Tell me about your career before joining the NFRC Competent Person Scheme
Since 1988 I’ve worked for Trade Associations. I started at the Railway Industry Association, then moved to the British Healthcare Trade Association where I stayed for 21 years before joining the NFRC Competent Person Scheme.
Before working in Finance, I was a lab technician. My mum was a lab technician, and I’d always wanted to be one too. But, after a couple of years my sisters got jobs working in an office and I realised they were paid a lot more than me. So, I learnt to type and started as an office junior. I studied bookkeeping and then moved into a bookkeeping role at the same company. I did exams all the way up to AAT, but my managers, plus working on the job taught me everything I needed to know. Back in those days there were no computerised accounts. It was all manual ledgers. It was hard work, but actually I think it helped me to understand how to spot errors and correct accounts.
It must have been a challenge when computerised systems started coming in?
It’s easier in the long run, actually. I did some training on systems like Sage and Xero which did help me. But I’ll be honest, I didn’t really love change to begin with. I didn’t have much experience with Xero when I started at CPS, but I did find that if you can use one system you can use them all.
Well, you say that Sue, but I’m not sure that everyone would be able to take on that amount of change. You’ve obviously worked hard to build those skills?
I’ve always been quite good at picking things up and I’m quite a fast learner. But do you know, I was never able to figure out mail merge. In my first job, they kept trying to show me how to do it but it just wouldn’t stay in my brain. Eventually it clicked though and although I haven't used it for a while, I'm now finding myself using it again.
Tell me about your career at NFRC and the Competent Person Scheme
I’ve only ever worked for the NFRC’s Competent Person Scheme. I’m the only finance person here! Obviously supported by and working closely with the NFRC Finance Manager and our external accountant.
I’ve been here for 4 years in January. I really enjoy it. I started off as Finance Assistant which was basically a bookkeeping role. But then Tanya offered me the role of Management Accountant as well, to take on more responsibility. I do still do the bookkeeping as well as producing management accounts and working with our external accountants to produce figures for the CPS Board.
Can you tell me what your job entails? What does a management accountant do?
One of the main parts of my job is providing reports on budget and spend – forecasting how much will be spent each month/quarter/year and then making sure all spend is accurately recorded. I produce balance sheets and profit and loss reports each month for the Board.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I know it sounds sad, but I love a spreadsheet! The people are great, and I enjoy the combination of doing things that involve a lot of thought – like management accounts - and tasks that are repetitive and take a bit less brain power. Like invoicing.
I was unwell a few months ago and spent a little bit of time in hospital. While I was there, I couldn’t get invoices out of my mind, so I grabbed my laptop and did them from there. Tanya would have told me off if she’d known (I did tell her eventually), but I’m terrible at doing nothing, so it gave me something to focus on.
Luckily, I’m much better now and I’m back to working normally. I’m quite looking forward to a break for Christmas though!
What do you do when you’re not working?
I live for my holidays. We try to go abroad at least twice a year, along with some weekend breaks in the UK. We’ve already booked next year’s trips – I always need some sun and sea to look forward to. I also love Bingo and I’ve been going every Sunday for years. My son still lives at home, so he and my husband spend that time bonding over films I don’t like!