Bank Manager – Job Description

Bank managers are no longer the stuffy, pompous stereotype immortalised by Captain Mainwaring in Dad’s Army. In reality, they’re just as likely to be dealing with staff as customers in a role that is both pressurised and rewarding.

Main duties include liaising with customers to resolve potential problems, promoting the branch and marketing its products, maintaining high customer service levels, keeping an eye on sales targets and reporting all this to head office.

Bank managers often have responsibility for more than one branch and are required to keep all staff members properly trained and fully motivated.

People skills, discretion, honesty, strategic thinking and excellent business, numeracy and sales ability are a must.

Bank managers usually either work their way up an organisation or join through a graduate scheme. For the latter, a minimum requirement is a 2.2 degree, usually in a related subject such as business or accounting. A graduate scheme typically runs for two years.

In-house management training schemes also normally last two years and applicants must be educated to at least A-level standard.

The Institute of Financial Services (IFS) runs a number of courses to help people stand out to potential employers.

Browse our current vacancies in:

Banking, Real Estate and Mortgage

Other recommended resources:

British Bankers’ Association
A trade association for bankers in the UK, the BBA offers support and guidance as well as training and networking events that can help you get where you need to go in your banking career.

Chartered Banker Institute
Offering ‘chartered banker’ status to its highest-level members, the CBI provide qualifications, networking and continuing professional development schemes to help you reach your full potential. They also host information for students and those still at school to help them decide if banking is the career for them.

Institute of Financial Services: School of Finance
Offering a wide range of courses for the financial sector, the ifs also specifically host an M.Sc in banking management which can really help with initial management qualification in addition to career development. You can also work your way to chartered status with the ifs, with a specific continuing professional development scheme (CPD) and networking events.

Institute of Leadership and Management
The ILM brings together managers from across the spectrum to exchange knowledge and best practice, train under the latest leadership thought and keep updated with opinion and protocol. Membership can offer the information and understanding to help secure a management position and support you in that role once you’ve got it.

Association for Financial Professionals
Based in the US but serving professionals globally, this resource is useful for the research guides and publications it offers, helping financial professionals to stay on top of their game.

Financial Skills Partnership
Licensed by the government, the FSP is a portal for all finance-related training and qualifications, offering appropriate courses, experiences and apprenticeship schemes to help get you the job you want in the finance world.

The Banker
A digital magazine resource bringing you the latest in the world of banking, with market reports, global trends, opinion and debate. They also host a ‘Leadership and Masterclass’ series of videos, information and insight to help bankers reach their full potential.

Global Finance
An online magazine great for keeping financial professionals in touch with the money markets and the trends and systems affecting them.