Jane O’Gara
Financial Director at RADA Business- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Credentials
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FCA
ICAEWSep, 1990- Nov, 2024
Experience
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RADA Business
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United Kingdom
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Professional Training and Coaching
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1 - 100 Employee
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Financial Director
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Feb 2023 - Present
Since inception, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) has been at the forefront of human performance. RADA Business builds on this work to transform the business performance of individuals, teams and organisations, with extraordinary results. “Life changing. And I mean that in all seriousness.” Since inception, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) has been at the forefront of human performance. RADA Business builds on this work to transform the business performance of individuals, teams and organisations, with extraordinary results. “Life changing. And I mean that in all seriousness.”
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Falcon Education Academies Trust
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United Kingdom
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Education Administration Programs
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1 - 100 Employee
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Chief Financial Officer
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Sep 2020 - Jan 2023
Falcon has been set up as a turnaround trust. Falcon’s role is to take on and rapidly improve schools in challenging circumstances, working collaboratively with partners in the education sector. Key to my role was understanding the financial position and changes needed. Strong systems and processes are essential. My previous experience of business transformation allowed me to focus on managing effective and sustainable change. Over a decade’s experience of school governance at secondary… Show more Falcon has been set up as a turnaround trust. Falcon’s role is to take on and rapidly improve schools in challenging circumstances, working collaboratively with partners in the education sector. Key to my role was understanding the financial position and changes needed. Strong systems and processes are essential. My previous experience of business transformation allowed me to focus on managing effective and sustainable change. Over a decade’s experience of school governance at secondary, primary and special schools means I also understood what’s important to school leaders. Show less Falcon has been set up as a turnaround trust. Falcon’s role is to take on and rapidly improve schools in challenging circumstances, working collaboratively with partners in the education sector. Key to my role was understanding the financial position and changes needed. Strong systems and processes are essential. My previous experience of business transformation allowed me to focus on managing effective and sustainable change. Over a decade’s experience of school governance at secondary… Show more Falcon has been set up as a turnaround trust. Falcon’s role is to take on and rapidly improve schools in challenging circumstances, working collaboratively with partners in the education sector. Key to my role was understanding the financial position and changes needed. Strong systems and processes are essential. My previous experience of business transformation allowed me to focus on managing effective and sustainable change. Over a decade’s experience of school governance at secondary, primary and special schools means I also understood what’s important to school leaders. Show less
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North Yorkshire Council
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United Kingdom
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Government Administration
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700 & Above Employee
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Senior Finance Support Officer
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Dec 2008 - Aug 2020
Following a career break in the early 2000s, I took up a role with NYCC supporting local schools as a bursar. This allowed me to manage my work life balance with four primary age children, but also work in a sector I would come to love. Supporting a wide range of schools has helped me to get a broad understanding of the key challenges facing the education sector. I began working in the Academies Sector in 2015, managing the business set-up of the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire.… Show more Following a career break in the early 2000s, I took up a role with NYCC supporting local schools as a bursar. This allowed me to manage my work life balance with four primary age children, but also work in a sector I would come to love. Supporting a wide range of schools has helped me to get a broad understanding of the key challenges facing the education sector. I began working in the Academies Sector in 2015, managing the business set-up of the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire. I am passionate about collaborative learning and worked very closely with other MAT CFOs/ COOs to share experience and best practice. Show less Following a career break in the early 2000s, I took up a role with NYCC supporting local schools as a bursar. This allowed me to manage my work life balance with four primary age children, but also work in a sector I would come to love. Supporting a wide range of schools has helped me to get a broad understanding of the key challenges facing the education sector. I began working in the Academies Sector in 2015, managing the business set-up of the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire.… Show more Following a career break in the early 2000s, I took up a role with NYCC supporting local schools as a bursar. This allowed me to manage my work life balance with four primary age children, but also work in a sector I would come to love. Supporting a wide range of schools has helped me to get a broad understanding of the key challenges facing the education sector. I began working in the Academies Sector in 2015, managing the business set-up of the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire. I am passionate about collaborative learning and worked very closely with other MAT CFOs/ COOs to share experience and best practice. Show less
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YORKSHIRE COLLABORATIVE ACADEMY TRUST
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United Kingdom
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Primary and Secondary Education
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1 - 100 Employee
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Chief Financial Officer
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Apr 2015 - Jan 2020
YCAT was the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire. YCAT grew from a strong collaborative teaching school and provided leading edge, research based teaching practice across the trust. I supported the Trust through set up, providing strong project management in initial creation of the Trust and with subsequent conversions. I led the development of all operational aspects of the Trust, creating robust systems and processes. My role encompassed finance, payroll, procurement… Show more YCAT was the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire. YCAT grew from a strong collaborative teaching school and provided leading edge, research based teaching practice across the trust. I supported the Trust through set up, providing strong project management in initial creation of the Trust and with subsequent conversions. I led the development of all operational aspects of the Trust, creating robust systems and processes. My role encompassed finance, payroll, procurement, capital projects and governance. Show less YCAT was the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire. YCAT grew from a strong collaborative teaching school and provided leading edge, research based teaching practice across the trust. I supported the Trust through set up, providing strong project management in initial creation of the Trust and with subsequent conversions. I led the development of all operational aspects of the Trust, creating robust systems and processes. My role encompassed finance, payroll, procurement… Show more YCAT was the first primary specialist MAT in North Yorkshire. YCAT grew from a strong collaborative teaching school and provided leading edge, research based teaching practice across the trust. I supported the Trust through set up, providing strong project management in initial creation of the Trust and with subsequent conversions. I led the development of all operational aspects of the Trust, creating robust systems and processes. My role encompassed finance, payroll, procurement, capital projects and governance. Show less
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PwC
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Professional Services
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700 & Above Employee
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Principal Consultant
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Aug 1987 - Sep 2002
During my 15 year career at PwC, initially in audit then as a management consultant, I managed and led organisational change projects in a wide range of sectors including utilities, pharmaceuticals, media, consumer goods, aerospace and retail. This has given me a broad range of business experience and skills, many of which have been invaluable in my subsequent work in schools and academies: At AstraZeneca, I project managed the design of a Shared Service Centre, moving finance and… Show more During my 15 year career at PwC, initially in audit then as a management consultant, I managed and led organisational change projects in a wide range of sectors including utilities, pharmaceuticals, media, consumer goods, aerospace and retail. This has given me a broad range of business experience and skills, many of which have been invaluable in my subsequent work in schools and academies: At AstraZeneca, I project managed the design of a Shared Service Centre, moving finance and sales ordering for 15 countries into one location. This involved managing 7 multidisciplinary teams working across Europe to develop best practice systems and processes. Following the initial work, I acted as interim director of the Shared Service Centre until an internal appointment was made. At Yorkshire Electricity, I managed the high level design phase and the plans, risks and issues on the overall programme for the deregulation of the supply market, a major change which impacted the whole industry. This allowed me to build very strong project and programme management skills. At the BBC, I worked on ‘Producer Choice’. This involved working with programme producers and helping them to understand the financial elements of developing programmes, resulting in better financial decisions. I carried out a number of secondments: Working in the strategy team for ScottishPower developed strong analytical skills and the ability to develop approaches to measuring the impact of key decisions. At Fife Enterprise, I spent 2 years supporting and developing small and medium sized local businesses, understanding the challenges faced by the business leaders and supporting with securing funding packages. Show less During my 15 year career at PwC, initially in audit then as a management consultant, I managed and led organisational change projects in a wide range of sectors including utilities, pharmaceuticals, media, consumer goods, aerospace and retail. This has given me a broad range of business experience and skills, many of which have been invaluable in my subsequent work in schools and academies: At AstraZeneca, I project managed the design of a Shared Service Centre, moving finance and… Show more During my 15 year career at PwC, initially in audit then as a management consultant, I managed and led organisational change projects in a wide range of sectors including utilities, pharmaceuticals, media, consumer goods, aerospace and retail. This has given me a broad range of business experience and skills, many of which have been invaluable in my subsequent work in schools and academies: At AstraZeneca, I project managed the design of a Shared Service Centre, moving finance and sales ordering for 15 countries into one location. This involved managing 7 multidisciplinary teams working across Europe to develop best practice systems and processes. Following the initial work, I acted as interim director of the Shared Service Centre until an internal appointment was made. At Yorkshire Electricity, I managed the high level design phase and the plans, risks and issues on the overall programme for the deregulation of the supply market, a major change which impacted the whole industry. This allowed me to build very strong project and programme management skills. At the BBC, I worked on ‘Producer Choice’. This involved working with programme producers and helping them to understand the financial elements of developing programmes, resulting in better financial decisions. I carried out a number of secondments: Working in the strategy team for ScottishPower developed strong analytical skills and the ability to develop approaches to measuring the impact of key decisions. At Fife Enterprise, I spent 2 years supporting and developing small and medium sized local businesses, understanding the challenges faced by the business leaders and supporting with securing funding packages. Show less
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Education
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1984 - 1987
University of Oxford
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Mathematics
Community
