I started my working life as a translator and interpreter in a small international trading company. It didn’t fill my time, so I started helping the company’s only accountant. I was surprised how much I enjoyed doing the bookkeeping and reporting work. Before I knew it, I had moved to Tesco as an accounting trainee studying for the ACCA Qualification.
My career has been mostly focused on business partnering, strategy development, business change and transformation. I get a real kick out of looking to the future and making sure the organisation is ready to take advantage of opportunities, as well as enabling well-informed decision-making.
I work with headteachers to ensure they can manage the finances without taking their attention away from educating the children
Evolution is an education charity running 12 primary schools in East Anglia. We aim to provide the best education for our children and in the best environments. That means running the trust efficiently so that we maximise the resources that go into educational provision for the children, and ensuring that there is good governance over the use of our resources.
I have a great, very committed finance team. I’ve put them through a considerable amount of change over the last two years, but they’ve put their trust in me and worked really hard, and we’re now in a much stronger position to provide a service to the trust and its schools based on modern systems, processes and business tools. There’s still plenty to do, but more in the arena of continuous improvement than complete transformation.
The most important community in the trust is its schools. I spend a lot of time working with the headteachers and business managers, ensuring they are equipped to manage the school finances without taking too much of their attention away from the job of educating the children.
I also collaborate with the CEO and director of education to ensure we deliver on our strategic aims. I attend board and committee meetings, furnishing the trustees with the information they need to oversee the financial performance of the trust and ensure good use of its resources.
After 17 years at Aviva (and at Tesco prior to that), I felt it was time for a complete change. The challenges at Evolution are very different from anything I’ve seen before. Although the principles of accounting and financial control are the same anywhere, it’s very different when you have limited control or influence over the main income (which comes from the government).
It’s far more rewarding to have an open mindset than typecast yourself in one narrow field
I’ve brought my experience from the commercial sector to change and influence how we operate in the trust. There is so much that can be done differently. The challenge is to pace the change carefully, collaborate with all stakeholders and, most importantly, communicate effectively – not just what’s happening, but why, and the benefits that will follow. Our main challenges at present are income and inflation.
My advice to a young accountant starting out is make the most of all the opportunities available to you. Don’t rule anything out or assume that your experience won’t be relevant to a new role. It’s far more important, rewarding and fun to have an open, agile mindset than to typecast yourself in just one narrow field.
In my spare time love cycling. I have completed various distance rides, including the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats three years ago, raising more than £10,000 for charities. I’m trying (rather unsuccessfully) to love running. My other passion is gardening.
