As a result, I’m required to plan and prioritise my workload, whilst adopting a flexible approach to my stakeholders. Every financial based question or request comes through to me, whether it's from the organisation’s CEO, wider government or operational staff.  Consequently, I spend a lot of time presenting to both finance and non-finance stakeholders, which requires differing approaches, as well as a planned diary!

How are developments outside of the finance industry impacting your work?

The ongoing decarbonisation of the UK fuel industry and the domestic retail energy crisis combined with what’s happening externally with the war in Ukraine, means that I need to keep abreast of these developments and how they impact my work, both directly and indirectly. Currently working in Ofgem, this makes it a fascinating time to work within the energy industry, but undeniably turbulent too, which requires me to be agile in delivering a high-quality service, often at short notice.

In my opinion, it is fundamental as a Finance Business Partner to understand what's happening in the wider industry, both domestically, and external to the UK. I describe the role as ‘holding up a mirror to the business’, as I present the numbers in an insightful and relevant way tailored to business needs. You certainly need an element of curiosity to establish and understand what the impact of your work is on the wider operational and strategic business you are supporting, and how it might impact their business decision-making.

I never cease to be amazed by the number of people wanting to ask my advice on a massive breadth of finance questions; I think there’s often a misperception within organisations that finance function is solely about the figures, but that’s far from the truth.

What do you find most challenging about your role?

As there are so many demands on my time, being able to prioritise and be assertive where necessary is crucial. This is something I find particularly challenging because I want to help every single person– from their perspective, their questions are all equally important. It’s a question of making a judgement call on which takes highest priority, taking into account a number of factors.

The broad spectrum of queries I receive is also challenging. I could be speaking to an external funder who wants a snapshot of digital project spend one moment, followed by someone who needs to see the costed-up staff workforce plan to be included in a business case to obtain financial sign off the next. It’s fair to say that no day is ever the same!

Have you always wanted to work in this area of finance?

I've always been able to build a good rapport with colleagues. And although I have a keen interest in the figures, I wanted to work in a role where I also have opportunities to build relationships and work with wider business colleagues. I like rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck into understanding how the financials impact the business, at both an operational and strategic level.

It was clear to me at an early stage that to provide a good service, understanding the wider context of the organisation is key. Simply producing a report is not enough. You need to give meaning to your numbers to deliver a high level of service. This is reflected in timely and accurate reporting, accompanied by insightful and relevant analysis.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in finance?

Be curious. By regularly speaking to staff in the wider business to get a better understanding of the nature, culture and goals of the organisation, this will naturally help you to deliver your job to a higher standard.

Having that business context in the back of your mind will help you to determine the meaning these figures hold for a particular stakeholder and whether their requirements are being met. The technical elements of the financials are of course fundamental but, for me, it's more than that. Being engaging and knowledgeable will allow you to be regarded as the subject matter expert on all things finance. This is an incredibly rewarding part of the job.

How do you feel the finance industry has changed?

When I started my career in Finance, the role of the accountant simply involved producing a report with a set of figures. I found this boring and frustrating. Now I see that accountants are required and encouraged to provide that value-added insight straight away, which is really encouraging. What value is a report without the accompanying insight and commentary?

Over the last few years, especially in public sector roles, I’ve witnessed more appetite for a greater inclusivity of thought. There's no such thing as a bad idea and often everyone brings something different to a process or project. Being closed off and narrow-minded will only limit growth.

Embracing collaboration needs to happen in practice too. In every strong performing team that I've been lucky enough to work in, I've regularly been asked for opinions and suggestions, and in turn, been challenged by colleagues about these ideas, which has forced me to take a step back and reflect on this feedback. Having a mix of opinions and personalities, whilst recognising that every team member is worth listening to, will give an organisation a much better chance of success and growth.