In today’s volatile business environment, liquidity isn’t just a safety net—it’s a strategic advantage. Smart working capital management is what differentiates agile companies from those constantly on the back foot. At Oxford Training Centre (OTC), our 13-module Working Capital Management program is purpose-built for professionals navigating complex financial decisions in the corporate sector. This is not textbook theory—it’s real-world finance, applied through a lens of contextual liquidity management and operational efficiency.
Objective
The program reframes working capital as more than a routine calculation—it is positioned as an operational lifeline, a lever for continuity, strategic funding, and growth acceleration. By integrating concepts such as net working capital trends, cash conversion cycles, liquidity benchmarks, receivables and payables strategies, inventory optimization, and forecasting, participants gain a comprehensive understanding of liquidity in practice. The objective is to provide actionable tools and contextual insights that enable participants to build resilience, enhance cash flow, strengthen supplier and client relationships, and embed a culture of working capital discipline across the organization.
Course Content
Module 1: Reframing Working Capital in Strategic Terms
We begin by breaking away from traditional definitions. Working capital isn’t a routine calculation—it’s an operational lifeline. You’ll explore how working capital extends beyond current assets minus current liabilities, becoming a key lever for business continuity, strategic funding, and growth acceleration. Real-world case studies from various industries bring this module to life.
Module 2: Dissecting Net Working Capital – What It Really Tells You
Net working capital is often misunderstood. This module explores what a positive or negative position truly means in the context of your industry and business model. More importantly, we delve into net working capital trends, identifying signals of trouble, inefficiency, or underutilized liquidity.
Module 3: Cash Conversion Cycle – The Core Metric That Drives Performance
The cash conversion cycle (CCC) isn’t just a finance KPI—it’s the pulse of your operational cash flow. Learn to minimize CCC without disrupting your supply chain or customer experience. This module walks you through mapping your CCC, identifying bottlenecks, and shortening your time-to-cash using tactical levers.
Module 4: Liquidity in Context – Sector-Specific Benchmarks and Sensitivities
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to liquidity. In this module, we benchmark optimal liquidity levels across sectors—from manufacturing and retail to tech and pharma. We explore how your working capital strategy should adapt to supply chain disruptions, seasonality, and geopolitical volatility.
Module 5: Receivables Management – Accelerating Collections Without Alienating Clients
Extending credit can win business, but collecting receivables defines success. We explore B2B collection strategies, dynamic discounting models, and client segmentation to tailor your receivables approach. Learn how to balance relationship-driven sales with hard-nosed cash flow realities.
Module 6: Payables Strategy – Leveraging Terms Without Risking Supply Chain Trust
Payables often get treated like an afterthought. In this module, we show how managing current liabilities strategically—without eroding vendor relationships—can become a core working capital lever. We’ll also evaluate the role of supplier financing and reverse factoring in modern procurement.
Module 7: Inventory Optimization – Freeing Up Cash Locked in Stock
Inventory isn’t just a cost center—it’s a silent killer of liquidity when poorly managed. From ABC analysis to just-in-time strategies, this module equips you to right-size inventory and improve your cash position, even when demand is unpredictable.
Module 8: Cash Flow Forecasting – From Gut Feel to Financial Precision
Forget static cash flow projections. This module moves you toward agile cash forecasting frameworks that integrate real-time data, predictive analytics, and rolling forecasts. You’ll learn how to embed forecasting within your working capital ecosystem and react faster to shocks.
Module 9: Treasury’s Role in Working Capital – Bridging Strategy and Execution
Treasury departments often operate in isolation. This module breaks silos, showing how treasury can become a cross-functional player in contextual liquidity management. Learn how centralized vs. decentralized models impact working capital, and how treasury dashboards can drive smarter decisions.
Module 10: Financing Working Capital – From Lines of Credit to Supply Chain Finance
Sometimes, working capital gaps need bridging. This module explores financing instruments—overdrafts, trade finance, invoice factoring—and how they fit into your liquidity mix. We weigh the cost-benefit of each solution and evaluate which align best with long-term strategies.
Module 11: Working Capital KPIs – What to Measure, What to Ignore
Numbers tell a story—but only if you know which ones matter. This module introduces a focused KPI dashboard tailored for working capital management: Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO), and Days Payable Outstanding (DPO), plus sector-specific enhancements. You’ll learn how to interpret trends, not just outputs.
Module 12: Crisis Management and Working Capital Resilience
In times of crisis, cash is king. Whether it’s a market crash, pandemic, or supply chain disruption, this module walks you through building a resilient working capital strategy that can withstand shocks. You’ll learn how to shift priorities fast, cut non-essential outflows, and protect liquidity under pressure.
Module 13: Embedding a Working Capital Culture – From CFO to Frontline
Working capital isn’t just the CFO’s job. In this final module, we explore how to build a working capital culture that extends across departments, ensuring every decision-maker contributes to liquidity resilience and operational efficiency.