How to become a finance manager or investment manager

The need for finance managers and investment managers with specialist knowledge has never been greater. Predicted employment growth for this role is 13.3% by 2028 and 22.3% by 2033 (Jobs and Skills Australia).

With such strong future demand, there’s no better time to explore what a career in finance and investment management could look like for you.

What does a finance manager do?

Finance managers are responsible for overseeing an organisation’s finances end to end from expenditure, planning, investment feasibility and modelling across different asset classes, risk management and decision making. On a day-to-day basis, a finance manager or investment manager is likely to perform tasks including:

• managing cash flow, checking the financial status of projects and collecting debts
• setting up and running accounting systems and teams
• assessing finance proposals and the financial risks of new projects
• creating and implementing financial strategies, policies and plans
• monitoring financial trends
• analysing financial data to prepare budgets and reports
• liaising with other managers and providing financial advice
• ensuring the business is compliant with legislative requirements
• forecasting the organisation's financial position and identifying areas of improvement
• making strategic decisions on investments and distribution of earnings.

How much do finance managers and investment managers earn?

If you think what a finance manager does sounds interesting, you might be wondering: how much do finance managers earn? The average base finance manager salary in Australia is $104,627, with the opportunity to earn up to $164,000 (Payscale, 2024). The average base salary for investment managers is $124,909, with the opportunity to earn up to $205,000 a year (Payscale, 2024). You can also increase your income with bonuses, profit sharing, commissions, taking on leadership roles and doing further study.

Why is there such strong demand for finance managers and investment managers?

In Australia, retirement savings and public sector debt are increasing, as are new financial technologies and geo-political risks.

Australian households have accumulated considerable wealth since the superannuation guarantee levee was introduced in the late 1980s. Australian super assets are currently greater than $3.5 trillion with 7.6% growth from 2022 to 2023 (KPMG, 2024).

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian government debt has grown significantly and is now estimated at A$928.7 billion (Australian Office of Financial Management, 2024).

At the state level, Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) is the central financing authority for the Queensland Government. The Queensland 2024–25 State Budget requires the QTC to raise an estimated A$24.9 billion over the 2024–25 financial year to fund government initiatives. The Queensland financial industry is also contending with:

• geo-political events disrupting supply chains
• needing to balance the demand for increased digitalisation with managing privacy risks
• economic and population growth driving demand for infrastructure
• a skills gap, with job vacancies in the industry up 45% from 5 years ago (Queensland Futures Institute).

To cope with these challenges, the financial sector needs to evolve. This can be achieved by upskilling finance and investment management professionals with the latest thinking and understanding of best-practice debt, investment and funds management. These professionals can then embed best practice into organisations, which require the help of professionals with sophisticated financial decision making, risk management and strategic planning skills.

How to become a finance manager or investment manager

Now you know why there’s such strong demand for these highly valued roles, you’re probably wondering how to become a finance manager. To become a finance manager or investment manager, you’ll generally need a degree in finance, business, commerce or accounting.

Why study a Master of Finance and Investment Management?

1. Created in partnership with industry, for industry

The Master of Finance and Investment Management was designed to fill an industry need and provide professionals with the specialist skills required to address specific industry challenges, including:

• national growth in pension assets
• growth in bank balance sheets with access to offshore capital funding
• public sector complexity, apathy and debt growth.

We know that most technical development in finance happens within industry. That’s why industry connections were involved in the concept design, development and delivery of the Master of Finance and Investment Management. This includes expert guest speakers from leading financial institutions like banks, fund managers and government specialising in interest rate risk, foreign exchange risk, derivative portfolio management, quantitative investment strategies and sustainable investments.

2. Focus on enhancing specialist financial capabilities

What makes this program different to other postgraduate degrees in finance is its coverage of specialist topics in depth. One example is investing, especially less liquid investment sectors like real estate and infrastructure. The UQ program also prepares you to address emerging global challenges like ESG and Fintech.

Dr Chris Bell is a finance lecturer with over 20 years of industry experience. He teaches into the Master of Finance and Investment Management program.

“Many other programs focus on one stream like finance or investment management,” he says.

"This program captures both the important theoretical elements of finance and the investment management process and applies them to real-world problems. It covers all the asset classes, fixed income, foreign exchange, commodities, equities, real estate, infrastructure, private equity and ESG."

3. Boost your career and salary prospects

As a graduate, your understanding of industry best practice will improve your value to any organisation across the finance sector.

As a current Master of Finance and Investment Management student, Zachary Isaac is already experiencing this.

“There are learnings I've directly applied into my commercial modelling practices at work," he says.

"More broadly, I've applied my learnings into how I engage and manage my super and my own portfolio.” 

4. Ranked #1 in Queensland for accounting and finance

At UQ, you’ll learn from industry experts and leading lecturers from a top institution at the forefront of research. We are ranked #1 in Queensland for accounting and finance, according to the QS World University Rankings 2024.

“The finance skills and knowledge developed in this program go further than traditional methods,” Chris says.

5. Convenient location and schedule

This accelerated master’s program can be completed in 1 year full time or studied part time. You’ll study via online classes and attend 3-day intensive workshops at UQ’s prestigious Brisbane City location. Here, you can network with your teachers, peers and industry contacts.

"As we're all practising professionals, the connections I've made are invaluable," says Zachary.

"The discussions are particularly interesting given our backgrounds traverse industries and professional levels."

What other jobs can you get from studying an advanced postgraduate finance degree?

Predictions say demand for finance managers and investment managers will continue to increase in the next 10 years. But there are several other specialist roles the Master of Finance and Investment Management will prepare you for. These include:

• investment manager
• fund manager
• portfolio manager
• investment analyst
• planning policy manager
• market risk manager
• investment banker.

Want to learn more?

Discover the Master of Finance and Investment Management