Treasury Analyst Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Before your Treasury Analyst interview, it helps to see the questions from the interviewer's side. We have picked eight from our set of 16 and added the reason each one gets asked.

Eight Treasury Analyst interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. What does a typical day for a treasury analyst look like, and what are the priorities?

Why they ask: They want to see you understand the daily rhythm of cash, risk and reporting.

2. How would you build and maintain a short-term cash flow forecast, and how do you measure its accuracy?

Why they ask: Forecasting is a core task and the quality of liquidity decisions depends on it.

3. A UK company buys goods in US dollars and sells in sterling. How would you identify the exposure and what hedging instruments might you use?

Why they ask: They want to see practical FX risk management knowledge.

4. Explain how cash concentration structures such as zero balancing and notional pooling work, and where you would use each.

Why they ask: They want to see you understand the liquidity tools that treasury analysts use.

5. Which treasury management systems and bank connectivity methods have you used, and what have you learned about getting the most from them?

Why they ask: They want to know your tools experience and how you use technology to improve control.

6. Your 13-week forecast shows a cash shortfall in the second week, because a major customer has delayed a large payment. What do you do?

Why they ask: They want to see practical liquidity management and communication.

7. How do SONIA and interest rate swaps work, and how would you assess whether a company should fix or float its debt?

Why they ask: They want to see understanding of interest rate risk after the LIBOR transition.

8. Tell me about a time you improved the accuracy of a cash forecast or another treasury process. What changed as a result?

Why they ask: They want evidence of practical improvement with measurable results.

A sample answer to question 1

What does a typical day for a treasury analyst look like, and what are the priorities?

The first priority every morning is cash. I check the bank balances across accounts and currencies, compare them with the previous day's forecast, and look for anything unexpected, such as a large receipt that hasn't arrived or an unplanned payment. I then position the cash, which might mean sweeping balances to the concentration account, funding accounts that are heading into overdraft, or placing surplus funds in a money market fund. I authorise or release payments within my limits and check that the payment run has been approved correctly. During the day I update the short-term cash forecast with information from the business units, monitor FX exposures, and execute deals under the hedging policy if needed. I also handle bank queries, account opening or maintenance, and prepare reporting, such as weekly liquidity, covenant calculations and hedge valuations for month-end. The work demands accuracy and strong control, as errors involve real money, but it also requires good relationships with the finance team and banks to resolve issues quickly.

Common mistake to avoid: Describing only reporting; Ignoring controls

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 16 questions are on the Treasury Analyst interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.