Responsibilities and Career Prospects as an Associate in the Finance Department

What is the transition like from a position as Head of Finance at a Dutch company to a role in the German finance sector? In an interview with Bruno Pivernetz, we learn more about his journey to torq.partners and get an answer to this question. Bruno also gives us insights into his responsibilities as an Associate and the areas in which he hopes to develop further in the future. In addition, he shares his perspective on torq.partners’ progress and explains what values the company stands for to him.

Bruno, how did you end up at torq.partners, and what are your responsibilities there?

Before joining torq.partners, I worked as Head of Finance at a Dutch startup. Due to stagnant growth there, I started looking for a new challenge. Since I generally enjoy working with startups—especially in the finance sector—torq.partners seemed like the natural next step. I started here as an Associate. Since I had previously focused mainly on Dutch financial processes, I first had to familiarize myself with German accounting practices during my early days. During this phase, I posted a lot of transactions for companies and determined which invoices needed to be posted where. Even though this wasn’t the most exciting part of my job, it was a good way to solidify the fundamentals. Now, I’m taking on more and more tasks in the area of Finance Operations. These include processing incoming invoices, issuing outgoing invoices, and preparing monthly financial statements in collaboration with accountants and the companies themselves. An important aspect of this is ensuring that the accounting records accurately reflect the previous month’s reporting. After all, accurate documentation is essential for successful financial controlling.

Another part of my job involves communicating with various stakeholders. I often serve as a liaison between management, finance staff, and external tax advisors. My main focus is on coordinating different requirements and expectations to ensure that everything is delivered on time.

How did you come across torq.partners, and why did you choose that company?

It was clear to me that I wanted to either work internally at a startup or scale-up, or support startups on a project basis in an external role. I specifically searched for jobs that met these criteria and then came across torq.partners on LinkedIn. There, I discovered an open position at torq.finance—the finance consulting arm of torq.partners—that was a good fit for my professional background in finance. However, thanks to my master’s degree in entrepreneurship, a role in another field would also have been a possibility for me. I was particularly drawn to the prospect of being able to contribute not only operationally but also, over time, strategically. At torq.partners, there’s a wide range of interim roles, such as CFO or Head of Finance. It’s precisely in such positions that you can further develop your strategic strengths in addition to your financial expertise.

Do you prefer to work at one of our offices or from home?

I feel more comfortable when I go to the office. Still, I can certainly understand why some people prefer to work from home—especially since it takes me about 30 to 40 minutes to commute to the office, and I often think about how convenient it would be to save that time. For me personally, though, it’s more pleasant to be able to clearly separate my workspace from my home and to have a dedicated place for productive work. When I come home after a workday, I can consciously switch off. I also find meeting up with my colleagues at the office very valuable—whether it’s to quickly ask a question, have lunch together, or simply catch up. For these reasons, I go into the office very regularly.

Have you ever taken advantage of the option to work remotely for a "workation"?

Yes, I recently took advantage of this opportunity, for example, to accompany my girlfriend to Salzburg for a few days, where she was attending a training course. In general, I really enjoy traveling, especially to Southern Europe—Italy is one of my favorite destinations. That’s why I’m a big fan of workations. I also had the chance to do this in my previous job and once worked from Portugal for two weeks. I spent my free time there surfing. Ideally, I’d work from other countries much more often, especially since we’re allowed to do that for up to three months a year. Unfortunately, my girlfriend doesn’t have the option to take a workation in her job. So I’m a bit limited in that regard.

How long have you been part of the team, and in what ways do you think torq.partners has evolved the most since you joined?

I joined torq.partners in April 2024. At that time, an initiative had just been launched in which we focus intensively on social issues outside of our day-to-day consulting work. The initiative aims to create an inclusive, values-based corporate culture in which diversity and inclusion are actively practiced and further developed. The first meeting on this topic took place just two weeks after I joined, which I thought was awesome. A lot has happened in this area since then. You can tell that management places a great deal of importance on this issue and, to put it in their own words, wants to ensure that torq.partners becomes the best company for the world. Among other things, last year we developed our corporate values—courage, commitment, respect, and responsibility. The word “developed” is very apt here, because these values weren’t simply dictated by management but were developed by the team on various occasions. For example, we held a workshop on this topic during our offsite last summer.

Are you personally involved in the initiative you mentioned?

Yes, the initiative is divided into various working groups, and I’m part of a group focused on embedding the initiative. Our original task was to ensure that the results of the other teams were sustainably embedded within the company. As part of this, we examined, among other things, whether our communication aligns with our values. To that end, we checked, for example, whether we use language in our job postings and group meetings that is inclusive of everyone. Now, we increasingly serve as a link between the working groups and management. We ensure that the input provided by our partners is incorporated into the working groups. We also provide support with project management, thereby laying the groundwork for the working groups’ efforts.

Which value does torq.partners mean the most to you?

In addition to torq.partners’ four corporate values, equal opportunity is a core value for me. I feel that everyone here has the same opportunities to achieve their goals. Factors like age or gender don’t matter—everyone can take on responsibility, even beyond their own comfort zone. The only things that matter are the willingness and ability to learn. You’re respected for what you can do and aren’t judged based on any kind of stereotyping. torq.partners sets a very high standard in this area. If you had the chance to work in a different role or department at torq.partners for a day, which one would it be and why? I think I’d go to the internal controlling department to apply my skills not only for our clients but also for the further development of torq.partners itself. I’d also learn even more about our company’s financial structure there. I think our internal controlling is already very well-developed, so I’m sure I could pick up on some approaches and then incorporate them into my actual work.

In your opinion, what skills or qualities should someone have for your role?

My role at torq.partners requires a combination of technical expertise and communication skills. There’s often a stereotype that finance professionals tend to be quiet and don’t necessarily need strong social skills. That’s not necessarily true for us. Since we work in consulting and collaborate directly with our clients, communication skills are just as important to us as technical expertise. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be an extrovert, but you should be able to speak openly with clients, address issues directly, and stand up for yourself.

Depending on your personal goals, a strong willingness to learn is also an advantage. At torq.partners, there’s certainly a place for people who want to stay in the same area of responsibility long-term. Overall, however, I get the impression that most employees here are very ambitious when it comes to taking on new challenges, whether that means learning new subject areas and tools or advancing to a specific position. Continuous professional development is also important for keeping pace with changes in the industry. For example, what are the current industry trends, and what new opportunities exist in accounting automation? Staying up to date allows you to work more efficiently.

In which areas would you like to continue developing in the future?

I’d like to deepen my knowledge of accounts receivable, particularly in e-commerce. There are an enormous number of journal entries in this area, and once you’ve internalized the concept behind them, you’ll have a very good grasp of accounting—at least at a basic level. I’m also a big fan of reporting, controlling, and budgeting, but I haven’t yet had the chance to delve deeper into those areas. Recently, however, I was able to create my first report and definitely want to build on that. In the future, I’d also like to take on more leadership responsibilities. Currently, I’m supervising a part-time employee who’s responsible for preliminary account assignment. I’m responsible for mentoring them and, among other things, hold weekly check-ins with them. Even though I still have a lot to learn when it comes to leadership, I’m already really enjoying this role. That’s why I hope to be given even more responsibility in this area in the future.

Which employee events have you enjoyed the most so far?

As a Berliner and someone who goes to the office regularly, I try to attend as many events as possible, and I have to say that I generally always really enjoy them. That’s why several team events have really stuck with me. Once, we went on a food tour through Wedding. There, a guide told us about the neighborhood’s history while we sampled culinary specialties at various stops. That was really cool. Another highlight was a day on the Spree, which we spent in a small boat where we could also have a barbecue. I also took the opportunity once to sneak into one of the other teams’ team events. It was a pottery class where I got to make two bowls. I thought that was great, too.