We chat to Susanne who is temporarily working with the Financial Information, Reporting and Strategy Team (FIRST) to share her skills as well as gain experience in financial accounting. Image Susanne Henry What's your usual role within the University? I am an assistant Management Accountant for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) and have been in the position for three years. I am also currently studying towards my professional accountancy qualification, ACCA, which I hope to complete in June 2022. The main chunk of my time is spent on assisting in the preparation of the quarterly forecast return for the College, variance analysis, month end procedures, preparing reports for senior management and reconciling our recoverable salaries from the NHS. Every day is different as I offer support and advice to both finance and non-finance staff across the College. We often encounter new challenges, for example recently we had to make various adjustments in our accounts for the Coronavirus Furlough income. So, what are you doing in FIRST? I am working with FIRST for six weeks to gain experience in financial accounting. This will help me meet my practical experience requirements for my ACCA qualification and enhance my knowledge of the University finances. I have been getting involved in the preparation of the Annual Report and Accounts by assisting with the financial review, preparation of the notes to the financial statements and cross checking figures. I am also helping with the PwC external audit by providing responses to queries. I wouldn’t get the chance to be involved in these things in my current role so I am very grateful for the opportunity! 2019/20 Annual Report and Accounts What have you learnt with your time in the FIRST Team so far? It has been great working with the Financial Accounting team and getting to know each of their responsibilities. I have learnt a lot with regards to year-end, and how different items are treated and presented within the financial statements. I also gained useful insight into the audit process, the types of queries the University receives and the main areas they analyse. My prioritisation skills have improved as I have had to manage my current role alongside the many deadlines the team face over the year-end and audit period. The experience has also benefited my current role as it has allowed me to build upon my networks across the University. And what keeps you busy outside of work? When I am not studying for exams, I like to spend my time with friends, family and going on beach walks with my dog. I enjoy being outdoors, particularly going mountain biking at weekends in Peebles. During the pandemic I climbed Ben Nevis and Snowdon. I hope to conquer Scaffell Pike in the near future to complete the three peaks. I have recently moved house so am spending a lot of time redecorating and exploring the area. This article was published on 2024-07-01
