A cash officer working for a financial institution, such as a bank or an insurance company, ensures that cash management and loan approval procedures are adequate, functional and established in accordance with regulations, industry practices and top management's directives. A cash officer working for a non-financial entity focuses on corporate treasury activities.

Nature of the Work

A cash officer works in a corporation's treasury or credit department. He evaluates daily cash levels and ensures they meet short-term operating needs and long-term project financing requirements. A cash officer also monitors periodic cash flows to detect business performance trends such as "working capital" ratios. "Working capital" equals short-term assets, such as cash and accounts receivable, minus short-term debt.

Education and Training

A bachelor's degree is usually necessary for a cash management position. Employers prefer accounting, finance, business management or treasury analysis majors, although liberal arts graduates are not uncommon in the profession. A senior cash officer with major supervisory duties typically has a master's degree in a business-related field or certified public accountant license.

Salary

A cash officer working in the private sector earns more than a counterpart in a governmental entity. His pay depends on the company's size and staffing needs. A cash officer's scope of duties,seniority, length of service, professional certifications and academic credentials also affect her remuneration. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that loan and cash officers earned median salaries of $59,820 in 2012, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $32,600 and the top 10 percent earning more than $119,710.

Career Development

A cash officer can attend continuing professional education courses every year to improve his chances of advancement. Although performance usually plays an important role in evaluation processes, companies also appraise employees' academic and professional credentials. For instance, a junior cash officer with a bachelor's degree might seek a master's degree in finance to improve his chances of promotion. An experienced, effective cash officer may move to a higher function, such as cash management controller, senior cash officer, or treasury manager, in a few years.

Working Conditions

A cash officer works a standard 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. shift. However, she may work longer hours when a corporation files monthly or quarterly regulatory financial information with the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Internal Revenue Service.