CV

PROFILE

An enthusiastic, conscientious Professional, with a wealth of Project Management, Commercial and Computer expertise. Constantly achieving challenging Results. Familiarisation with both large and small organisations and operations. Regular contact with MOD Scrutiny and Assurance communities. Particular experience in preparing Financial Investment Appraisals for Business Cases within IS based projects and implementing management reporting systems. Significant involvement in reviewing risks within projects and operations. Interested in challenging positions and solving problems. Security cleared to SC level.

Key Generic Skills:

• Proven track record in Project Management.
• Preparation of Investment Appraisals
• Implementation and control of business change systems.
• Review of risks, identification, impact, probability and cost across projects and operations.
• Broad commercial acumen resulting from a hands on approach.
• Preparation and implementation of operational and financial strategic plans.
• Designing and maintaining sophisticated budgetary and departmental control systems.
• Significant experience and use of IT systems with Unix, Oracle and Microsoft Windows products.
• Good interpersonal skills and experienced team leader.

Achievements:

• Project managed the production of an Investment Appraisal for a Future Logistic Information System project including identification, review and costing of risks– contract cost £1bn over 10 years (MOD).
• Project managed the production of an Investment Appraisal for a Materiel in Transit System within MOD reviewing and costing risks.
• Implemented the rollout and running of a Benefit Tracking system with efficiencies of £1.3bn within MOD
• Involved in turning around loss making companies in the Private sector.
• Implemented reporting and controls on a multi million investment program.
• Introduced a full purchase ordering, invoicing, stock and cash control system.
• Designed, installed and programmed a computer financial consolidation package for the Head Office of a leading international group.
• Involved in the successful disposal, valuation and acquisition of companies.
• Created savings in operating costs within a rapidly expanding business by initiating tight budgetary and audit controls and by reviewing contracts.
• Implemented significant changes in a Unix based stock control and POS system.
• Involved in restructuring of Head Office staff within Naafi.

Key Commercial Skills:

• Management and planning of projects including risk assessment.
• Identification, analysis and costing of risks
• Setting up financial models within projects.
• Investment appraisals on project work, acquisition & disposals.
• Design and review of strategic aims, objectives and preparation of strategic plans and budgets
• Management, control and reporting on financial systems
• Costing of production systems and large business contracts.
• Implementation of Investors in People.




CAREER HISTORY



May2007 – Todate Working within the Defence Scientific Technology Laboratories
Assisted in a User capacity during the installation of an Oracle based Peoplesoft modular business IT system. Operated within the Energetics department (division) of Dstl.

• Providing Management information from old system
• Attended training on new system
• Assisted Department as a central point for queries on new system
• Extraction of management information from new system
• Provided feed back on operational issues to project implementation team


January 2003 – May 2007 Working within the MOD on projects
Over the four years worked on large MOD projects gaining experience in the public project management sector to complement private sector project knowledge. Significant use of project management skills and Prince II methodology was a requirement.

• Project managed the preparation of an Investment Appraisal following a CADMIT (MOD project category) for a project to radically improve the future supply of Information Systems across the logistics supply requirements within the MOD. The anticipated project cost was £16m with an estimated ten year contract value of £1b. This involved control of consultancy costs in excess of £1m pa, running a financial project team and liaising with key stakeholders across a wide range of the MOD including scrutiny and assurance departments (1 year – Staff up to 7). Specific tasks included:
o Preparation of Investment Appraisal report
o Designing Modelling systems
o Project planning
o Identification, analysis and costing of risks
o Preparation of financial modelling
o Working with commercial team on bid process.
o Defining product deliverables
o Configuration Management
o Liaison with Scrutiny and assurance areas within the MOD
o Audit of contractors work to ensure quality criteria met

• Project manage the preparation of a financial Business Case for a £16m project to achieve significant savings on supplying information relating to the Management of Materiel in Transit (MMiT) within the MOD. This has subsequently been approved and the IS system is currently being tested. There was significant involvement with consultancies in producing some of the information for the Business Case. Identification and costing of risk and involvement in mitigation action. Audit of contractors work to ensure quality criteria met. (1 ½ years – Staff 1 plus Consultants with 3 separate companies)

• Consolidation, control and modification of reports and data on a Benefits Tracking system with DLO (MOD) HQ covering all projects creating benefits within the MOD. This was the principle control for a £1.8b defence transformation change programme. (9 Months - Staff 2)

• Implementation and rollout of a Benefit Tracking system across the DCSA (a division within part of MOD) to save an estimated £30m pa. This involved building working relationships across a wide area of the MOD at both user level and senior ranks. (9 months – Staff 1)


September 2002 – December 2002 Group Finance Director
Leisure group specialising in Health and Fitness – Net assets £5m

• Reviewed failing financial and reporting systems
• Recommended action to resolve major accounting and system issues.
• Introduced procedures and systems to bring accounting operation under control.
• Reorganised workforce and structure.
• Involvement with company auditors to correct operational and system issues.



1999 – August 2002 Divisional Analyst NAAFI
Retail & Leisure Industry - £220m Turnover Group. The business provides a first class retail and leisure service to the armed forces.

• Reviewed failing financial reporting and operational systems
• Designed new reporting systems, monitored and reviewed results.
• Sat on Management Team in the Head Office of the International Division.
• Preparation of strategic plans, budgets, financial and management accounts for the division.
• Constant dialogue with board members, senior divisional managers, country managers and establishment staff.
• Involved in significant restructuring of the finance function (8 staff) and resolving problems with historical staffing issues.
• Assisted in moving the division to being the top profit earner in the group.
• Discussed, prepared, controlled and reviewed multi million capital expenditure projects.

1995 – 1999 Financial Controller & Systems Manager Chart Hills Golf Club
£1.5m Retail & Leisure Business. One of the top new golf clubs in the country at that time, with a £16m investment. Significant procedure and control issues and making losses. Functional Reporting Links into group in USA.

• Joined as a consultant to report on the problems and employed to return the business to profitability.
• Assisted in turning around the business into an operating profit.
• Involvement with company auditors to correct significant operational issues.
• Prepared strategic aims and objectives, budgets and five year plans.
• Resolved problems on bar, restaurant and shop POS computer systems.
• Initiated new (back office) computer systems within the business.
• Control of £600K payroll
• Preparation of a £4m investment project.

1995 Financial Accountant (Replacing Finance Manager) Kings School Canterbury
One of the top private schools in the country with an £11m Turnover.

• Production of financial, management and year end accounts.
• Production of annual charity returns, tax returns, VAT returns.
• Overview of £5m payroll system and manage 7 staff resolving departmental morale problems.
• As project leader, a significant issue with one of the most senior VAT consultants in the country was concluded satisfactory with HM Customs and Excise.

1992 – 1994 Financial Controller & MIS Manager Powakaddy International Ltd
Leisure, Manufacturing & Distribution - World brand leader, manufacturing golfing equipment with Turnover of £6m, initially making significant losses as part of a larger leisure group.

• Reviewed financial and associated business operations and implemented change
• Report monthly at the board of directors meeting on the financial results.
• Preparation of financial, management and statutory accounts, budgets and plans.
• Manage finances of business including costing of products and margin analysis.
• Assisted in turning business around from £1m loss to £0.5m profit.

1983 – 1991 Group Chief Accountant & IT Advisor AVO International / Thorn EMI
Technology Group. Initially one fifth of the Thorn EMI empire within the Technology sector. AVO International was subsequently a buyout from this group and then sold to an American company.

• Programmed and implemented group financial multi currency consolidations with computer modelling package.
• Responsible for the consolidation and preparation of accounts for a £200m turnover group.
• Acted as IT advisor to the group, running a small computer company within the group for support to group companies and then local businesses.

EARLY CAREER

1974 – 1982 Quest – Unilever, Manufacturing Chemical & Perfumery

Various costing, management and financial accounting positions on career progression.


SECURITY CLEARANCE

SC Level

QUALIFICATIONS

2 ‘A’ Levels, 7 ‘O’ Levels

Various courses - Accounting (CIMA trained – not qualified), Management, Presentation, Selling
and Computer software courses.

Project Management - Prince II qualified (Practitioner),
Managing Successful Programmes MSP (Practitioner)
Constant use of Microsoft Office, Project and Presentational software

Other achievements: Captain of Folkestone 2nd XI Hockey Team (7 Teams)
Hockey trainer for under 9 youths team (3 Years)
Deputy Head Prefect Sir Roger Manwood’s Grammar School.

Employment History