Director/Chief Executive Officer

• Aug 2015 - Present

Program Manager

• 2012 - 2014

Program Management: Responsible for design, implementation and business-driven management of the largest and most complex of 3 internal global programs designed to improve the operational efficiency of software systems and associated process-change at Sophos. The Program was CEO driven, and aligned firmly with the plan for medium-term aggressive growth. The Program covered all processes and systems from initial product quotes through the sale and invoicing cycle and ultimately to order fulfilment and implementation. • Designed and implemented Program governance framework, including Committee/Steering Group structures, reporting methodologies, prioritisation systems, financial management and resource allocation methods, methods to analyse business requirements, and the project planning process • Adopted Agile methodology where possible (including use of JIRA), moving from traditional Waterfall according to Corporate strategy and in order to assist in the improvement of the efficiency of the software development life-cycle • Partnering with IT Project Managers, BA's, TA's, Developers and Business Leads on up to 6 sub-projects simultaneously at any given time • Reporting to SMT and Steering Committees on progress, barriers, gates and risks for the Programme • Ownership for the change process; working closely and building relationships with Stakeholders across the business and with third party partners to ensure continued success Project Management: • Global launch of Salesforce "2" to 2000 employees with a remit of improving systems adoption overall following a previously soft launch. This included all planning, reporting, co-ordination, risk management, financial control, communications and training. • Global Pricing and Ordering Project. Core responsibilities were shared with the Programme Manager and focussed primarily on the management of User Acceptance Testing, Training and Communications. Show less

Head of Financial Operations & Systems

• 2005 - 2012

Reporting to Director of Finance & Administration, there were 2 distinct aspects to my role at this prestigious specialist University: 1. Financial Systems Developed systems and operations strategy, specified/designed and acted as the Business-lead in the implementation of: o Payroll/HR system, o Student Billing system, o Online management reporting system & dashboard o Budget reporting systems o Online payment system o Electronic purchase ordering system o Event management system – sales ordering Ensured efficiency savings through improvement of processes and systems Ensured effective integration of the Finance systems with all other business systems Led teams and stakeholders through the change process 2. Finance Operations Managed team of 10 Finance operations staff and 2 deputies; including all recruitment, selection, appraisals, training, 1:2:1’s, performance management, coaching and development Responsible for all Finance Operations: Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Credit Control, Payroll, Pensions, Banking and Cashiering Produced monthly management accounts and quarterly VAT returns Ensured the appropriate financial controls were in place for segregation of duties and implementing audit recommendations Policy Development - Expense Management, Debt Management, Credit Control, Operational Procedures, Service Level Agreements Chair of IT Administration Committee, member of IT Strategy Committee, attendant at Audit Committee, Pay & Benefits Committee, Staff Consultative Committee, various steering groups Managed departmental budget £750k Benchmarking and networking with peers in the not-for-proft/HE sector; member of SW Region Deputy Finance Directors group, British University Finance Directors Group, BUFDG Payroll & Expenses Group Show less

Relationship Manager - Offshore Investment Banking

• Jan 1997 - 2003

Offshore Global Corporate Investment Banking: Relationship/account management of 100 Blue Chip multi-national corporates, including banks, financial institutions, and special purpose vehicles Senior level account manager and escalation point for resolution of general account management issues and maintenance of optimum client service levels Managing the customer lifecycle from initial contact through the lifespan of the account Preparing and presenting proposals to new clients Ensuring adherence of accounts to internal credit and lending policies Ensuring client and transactional compliance with Antil Money Laundering legislation Show less

Accounting Technician

• 1995 - 1998