Career prospects

Your focus is on the interaction between business, the economic environment and economic policy. You have a clear understanding of the role institutions and incentives play in the economic behaviour of individuals, firms and governments. Your broad training in international financial management and economics and your excellent analytical, social and communication skills enable you to flexibly adjust to and effectively operate in any new working environment in many different fields and organisations.

You’re comfortable working in multidisciplinary teams which is a career asset - in the real world most projects are performed in multidisciplinary teams, so you have strongly benefited  from the multidisciplinary approach taken in this Master’s programme. You are practically oriented, but you draw on a firm basis in the theory of economics, finance and business in order to deliver excellent results for your organisation. The study association ECU'92 organises regular career events, where you have a chance to speak with potential employers.

Possible Careers

There is a growing need for well-trained young talent able to see ‘the story behind the numbers’ in the financial industry. More than ever before, there is a need for clear financial analysis and sound financial advice. Further, the future of economy and finance will be created by professionals who have a firm grasp on the impact their decisions have upon society and the individual. As a graduate of the MSc in Financial Management, you are prepared to take on a wide variety of financial management positions worldwide, functioning at an excellent practical and academic level, and with a broad perspective that takes all stakeholders into account.

 Graduates of the Utrecht University Master’s in Financial Management have gone on to work in a number of different institutions and sectors including:

  • international banks e.g. World Bank, European Central Bank, Dutch Central Bank;
  • corporate banks e.g. ABN AMRO, HSBC, ING, Rabobank;
  • insurance firms and pension funds  (Delta Lloyd, PGGM)
  • financial market regulators (BaFin and AFM)
  • start-ups and venture capital firms;
  • consultancy firms

Positions in the financial industry held by our graduates include:

  1. (Junior) consultant financial management: as a financial management consultant, you will advise companies on how to set up their financial management practices.  
  2. Financial (management) trainee: as a financial trainee you will be exposed to all facets of financial management. You produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies to reach long-term (financial) goals. As such, you are at the root of all major business decisions. Eventually, you will choose a specialisation in one of the financial management functions at the end of the trainee program.
  3. Financial analyst: as a financial analyst you perform financial analysis for external or internal clients as a securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst, or rating analyst.
  4. (Assistant) controller: as a controller you supervise the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organisation, oversee the implementation and monitoring of internal controls, provide management reports on individual and entity performance, and guard the financial health of the organisation.
  5. (Assistant) treasurer: as a treasurer you are responsible for cash management, financial risk management (including the use of derivatives), debt management, investment management, and capital structure.

    Alumni Stories

    Curious about the jobs our alumni got? Browse the LinkedIn profiles of some of our graduates in Financial Management.

    • Ingmar Beerthuizen

      Valuation Specialist/ Corporate Finance / M&A at Achmea

      Utrecht, The Netherlands

      LinkedIn
      Ingmar Beerthuizen
      View my profile on LinkedIn

    • Eline van Hoek

      Commercial Finance Manager at George Weston Foods

      South Yarra, Victoria, Australia

      LinkedIn
      Eline van Hoek
      View my profile on LinkedIn

    • Olaf van der Haar

      Finance & Risk Data Analyst at Rabobank

      Utrecht Area, Netherlands

      LinkedIn
      Olaf van der Haar
      View my profile on LinkedIn

    UU Career Services

    UU Career Services offers training related to career orientation and job application skills; examples include writing an application letter and CV and conducting a job interview. You can find more information about career services on UU Career Services for Dutch students or UU Career Services for international students. Furthermore, the alumni network supports graduates with workshops and meet-ups after graduation to expand networks and skills.

    UU Careers Day

    Once a year, Utrecht University organises a Careers Day. The Careers Day offers the opportunity to sign up for workshops and trainings, have your resume assessed, and meet recruiters.