Survey: Treasury and Finance Professionals Garnered 3.5% Raises On Average in 2018

BETHESDA, Md., May 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Treasury and finance professionals earned an average 3.5 percent base salary increase in 2018, according to the 2019 Association for Financial Professionals Compensation Survey. Executive and management-tier professionals enjoyed raises of 3.2 percent and 3.6, respectively, while staff garnered a 3.9 percent raise, according to the new report.

Nearly 70 percent of all employees were awarded bonuses in 2018; that figure is essentially unchanged from the year before. Executives' bonuses increased 23 percent, possibly due to receiving greater salary hikes from incentive compensation instead of traditional pay increases. Fully 61 percent of organizations awarded bonuses based on operating income/EBITDA targets.

Comprehensive 2019 AFP Compensation Survey results are available at http://www.afponline.org/CompReport/. For press inquiries, please contact Melissa Rawak at [email protected].

Career Advancement
More than 3,500 treasury and finance professionals took part in the survey. When asked about upward mobility and career advancement the criterion respondents cited most often was "increased job responsibility" at 86 percent. Other factors include:

• Contribution to profitability (69 percent of respondents)
• Earning a professional certification such as AFP's Certified Treasury Professional or Certified Cash Manager (36 percent)
• Earning a MBA or other advanced degree (30 percent).

Talent Gap
When asked about critical job competencies and talent gaps, the skill respondents cited most was "strong analytical skills" at 55 percent followed by "leadership and people management" (37 percent). However, 37 percent believe financial professionals lack leadership and people management skills and one third say their colleagues are wanting in strategic and innovative skills.

"The 2019 AFP Compensation Survey underscores the contributions treasury and finance professionals make to their organizations," said Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP. "Yet the survey also reveals a skills gap. Treasury and finance professionals need to invest in their careers to stay relevant, especially in this age of digital disruption."

About AFP®
Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) is the professional society committed to advancing the success of its members and their organizations. AFP established and administers the Certified Treasury Professional and Certified Corporate FP&A Professional credentials, which set standards of excellence in finance. Each year, AFP hosts the largest networking conference worldwide for over 6,500 corporate finance professionals.

SOURCE Association for Financial Professionals