Risk manager

Risk managers identify and assess potential threats and risks to a company, and give advice on how to deal with them. They create preventive plans to avoid and reduce risks, and put plans in place for when the company is threatened.

The following job titles also refer to risk manager:

corporate risk manager
risk management specialist
chief risk officer
operational risk manager
risk and insurance consultant
corporate risk department manager
chief risk executive
budget and debt advisor
risk management director
bank risk manager

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as risk manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Risk manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to risk manager.

investment manager
investment analyst
budget manager
credit union manager
banking products manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of risk manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of risk manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of risk manager.

Financial statements: The set of financial records disclosing the financial position of a company at the end of a set period or of the accounting year. The financial statements consisting of five parts which are the statement of financial position, the statement of comprehensive income, the statement of changes in equity (SOCE), the statement of cash flows and notes.
Financial management: The field of finance that concerns the practical process analysis and tools for designating financial resources. It encompasses the structure of businesses, the investment sources, and the value increase of corporations due to managerial decision-making.
Corporate social responsibility: The handling or managing of business processes in a responsible and ethical manner considering the economic responsibility towards shareholders as equally important as the responsibility towards environmental and social stakeholders.
Securities: The financial instruments traded in financial markets representing both the right of property over the owner and at the same time, the obligation of payment over the issuer. The aim of securities which is raising capital and hedging risk in financial markets.
Financial analysis: The process of assessing the financial possibilities, means, and status of an organisation or individual by analysing financial statements and reports in order to make well informed business or financial decisions.
Tax legislation: Tax legislation applicable to a specific area of specialisation, such as import tax, government tax, etc.

These skills are necessary for the role of risk manager.

Integrate strategic foundation in daily performance: Reflect on the strategic foundation of companies, meaning their mission, vision, and values in order to integrate this foundation in the performance of the job position.
Advise on risk management: Provide advice on risk management policies and prevention strategies and their implementation, being aware of different kinds of risks to a specific organisation.
Manage securities: Administer the securities owned by the company or organisation, namely debt securities, equity securities and derivatives aiming to get the highest benefit from them.
Enforce financial policies: Read, understand, and enforce the abidance of the financial policies of the company in regards with all the fiscal and accounting proceedings of the organisation.
Analyse market financial trends: Monitor and forecast the tendencies of a financial market to move in a particular direction over time.
Strive for company growth: Develop strategies and plans aiming at achieving a sustained company growth, be the company self-owned or somebody else’s. Strive with actions to increase revenues and positive cash flows.
Estimate profitability: Take various factors into account to calculate the cost and potential revenues or savings gained from a product in order to evaluate the profit that could be generated by the new acquisition or by a new project.
Create a financial plan: Develop a financial plan according to financial and client regulations, including an investor profile, financial advice, and negotiation and transaction plans.
Interpret financial statements: Read, understand, and interpret the key lines and indicators in financial statements. Extract the most important information from financial statements depending on the needs and integrate this information in the development of the department’s plans.
Advise on financial matters: Consult, advise, and propose solutions with regards to financial management such as acquiring new assets, incurring in investments, and tax efficiency methods.
Analyse financial performance of a company: Based on accounts, records, financial statements and external information of the market, analyse the performance of the company in financial matters in order to identify improvement actions that could increase profit.
Analyse internal factors of companies: Research and understand various internal factors that influence the operation of companies such as its culture, strategic foundation, products, prices, and available resources.
Calculate dividends: Calculate the payments made by corporations as distribution of their profit to the shareholders, ensuring that the shareholders receive the correct amount in the correct format, meaning in monetary payouts via deposits or via the issuing of further shares or share repurchase.
Advise on tax policy: Advise government officials on changes in tax policies and procedures, and the implementation of new policies on a national and local level.
Plan health and safety procedures: Set up procedures for maintaining and improving health and safety in the workplace.
Analyse external factors of companies: Perform research and analysis of the external factor pertaining to companies such as consumers, position in the market, competitors, and political situation.
Assess risk factors: Determine the influence of economical, political and cultural risk factors and additional issues.
Collect financial data: Gather, organise, and combine financial data for their interpretation and analysis in order to predict possible financial scenarios and performance of a company or project.
Analyse financial risk: Identify and analyse risks that could impact an organisation or individual financially, such as credit and market risks, and propose solutions to cover against those risks.
Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
Follow company standards: Lead and manage according to the organisation’s code of conduct.
Make strategic business decisions: Analyse business information and consult directors for decision making purposes in a varied array of aspects affecting the prospect, productivity and sustainable operation of a company. Consider the options and alternatives to a challenge and make sound rational decisions based on analysis and experience.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of risk manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Accounting department processes: The different processes, duties, jargon, role in an organisation, and other specificities of the accounting department within an organisation such as bookkeeping, invoices, recording, and taxing.
Financial products: The different types of instruments that apply to the management of cash flow that are available on the market, such as shares, bonds, options or funds.
Risk transfer: The financial techniques aimed at avoiding damaging financially a business and instead, protect it in its operations. It is the operation of transferring liabilities and claims to third parties that have the financial muscle and specialise in bundling and managing risks in scale.
Insurance law: The law and legislation concerning the policies of transferring risks or losses from one party, the insured, to another, the insurer, in exchange for a periodic payment. This includes the regulation of insurance claims and the business of insurance.
Financial department processes: The different processes, duties, jargon, role in an organisation, and other specificities of the financial department within an organisation. Understanding of financial statements, investments, disclosing policies, etc.
Banking activities: The broad and continuously growing banking activities and financial products managed by banks ranging from personal banking, corporate banking, investment banking, private banking, up to insurance, foreign exchange trading, commodity trading, trading in equities, futures and options trading.
International financial reporting standards: The set of accounting standards and rules aimed at companies listed in the stock exchange which are required to publish and disclose their financial statements.
Financial forecasting: The tool used in performing fiscal financial management to identify revenue trends and estimated financial conditions.
Investment analysis: The methods and tools for analysis of an investment compared to its potential return. Identification and calculation of profitability ratio and financial indicators in relation to associated risks to guide decision on investment.
National generally accepted accounting principles: The accounting standard accepted in a region or country specifying the rules and procedures to disclose financial data.
Types of insurance: The various types of risk or loss transfer policies that exist and their characteristics, such as health insurance, car insurance or life insurance.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of risk manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Apply credit risk policy: Implement company policies and procedures in the credit risk management process. Permanently keep company’s credit risk at a manageable level and take measures to avoid credit failure.
Analyse loans: Examine and analyse the loans provided to organisations and individuals through different forms of credit such as overdraft protection, export packing credit, term loan, and purchase of commercial bills.
Perform stock valuation: Analyse, calculate and appraise the value of the stock of a company. Use mathematic and logarithm in order to determine the value in consideration of different variables.
Compile appraisal reports: Compile full reports of appraisals of properties, businesses, or other goods and services being appraised using all the data gathered during the appraisal and valuation process, such as financial history, ownership, and developments.
Analyse insurance needs: Gather information about the insurance needs of a client, and give information and advice about all possible insurance options.
Advise on investment: Assess the customer’s economic goals and advise on the possible financial investments or capital investments to promote wealth creation or safeguarding.
Communicate with banking professionals: Communicate with professionals in the field of banking in order to obtain information on a specific financial case or project for personal or business purposes, or on behalf of a client.
Keep updated on the political landscape: Read, search, and analyse the political situation of a region as a source of information applicable for different purposes such as information, decision-making, and management, and investments.
Assess reliability of data: Implement procedures and techniques that could help determine the level of reliability of the information in the sense of reducing risks and increasing infallibility in the decision making.
Develop company strategies: Envision, plan, and develop strategies for companies and organisations aimed at achieving different purposes such as establishing new markets, refurbishing the equipment and machinery of a company, implementing pricing strategies, etc.
Create risk reports: Gather all the information, analyse the variables and create reports where the detected risks of the company or projects are analysed and possible solutions are suggested as counter actions to the risks.
Idenfify if a company is a going concern: Analyse financial statements, financial information and the outlook of the company in order to determine the going concern of the company.
Assess financial viability: Revise and analyse financial information and requirements of projects such as their budget appraisal, expected turnover, and risk assessment for determining the benefits and costs of the project. Assess if the agreement or project will redeem its investment, and whether the potential profit is worth the financial risk.

2412 – Financial and investment advisers

 

 

---

 

 

References

1. Risk manager – ESCO