Experience

Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) - Cyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru (CCAUC)

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Head of Sustainability and Assurance

  • Aug 2019 - Present

  As Head of Sustainability and Assurance, I am in a leadership position with focus on delivering HEFCW’s statutory role as the regulator of higher education in Wales. My specific duties for leading and managing the assurance and regulatory role of HEFCW include: -Overseeing HEFCW’s assurance processes for regulated and funded higher education providers by designing; developing; continually improving and communicating the systems that deliver HEFCW’s regulatory activities. Implementing procedures to ensure all regulatory work is consistent and in line with regulatory requirements. -Line managing and leading and managing the programmes of activity and work of the Sustainability and Assurance team, comprising of five Senior Managers, to ensure that it effectively delivers the areas of responsibility and activities within its remit i.e. HEFCW’s regulatory role. This remit includes work in the areas of institutional financial sustainability; risk and assurance; governance; serious incident reporting; estates; environmental sustainability incl. Net Zero; institutional procurement; the Prevent Duty; complaints against institutions and HEFCW’s internal procurement function. -Overseeing the recent Wales Governance Review and driving the maturity of governance within the Higher Education sector. -Managing the effective working relationships with Higher Education institutions, regulated/funded Further Education institutions; Welsh Government, the Minister for Education, other UK funding bodies, other regulators (for example Charity Commission) and any other external partners. -As a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to the development of HEFCW, including delivering strategic objectives. -Advising and supporting the Director of Regulation and Analysis and deputising as required. -Overseeing a budget of up to £54m. Show less



Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Internal Auditor

  • Nov 2017 - Aug 2019

  -I supported the Head of Internal Audit in the creation of a new internal audit department within the University. This included developing a risk-based audit approach to provide management with assurances on the achievement of strategic goals and objectives. -Undertook the role of business partner to areas across the University. This included increasing the maturity of the Assurance Services Team, who were responsible for risk management; data protection and compliance; supporting the Project Management Office in the delivery of Transforming Cardiff, a £419m University-wide change programme to address the financial deficit and supporting Cardiff Data Professionals, a cross-university partnership whose aim was to improve the robustness of analysis and reporting across the University. -Promoted the new internal audit department through attendance at relevant departmental meetings and giving presentations where appropriate. I also created a new departmental intranet page, which I further developed to cover fraud and whistleblowing. -Undertook internal audit work using both a risk based and compliance-based approach. All work was undertaken using a root cause methodology, to ensure that the root cause of control weaknesses and non-compliance was identified. -Investigated instances of potential irregularities in line with the fraud response plan; identified control enhancements in areas where potential irregularities had been identified and reporting to senior management on the same. -Undertook compliance reviews to ensure regulatory compliance, including with HEFCW and the Welsh Government. Show less



RSM UK

• United Kingdom
• Accounting
• 700 & Above Employee

• Assistant Manager

  • Apr 2017 - Nov 2017

  Acting as Head of Internal Audit for a portfolio of clients, I delivered the key aspects of internal audit, controls assurance and risk advisory services, which included: -Developing and maintaining relationships with key individuals within my portfolio of clients;-Formulating triennial audit strategies and further detailed annual internal audit plans; -Developing and agreeing scopes of audit work and planning the delivery of this work; -Managing audit teams at client sites, including reviewing auditors’ assignments to ensure that work met quality standards; managing completion of work to ensure that timescales and client care standards were achieved and delivering work within budget, to maximise profit; and-Preparing for and attending audit committees, including providing audit committees with overviews of audit reports completed, progress updates, annual reports and relevant sector updates.-I supported Partners and Directors in business development opportunities, including through writing proposals, attending presentations and thought leadership. -I was appointed the GDPR specialist for the region and was responsible for co-ordinating all GDPR work, providing training and support to colleagues to enable them to undertake GDPR audits and reviewing GDPR assignments for all clients in the region. -I was the nominated technical specialist during the testing and implementation of RSM’s new audit software. This role included providing support and training on the new software to the audit team, promoting the software across the firm and acting as a liaison between the audit team and the software developers. -I was the Welsh lead in terms of technical developments impacting the Welsh Public Sector and was responsible for liaising with the technical department in respect of these and developing client briefing and technical information sheets for distribution to audit committees across Wales. Show less

• Senior Auditor

  • Feb 2016 - Apr 2017

  -I was responsible for undertaking a range of complex audits at client's sites, including financial risk management, in accordance with RSM's internal audit standards. -Working as an individual; leading a team and delivering high quality internal audits within required timescales and budgets.-Ensuring a quality service was provided to clients.



Barcud Shared Services Limited

• United Kingdom
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Internal Audit Officer

  • Jan 2013 - Feb 2016

  -I was responsible for the planning and delivery of internal audits of risk areas and systems, with the intention of assessing the effectiveness of and compliance with key controls and recommending any areas of best practice and improvements to existing controls. -All audits were undertaken with a view to providing added value and this included the identification of possible efficiency savings within processes reviewed. -Assisting the Head of Internal Audit in the preparation of clients’ annual audit plans using a risk based approach and the creation of clients’ annual reports. -Monitoring service delivery to clients, including performance monitoring against client care standards. -We were awarded the Delivering Efficiency and Value for Money award and the People’s Choice award at the Chartered Institute of Housing's Welsh Housing Awards 2013. Show less



The Conservative Party

• United Kingdom
• Political Organizations
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Campaign Centre Assistant

  • Nov 2011 - Jan 2013

  -I undertook the role of Office Manager which encompassed financial tasks to ensure the smooth running of the Welsh Campaign Centre, including: invoicing, reconciliation/ banking duties and managing accounts and finance queries from Association Offices and individuals. -Varied elements of campaign work, including managing volunteers and a call centre. -Organising events, including those attended by the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament and Assembly Members. Show less



Capital & PFI Audit and Consultancy Services

• Coychurch

• Audit Assistant

  • Nov 2009 - Nov 2011

  -I delivered internal audit, compliance and risk management activities on projects in the NHS, which were funded via capital and Private Finance Initiatives. This included review of projects at various stages of the project life-cycle. -I delivered internal audit, compliance and risk management activities on projects in the NHS, which were funded via capital and Private Finance Initiatives. This included review of projects at various stages of the project life-cycle.



Marks and Spencer, New Look and Savers (Superdrug Group)

• South Wales

• Various part-time Sales Assistant and Hospitality Assistant roles

  • Sep 2004 - Nov 2009

  -I have worked in numerous customer facing roles including as a Sales Assistant at Marks and Spencer, New Look and Savers (Superdrug Group) and as a Hospitality Assistant at Letherby and Christopher (Compass Group) (Cardiff City Football Club and the Millennium Stadium). -I have worked in numerous customer facing roles including as a Sales Assistant at Marks and Spencer, New Look and Savers (Superdrug Group) and as a Hospitality Assistant at Letherby and Christopher (Compass Group) (Cardiff City Football Club and the Millennium Stadium).