How to become a Head of Treasury in the Netherlands

Author Daryl Ong
juni 14, 2024

If you’re a treasury professional looking to become a Head of Treasury in the Netherlands now or in the future, it might help to understand the role itself, what skills and experience you’ll need, and how to discover the right job for you.

What is a Head of Treasury?

A Head of Treasury is responsible for overseeing a company’s treasury operations, including cash and risk management, investment management, financial strategy, regulatory compliance, financial reporting and more.

The requirement for a Head of Treasury depends on the company’s size. For large corporations, multinationals and most mid-sized companies that operate in the Netherlands, the role (sometimes known as Group Treasurer or Treasury Director) is crucial to manage the complexity and scale of their financial operations. For these companies, at least 15 years of work experience is usually required. Some small companies have a Head of Treasury but may only require ten years of experience.

The Head of Treasury is typically part of the senior management team and contributes to the company’s high-level decision making and strategy. They usually manage the company’s treasury department which might include Treasury Analysts, Senior Treasury Managers, Treasury Managers, Treasury Accountants and other treasury employees.

The Head of Treasury typically reports to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and has various internal stakeholders including teams in finance and accounting, corporate strategy and operations. They also interact and maintain relationships with external stakeholders including investors, shareholders, banking and financial institutions, and regulatory bodies.

What does a Head of Treasury do in the Netherlands?

A company’s Head of Treasury oversees its treasury operations. This is particularly important in European countries like the Netherlands (particularly Amsterdam and Rotterdam) that have financially complex, dynamic and sophisticated environments. These responsibilities include:

  • Cash management: This can include liquidity management, cash-flow forecasting, cash position management, bank relationship management, working capital optimisation and more. This responsibility also involves compliance and financial reporting to ensure the company complies with local and international regulations. There are unique elements of this responsibility for the Netherlands, including Dutch tax considerations, Treasury Management Systems (TMS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems
  • Risk management: The Head of Treasury identifies and mitigates financial risks such as interest rates, currency and credit risks. This responsibility also involves risk analysis, risk management strategizing, monitoring and reporting, and crisis management. There are considerations that are unique to the Netherlands, such as compliance with EU and European directives and regulations, and risk management associated with the Eurozone
  • Investment management: The Head of Treasury manages the company’s investments to optimise returns with the least possible risk. This might include asset allocation, investment policy development, portfolio management and more. In the Netherlands, it’s key to have a good understanding of the Dutch financial markets such as the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange
  • Funding and capital management: This involves raising capital while managing debt and equity to manage the company’s capital structure
  • Financial strategy: As a strategic position in the company, the Head of Treasury considers all of these responsibilities when handling a company’s financial strategy. This ultimately aligns the company’s resources with its long-term objectives and goals

Do you need qualifications to become a Head of Treasury in the Netherlands?

To become a Head of Treasury in the Netherlands, you should have a combination of education, skills and experience. These requirements vary by company and sector, but generally you’re expected to hold a bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, accounting, business administration or a related field. It also helps if you hold of a master’s degree or other advanced certificate in finance or similar.

There are some specific qualifications that are valued in the Netherlands for a Head of Treasury role, such as:

What skills do you need to become a Head of Treasury in the Netherlands?

Successful Heads of Treasury in the Netherlands possess a diverse set of hard and soft skills, such as:

  • Treasury management: It’s crucial to have comprehensive knowledge of local and global treasury management principles and practices. These include the responsibilities listed under “What does a Head of Treasury do in the Netherlands?” and more
  • Financial acumen: You should have a strong grasp of financial concepts such as financial markets, products and instruments. You’ll need to be able to analyse financial data, assess risk and make informed decisions to support the company’s financial position
  • Leadership and team management: The Head of Treasury usually leads a treasury team, so it helps to have strong leadership skills so you can motivate your team members, enhance collaboration, provide direction and support their own career progress
  • Communication skills: You’ll need to communicate complex financial information to your stakeholders, so you should be able to clearly articulate financial risks, strategies and performance metrics in a way they understand
  • Problem-solving: The Head of Treasury needs to address complex financial challenges and navigate obstacles. Good problem-solving skills will help you find solutions and initiatives, consider alternatives and overcome challenges effectively

Fluency in English and Dutch is a desirable skill but not necessary for every company, depending on its international operations.

How much does a Head of Treasury earn in the Netherlands?

Salaries for a Head of Treasury in the Netherlands vary by company size and your work experience.

  • In a large corporate or multinational, the Head of Treasury (or Group Treasurer) earns between 175,000 EUR and 280,000 EUR
  • In a mid-sized company, they earn between 150,000 EUR and 180,000 EUR
  • In a small company, they earn between EUR 100,000 and 150,000 EUR

How do you find a Head of Treasury job in the Netherlands?

If you’re considering a Head of Treasury role in the Netherlands, you can use a combination of strategic job searching, professional resources and networking. Here are some examples:

  • Recruitment agencies: Agencies like Brewer Morris can help treasury candidates with bespoke guidance, available jobs, and access to unique treasury and finance networks. We specialise in executive search – i.e., placing elusive senior roles – and have connections locally and globally to help you find your Head of Treasury role in the Netherlands
  • Company websites: Consider the types of companies you’d like to work for and visit their career webpages. This will give you an idea of what it’s like to work there and their employer brand, including their vision, culture, mission, values and more. This research will also benefit you during application and hiring processes with those companies
  • General job boards: You can find Head of Treasury roles in the Netherlands on general job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn
  • Specialised job boards: There are also specialised job boards for finance and treasury professionals such as eFinancial Careers and Finance.nl
  • LinkedIn: You can make yourself more visible to recruiters and hiring managers (without your employer knowing you’re looking elsewhere) by ensuring your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date with your skills and experience. Recruiters use LinkedIn technology to source and screen candidates on behalf of hiring managers so this makes it easier to discover you. It also helps if you engage with companies on LinkedIn that you’d like to work for – such as following their page and applying for their jobs
  • Networking: Attending networking events and conferences is the best way to stay up-to-date on industry trends, share knowledge and hear about career opportunities through new relationships. Some popular events for treasury professionals in the Netherlands include EuroFinance, Treasury 360 and the Dutch Association of Corporate Treasurers (DACT) Annual Conference. We also host smaller, interactive networking events – you can contact us to learn more

If you don’t live in the Netherlands but you’re considering relocating, we can help you. The Netherlands is an increasingly attractive hub for international treasury professionals looking for more work-life balance and/or higher salaries than where they currently live.

Can a Head of Treasury work on an interim basis in the Netherlands?

In the Netherlands, there’s an increasing appetite for companies hiring interim Heads of Treasury. There are various contract types for a range of purposes such as project-based work, temporary support, leave cover and specialised expertise.

An interim professional is usually employed on a fixed-term contract that can last for weeks, months or even years.

There are many benefits for Heads of Treasury to work on an interim basis:

  • Flexible working: An interim Head of Treasury can often choose their projects, schedules and who they work with. This gives them the flexibility to improve their work-life balance and wellbeing
  • Project variety: Working on an interim basis gives a Head of Treasury exposure to a variety of projects and challenges – gaining experience and skillsets from multiple companies and sectors
  • Specialising: An interim Head of Treasury can choose and improve their specialism. For example, this might be cash and/or risk management, corporate finance, corporate treasury, liquidity management, treasury technology and systems, or sustainability and ESG
  • Higher salary: An interim Head of Treasury can earn higher salaries than permanent or full-time employees depending on how they charge for hourly rates or temporary work. In the Netherlands, they can typically earn an hourly rate of 120 – 200 EUR

Get in touch with us today if you’d like to find out more or discuss your job search.

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