We caught up with Ellie, an intern working in the Treasury and Derivative Operation Departments, to learn more about her time at the business.
I chose to do my placement at SMBC Group because…
I am currently studying Business Management at the University of Liverpool. I chose SMBC Group due to its inclusive and collaborative nature. When reading about the bank, it made such large emphasis on this especially through its ‘Team SMBC Group’ as well as highlighting its focus on employees’ personal growth and development. This was important to me, as one of my main goals from this experience was to deepen my knowledge and understanding into the financial industry, as well as highlight potential career paths for my future.
My job involves…
I’m an intern working in the Treasury and Derivative Operation departments. For the first six months of my placement, I am working with the Treasury department and then will move over to the Derivatives department. My role within the Treasury team lies within Money Market, where I oversee the deposits and loans made by our traders across our EMEA division to ensure details of the trade match up to the tickets created. There is a lot of responsibility that comes with this role as the team, traders and clients rely on me to make sure the information on the ticket is correct so they can remit the correct funds at the correct time.
On a typical day…
A typical day for me starts at 9am with my team meeting, where we discuss any important topics for the day or any issues or important details that need to be discussed from the previous day. After this meeting, I am left to get on with my own responsibilities, which include reviewing the deals transacted, ensuring information is correct so that confirmation occurs at the right time. This usually involves liaising with traders across our EMEA division. I have four daily reports to produce throughout the day, two in the morning and two in the evening, and these are very important as they allow the customer and our department to make sure there are no problems or issues that need to be resolved and make sure that our daily operations can continue to run smoothly.
What I enjoy most about my internship…
The best part of working in Treasury is the freedom that comes with the role. I am given a lot of responsibility in the jobs that I do so I find it highly motivating and satisfying. My role has allowed me to grow and learn real-life banking responsibilities with hands-on exposure to the day-to-day business transactions. This can be challenging at times, but I like that every day I am learning something new as well as developing my existing knowledge whilst consistently challenging myself. My role provides exposure to lots of departments in the company, specifically operations, as well as the ability to liaise with employees across our EMEA division. I like that the work I do allows me to directly have an impact on SMBC as it makes me feel like a valued employee further improving the satisfaction from the role.
Top tips for future interns considering a placement at SMBC Group…
The best advice I can give is go for it… apply and see what happens because you never know what opportunities may arise! It is a challenging process so do not expect an easy ride. I also found it critical to manage my time effectively between studies and the application process and to ask for help when needed. Whether that be from your University Careers Team, family members, or friends.
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