comprehensive understanding of treasury across various sectors, allowing us to identify the best-qualified candidates.
• Extensive network: We cultivate long-lasting relationships with top treasury professionals, granting us access to a pool of talent not readily available through traditional methods who pick up the phone when we call.
• Customized approach: We take the time to understand your specific needs and company culture, ensuring a perfect match between candidate and employer.
• Confidentiality and discretion: We handle all searches with the utmost confidentiality and respect, protecting the reputations of both companies and candidates.

Partnering for Success

At Treasurer Search, we believe in fostering long-term partnerships. We don’t just fill vacancies; we build successful teams. By leveraging our specialized expertise and targeted approach, we connect you with the ideal Group Treasurer who can elevate your organization’s financial performance and contribute to its long-term success.

Ready to find your next Group Treasurer? Contact us today and let’s discuss your specific needs.

This year we celebrate our 15th birthday!

We have steadily grown to a 12-person team and have a very healthy, stable foundation. In our German expansion, also based upon what German treasurers tell us, we choose a steady, personal and quality-driven approach. Not the “quick and dirty” for which our industry and fellow Dutchmen are sometimes known for.

Interestingly enough…

Our most prominent successes are assignments of the type we worked towards in our early build-up years: Senior positions reporting to the CFO. What we notice is that hiring managers, CFOs and Group Treasurers, put internal recruiters more into the forefront. On the one hand that creates better scheduled processes. On the other hand, these processes tend to be longer and internal recruiters often lack treasury expertise which is understandable as they have to cover many bases.

Also, internal recruiters do not tend to feel the urgency of the hiring manager. When you combine this with notice periods of up to 6 months, recruitment processes are often much longer than in other countries. So far, we have not seen that this leads to an increased demand for interim treasurers.

In the past year, Treasurer Search has achieved significant milestones in expanding its footprint in Germany. Our German Treasurer Search team has been actively engaged in diverse assignments that reflect the distinctive dynamics of the German market.

Current assignments

Within our client’s organization, we see the traditional German business values like thorough processes and in-depth analysis of tasks & personality on one hand. On the other hand, we see the entrepreneurial and impact of non-Germans in the company. We are on the lookout for a senior treasury generalist with exceptional proficiency in Debt Capital Markets (DCMs).

Another current senior assignment is also in Berlin. There our client is rapidly expanding and due to their strategy, leveraged finance will remain essential. The appealing aspect of this assignment is the expected IPO. We are actively searching for a group treasurer with a robust profile in leverage finance, possibly with a background in banking.

Here you can find out more about our current positions in Germany:

Meet us at the Finanzsymposium in Mannheim

We are also pleased to announce that we will be attending the Finanzsymposium in Mannheim in April. We encourage all our partners, clients and treasury professionals to join us there to discuss the latest trends and opportunities in treasury.

Meet us at the Finanzsymposium

Conclusion
At Treasurer Search, we see great potential in the German treasury recruitment market. As we continue to expand our presence in Germany, we are committed to providing expertise and personalized service to both our clients and the many talented treasury professionals looking for their next role with us.

One of the very first blogs we ever published was entitled “Is corporate treasury a career dead end? Back then, even more than today, becoming a CFO was considered the holy grail for treasurers.

As part of our niche strategy, we do not take on CFO recruitment assignments. Unless it makes sense for a treasurer to move into the CFO role. In this match of the month, our client is a fast-growing e-commerce company with a global presence. In their growth, they have not yet built their treasury department, but they have organised their control and accounting well. It is essential for the company’s strategy to organise payment processes well and to secure funding for further growth. Both equity and debt.

We were asked to find an overqualified treasurer with a start-up mentality and the ability to take on broad responsibilities: a potential CFO. We found a candidate who, at a young age, had already covered group treasury and control responsibilities and had a background in competitive sport. The match was made and we can celebrate another success.

Feel free to contact us for advice on your recruitment process.

Imagine this: just before the end of the month, your treasurer comes to your office and hands you a letter; his resignation letter. He informs you that he has found another job outside your company, he has a one-month notice period, and he would still like to take his accumulated holiday days. On balance, he would only be productive for your company for a short time.

While unforeseen, this presents an opportunity to proactively address the impending vacancy. Finding a permanent replacement often requires dedicated time and resources, which your currently overburdened team may lack. The search can easily extend beyond 3 months, creating a potential gap in critical financial oversight.

Introducing the Interim Treasurer: A seasoned professional, they bring extensive experience across diverse organizations and projects. Their adaptability allows them to swiftly grasp your specific needs and operational environment, minimizing onboarding time and disruptions.

Benefits of an Interim Treasurer

• Continuity and Stability: They bridge the gap between your departing Treasurer and your chosen permanent successor, ensuring uninterrupted treasury management.
• Expertise on Demand: Their proven track record and diverse skillset provide immediate support, addressing potential concerns during the transition phase.
• Focus on Core Functions: You and your team can dedicate yourselves to core competencies while the interim professional handles vital financial tasks.
• Flexibility Tailored to You: Location, hours, and specific duties can be tailored to your organization’s unique requirements.

Finding the Perfect Match: Locating qualified interim Treasurers can be challenging, requiring access to a specialized network. With a pool of nearly 200 pre-vetted professionals, I can assist you in identifying candidates ideally suited to your specific needs.

Let’s Discuss Your Options: Schedule a confidential consultation with me to discuss your unique situation and explore how an interim Treasurer can ensure a smooth and successful transition for your organization. Let’s make a call, shall we?

2023 was for Treasurer Search the year that the pieces of the puzzle came together so this year we can celebrate our 15th birthday in the next maturity stage. Before, we were a group of dedicated generalists with treasury recruitment expertise, each of us covering many different tasks. When we went past 10 employees, currently 12, we noticed that specialization is possible and increases efficiency. We now have team members only focusing on well-known tasks such as marketing and we have a controller. Also on recruitment sub-tasks, we can focus more. Still, we know from each other what we do and inform each other every day at the “dagstart”.

Growth and expanding Expertise

From a market and results perspective, we continue the trend of previous years. Again, we set a new placement record which is of course great. As we want to be known as a stable team with faces you have seen before, we continue investing in a sensible growth rate. So you can expect new team members in 2024. Within our portfolio we see extra growth in areas we invested in: interim management by Ron, the German market by Britta & Alana and the senior executive level, my focus.

Because of our size, we can also invest in aspects that are perhaps less visible for you but still very important. Bianca leads us in storing and retrieving all that is relevant for candidates and clients as accurately and up-to-date as possible. Alana will ask you about what is important for you in treasury recruitment and help us with the best process management. Kim takes the lead in further investments in recruitment skills and the application of Big5/OCEAN personality typology in our work. The Treasurer Test will continue to play a role in our services.

Observing Treasury Labor Market Dynamics

My observation over the last 15 years is that the treasury labour market is dynamic but not as volatile as other (labour) markets. Of course we see an increased focus on technology but that is in all job types. In 2022 we had, in comparison to other years, many treasury control assignments. Last year we saw an increase in corporate finance/funding positions, and at the start of this year this continued. If this is part of a shift of focus in corporate treasury I cannot tell yet. In The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Dubai, already quite long non-natives are successfully recruited. In the German labour market this now also happens increasingly. Many of our Belgian clients still ask for locals.

Interim Management: A Cornerstone of Our Portfolio

Interim management has taken a prominent role in our portfolio and is there to stay. We are being called to fill temporary gaps, bring in expertise or even do transition or crisis management. Although there is constant talk about changes in tax and legal aspects, this does not seem to materialize. We do notice that interim management customs and fees are very different in our various home markets (Benelux and DACH) and act accordingly. Furthermore market shares between bulk recruiters, treasury consultants and niche recruiters like Treasurer Search shift depending on the need for speed, expertise and fee level. Personally, I do expect further shifts and a maturing market.

Treasurer Search in 2024

2024 for Treasurer Search will be about executing the plans we made in 2023. We will contact you personally, through calls, at events like DACT/FinanzSymosium/Eurofinance and webinars, to find out how we can support you in your recruitment needs and career plans. We look forward to hearing from you what you value in our services and to achieving success with you. Don’t forget that human capital is your biggest asset and career decisions are, next to family & housing, the ones with the most impact on your life.

Have a great 2024!