I started my career working for a practice before moving on to Hampshire County Council. I have worked in various finance environments, including corporate, charity and now education, moving through finance assistant, manager and finance director, qualifying with AAT and then ACCA along the way. I fell into accountancy, but I soon realised that I loved working out the answer to problems and completing a task with the satisfaction of knowing it has been done well.
One of the main differences between working in the corporate world and the public sector is how employees are motivated. The corporate sector is more profit driven and attracts those who are hungrier for financial success. Public sector employees tend to be more driven by the purpose of what they do. In some ways it can be easier to work in the corporate sector because there are fewer constraints on how funds can be spent to achieve the company’s aims, but that comes with a greater risk of failure. Public sector finances are more challenging to navigate because of the additional bureaucracy, but with less risk of insolvency.
Our group of colleges merged three years ago. It has been a wonderful journey of bringing three different cultures and teams together as one. Our biggest challenge is ensuring that we retain market share of students by maintaining an excellent reputation for results and good governance. As a finance team, we ensure that we are fully compliant with all Department for Education regulations on managing public money through rigorous procurement and financial controls. By publishing timely, accurate management and financial accounts, the board and senior management can plan accordingly, which means resources are available for providing the best education possible to our students.
I have taken on roles that have stretched me from the beginning
My favourite quote is from Barack Obama: ‘You don’t need permission to belong. You don’t need a perfect CV, polished accent or exclusive network. You belong the moment you decide you do.’ I find this very helpful when walking into a room feeling a little intimidated. If you are in the room, there’s a reason for it and you probably earned it. I have taken on roles that have stretched me from the beginning, and with this comes great rewards. By pushing myself each time to ‘feel the fear’ of not knowing what I was doing, I ensured that I learned very quickly.
If I had law-making powers, I would have more transparency over the use of AI. We need to know more clearly what has been created with or without it.
If I hadn’t been an accountant, I would like to have been a marine biologist. I’d wanted to do this since I was a child. Maybe when I retire!
Outside of work, I enjoy yoga, tennis and going on long walks with my dog. I also love to travel, and I took a year out to do this in my twenties. I have been waiting to do it again ever since.
