By Treasury Masterminds
In today’s fast-evolving economic and technological environment, corporate treasury teams are under more pressure than ever. But the challenges faced differ depending on your role within the function. What keeps a Treasury Analyst up at night isn’t always the same thing that keeps a Treasury Manager on their toes.
Here are the five biggest challenges in treasury right now — and how they impact analysts and managers differently.
1. Cash Visibility & Forecasting Accuracy
For Analysts:
Analysts are often the ones collecting and consolidating data from multiple bank portals, ERPs, and spreadsheets. Poor system connectivity or inconsistent data formats can turn this into a manual, error-prone process. The pressure to deliver daily liquidity positions and accurate short-term forecasts is high — especially when data arrives late or is incomplete.
For Managers:
Managers are responsible for the accuracy and strategic value of forecasts. They need to trust the data — and explain it. When visibility is low or forecasts prove unreliable, they face difficult conversations with CFOs or business units. Implementing better tooling, standardizing forecasting models, and pushing for real-time insights becomes a strategic priority.
2. FX Volatility & Hedging Decisions
For Analysts:
Analysts typically track exposures, update hedge positions, and ensure data flows correctly into treasury systems or spreadsheets. Rising FX volatility increases the volume and complexity of this work. Mistakes in exposure data can lead to under- or over-hedging — both costly errors.
For Managers:
Managers must decide when and how to hedge, selecting the right instruments and balancing cost vs. protection. With rate divergence, political instability, and foreign currency risks on the rise, FX policy decisions are more complex. They must justify these decisions internally while ensuring compliance with policy and accounting rules (e.g., hedge effectiveness).
3. Technology Integration & TMS Utilization
For Analysts:
Many analysts work with fragmented systems and spend significant time on manual processes. Even with a TMS in place, poor configuration or lack of integration can mean the analyst still lives in Excel. Learning how to use automation, APIs, or new treasury tools adds to the workload — but is critical for career growth.
For Managers:
Managers are often tasked with leading digital transformation in treasury. Whether selecting a new TMS or optimizing an existing one, they must navigate vendor complexity, internal IT constraints, and user adoption challenges. Without alignment between systems and processes, strategic goals like real-time reporting or multi-entity pooling fall flat.
4. Banking Relationships & Counterparty Risk
For Analysts:
Analysts manage KYC documentation, open/close accounts, maintain signatories, and support day-to-day bank operations. Increasing compliance complexity makes this slow and frustrating. A simple change in signatories can take weeks and delay payments.
For Managers:
Managers must assess concentration risk, negotiate fees, and ensure business continuity. The collapse of regional banks and sanctions enforcement have raised the stakes. They are expected to build resilient banking strategies — often with fewer resources — while maintaining global coverage and operational flexibility.
5. Talent, Skill Development & Retention
For Analysts:
Treasury is evolving beyond spreadsheets. Analysts are expected to understand APIs, dashboards, data models, and even Python — but often receive little structured training. Opportunities to upskill, get exposure to strategic projects, or move laterally are essential to avoid turnover.
For Managers:
Managers are caught in the middle — needing digitally fluent staff, but facing talent shortages and limited hiring budgets. Building a high-performing team means investing time in coaching, cross-training, and creating a treasury culture where analysts see a clear career path.
Final Thought
Whether you’re in the weeds of reporting or shaping treasury strategy from above, the challenges facing treasury professionals are growing more technical, more cross-functional, and more critical to business success. The key difference? Treasury Analysts are expected to execute better, while Treasury Managers are expected to elevate the function.
If you’re navigating any of these challenges — you’re not alone. That’s exactly why the Treasury Masterminds community exists: to share what works (and what doesn’t) across treasury teams worldwide.
Also Read
- Open Banking: A Missed Opportunity for Corporate Treasurers in the UK and EU?
- Nordics and Estonia Develop Offline Card Payment Systems: A Wake-Up Call for Corporate Treasury
- Why was Treasury 2.0: Future-Proofing Finance with AIWritten and Why It Matters Now
- Data is the new liquidity: Why Treasurers must champion technology for better data management
- Why New Treasury Tech Can Fail (Before It Even Starts): The Hidden Challenge Behind Every Implementation
- Do You Have a Right to a Bank Account? Here’s How It Works for Individuals and Businesses
- The Role of Treasury: From Operational to Strategic Leadership
- The Evolution of Treasury: How Has the Role Changed in Recent Years?
- The Modern Treasurer: A Strategically Skilled Financial Leader
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