Discover the finance professions
The finance sector is recruiting. It has created thousands of new jobs in recent years and this trend will continue at the same rate in the years to come.
EM Normandie offers many specialisations in the fields of finance and financial data.
The professional opportunities offered in the financial sector are varied, particularly in the field of banking and insurance.
- Customer advisor
- Financial analyst
- Financial auditor
- Financial director
- General agent
- Insurance broker
- Management controller
- Payroll manager
- Risk manager
- Trader
Customer advisor
The banking account manager studies the needs of his customers to offer them the most suitable banking products. They have a good knowledge of the products offered by their bank and are familiar with their customers' profiles.
The customer adviser supports and develops the loyalty of his customers in the day-to-day management of their finances.
To do this, they have good interpersonal skills as well as commercial aptitudes which enable them to establish a relationship of trust with their clients.
Working in a banking establishment, they manage a portfolio of customers, both private individuals and professionals (craftsmen, shopkeepers, etc.) and companies. When working in the insurance sector, they provide legal advice and negotiate insurance contracts.
Their tasks are quite varied:
- Offering clients banking products in line with their needs: credit, cash management, external audit, investments, asset management, etc.
- Setting up and monitoring files, in compliance with legislation and procedures.
- Participating in the operation and commercial development of its institution.
- Analysing market developments.
- Prospecting potential clients and participating in the promotion of products and services.
Financial analyst
A financial analyst is a stock market investment specialist who helps investors choose the least risky and most profitable stocks by studying company values in depth.
Also known as financial economists, they monitor a group of companies in a specific sector.
To do this, they analyse the specialised press, internal studies, publications made by companies, etc. They are even in contact with the managers of these companies.
Financial analysts work in stock exchange companies, banks or independent research consultancies.
Working mainly in a bank, financial firm or for a stock market investment company, their missions consist of:
- Gathering information on listed companies and carrying out a diagnosis on the evolution of these companies.
- Producing recommendations according to the value of the company and its development prospects.
- Preparing notes or financial studies to be presented to clients or management.
- Analysing the financial, economic and social indicators of the company to assess the sustainability and profitability of the establishments.
Financial auditor
Financial auditors play a crucial role in verifying and validating a company's financial statements, ensuring that they are accurate and comply with current accounting and regulatory standards. They often work for auditing firms, but may also be employed directly by large companies to ensure internal controls.
Financial auditors work closely with management to identify areas of financial risk and make recommendations to improve internal processes and financial transparency.
They conduct in-depth analyses of financial and accounting operations, ensuring that financial records accurately reflect the company's economic performance.
The main tasks of the financial auditor are :
- Examining financial statements and annual reports to ensure their accuracy.
- Identify financial risks and propose corrective measures to mitigate them.
- Check that financial transactions comply with legal and regulatory standards.
- Preparing detailed audit reports and presenting them to management to inform decision-making.
- Helping to improve internal control and risk management processes.
- Carrying out internal control assignments to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of control systems.
- Carrying out specific audits at the request of management to assess the performance or compliance of certain activities.
Financial Director
The financial director ensures and supervises the financial management of a company. This senior manager works closely with the general management to ensure the strategic and financial development of the company.
They carry out financial and tax analyses to propose the company's major financial orientations.
They also anticipate and plan for the funds that are essential for the good health of the company.
To implement the financial strategy, they define financing plans and ensure that they are implemented in the most effective way. If they work for a large company, they may be required to collect accounting information from the companies and subsidiaries of their company in order to prepare the consolidated results.
The tasks of the financial director are based on:
- Drawing up budget forecasts.
- Checking the company's general and cost accounting.
- Drawing up and presenting balance sheets.
- Managing a team: financial analyst, cash flow manager, export financing specialist, international credit expert, etc.
- Negotiating with bankers and institutions likely to participate in the financing of investments.
General agent
The general insurance agent is responsible for selling the products of an insurance company to private and professional clients. They may be attached to an agency or work on a self-employed basis. Some general agents work in the field of provident insurance or asset management.
Their role is to assist their clients with all actions relating to a contract: analysis, underwriting, monitoring, settlement of claims, etc.
After studying the client's needs, they propose suitable cover and draw up the contracts. In the event of a claim, they may have to call in an expert.
Generally paid according to the turnover achieved, they must develop their business commercially. They manage their agency independently but must maintain a certain consistency with the company they represent, unlike insurance brokers.
As manager, they recruit, train and manage their own teams, in particular the insurance advisors, whose task is to receive customers and prospect to expand the agency's portfolio.
The main tasks of the general agent :
- Setting up and developing their general insurance agency.
- Managing the agency and the staff.
- Developing the client portfolio.
- Assisting clients in the management of their contracts.
- Keeping a permanent regulatory watch.
Discover the career of John Rouxel, General Insurance Agent at MMA
Insurance broker
The broker advises and negotiates insurance contracts on behalf of his/her clients, individuals, companies and professionals in compliance with the regulations imposed in the country.
They are mandated by their clients to negotiate the best insurance conditions. To do this, they put several insurance companies in competition with each other in order to compare their offers.
They also advise their clients by analysing their situation in advance, targeting their needs and proposing the most suitable solutions.
They may be generalists or specialists in a particular field, such as reinsurance, construction, loan insurance, or they may design tailor-made contracts to meet specific requirements.
Whether they work as a self-employed person or as an employee in a brokerage firm, their main tasks are to:
- Establishing the administrative set-up of files by listing the guarantees covered and the conditions of the contract.
- Negotiating with insurance companies the conditions of cover offered to the client.
- Ensuring the financial management of the firm and the staff working there.
- Monitoring and controlling technical and administrative operations.
Management controller
The management controller, also known as the planning and management manager, is responsible for controlling the company's budgets.
They analyse economic and financial data to assist the company's management in managing the business and in making decisions.
They also develop budget forecasts and procedures in order to use the company's resources in an optimal way. This allows the company to be more efficient. They help the company to optimise its costs and choose the best development strategy.
The main tasks of the management controller are :
- Defining and implementing management and monitoring tools.
- Analysing all costs and carrying out financial studies.
- Preparing budget forecasts.
- Monitoring the differences between forecast and actual objectives and submitting corrective actions.
- Prepare regular reports on the company's activity.
Discover the career of Anaïs Trentesaux, Anaïs, Director of Management Control at Courir
Payroll manager
The payroll administrator is a key player in the company, responsible for administering salaries and social security contributions. They ensure that employees are paid correctly and on time, while complying with current regulations.
The payroll manager works with the company's various departments, in particular human resources and accounting, to collect and process the information needed to draw up pay slips.
They analyse data relating to working hours, absences, holidays and overtime to accurately calculate the remuneration due.
The payroll manager's main tasks are
- Preparing and calculating pay slips, taking into account variable elements and benefits in kind.
- Managing social security and tax declarations, ensuring that they are accurate and comply with legislation.
- Manage absences, leave and overtime, keeping employee files up to date.
- Update employee information in the payroll system, incorporating changes in status (hirings, departures, promotions).
- Ensuring compliance with current legislation, particularly in terms of employment law and collective agreements.
- Drawing up and transmitting nominative social declarations (DSN) and other compulsory declarations to social organisations.
- Answering employees' questions about their pay, leave and benefits.
- Helping to improve payroll processes to make them more efficient and accurate.
Risk manager
The risk manager is a key professional in the protection of a company's assets and reputation. Their main task is to identify, analyse and manage potential risks that could affect the company's financial and operational health. They work closely with management to develop and implement risk management strategies.
The risk manager regularly assesses internal and external processes to detect vulnerabilities and threats.
They must anticipate risk situations and propose solutions to mitigate them, while ensuring that the company complies with current regulations.
The risk manager's main tasks are
- Identify potential risks (financial, operational, legal, environmental, etc.) that could impact the company.
- Assess the probability and impact of these risks on the company's activities.
- Developing and implementing risk management strategies and policies to minimise negative impacts.
- Monitoring regulations and legislation to anticipate changes that could affect the company.
- Training and raising awareness of good risk management practices.
- Monitoring and analysing incidents to improve risk management processes.
- Preparing detailed reports on identified risks and the measures taken to mitigate them, for presentation to management.
Trader
Traders, also known as market operators, play a crucial role in buying and selling financial products on the markets. Often working for banks, investment companies or hedge funds, the trader seeks to maximise profits while minimising the risks associated with financial transactions.
Traders constantly analyse the financial markets to identify trading opportunities. They use various analytical tools and techniques to forecast price movements and make buy or sell decisions in real time.
Their ability to react quickly to market developments is crucial to the success of their operations.
The trader's main tasks are
- Analysing the financial markets to identify profitable trading opportunities.
- Place buy and sell orders in real time, based on market analyses and forecasts.
- Manage a portfolio of financial assets, adjusting positions to maximise gains and minimise losses.
- Monitor financial market trends and adjust trading strategies accordingly.
- Write detailed trading reports to inform management or clients of performance and strategies employed.
- Use technical and fundamental analysis tools to forecast market trends.
- Comply with current regulations and company compliance policies.
