Curriculum Vitae

SELF-EMPLOYMENT

Hockley-based Montessori Kindergarten	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping, Payroll and Accounts to Trial Balance	

London-based Management Coaching Company	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping and Accounts to Trial Balance	

South Woodham Ferrers-based Insulation Company	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping, Payroll and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Wickford-based Insulation Company	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Basildon-based Interior Design Company	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Basildon-based Insulation Company	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Southend-based Picture Framing Company	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping, Payroll and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Southend-based Bespoke Kitchen design and manufacturer	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Southend-based Web Design Company	
Ongoing
Bookkeeping and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Southend-based Executive Jet Charter Company	
2006/2007
Bookkeeping and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Billericay-based Air Conditioning Company	
2006/2007
Bookkeeping, Wages and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Grays-based Florist	
2006/2007
Bookkeeping, Payroll and Accounts to Trial Balance	

Southend-based Construction Company (Conservatories)	
1st February 2002 – 30th November 2003	
Bookkeeping and Quarterly Management Accounts	

2002 - Purchase and Sales Ledger were done manually using ‘Twin Lock’ system.
2003 - Purchase and Sales Ledgers kept on Excel spreadsheet.

•	Processing Sales and Purchase Ledger Invoices
•	Matching purchase invoices with the company’s purchase orders, and supplier delivery notes. Ensuring that what had been ordered was delivered, and then charged for
•	Checking prices to supplier price list
•	Reconciling supplier’s monthly statements
•	Preparing Sales Ledger, Purchase Ledger, VAT, Petty Cash and Bank Control Accounts
•	Calculating quarterly VAT figures for submission on VAT Return
•	Preparing quarterly management accounts for submission to the Company’s auditors.

Chelmsford-based Catering Equipment Manufacture & Installation Company	
4th February 2002 to 10th April 2002	
Temporary Contract Reporting to Financial Controller	

•	Reconciled and tided up the Purchase and Sales Ledgers
•	Credit Control
•	Reconciled Supplier Statements to Purchase Ledger Accounts
•	Posting Purchase Ledger Payments and Sales Ledger Receipts
•	Analyse and Post Company Credit Cards
•	Set up new Purchase and Sales Ledger Accounts
•	Enter and analyse receipts in petty cash book

Employment

Southend-based Charter Airline	
31st January 2000 to 14th December 2001	
Assistant Management Accountant	

This Airline was a highly successful and respected small airline trading since 1946. It had 15 aircraft flying all over Britain and Europe and employed more than 300 personnel, with bases at Southend, Stansted, Gatwick and Aberdeen. Unfortunately due to events outside the control of the Company, it went into Receivership on the 14th December 2001.

•	Preparation monthly Profit & Loss Account 
•	Monthly reconciliation of the company’s internal costing system to actual expenditure 
•	Calculating Accruals and Prepayments and making any journal entries where necessary
•	Maintaining a Fixed Asset register including Aircraft, Equipment (both Aircraft and Computer), and Fixtures & Fittings, and calculation of the monthly depreciation
•	Maintaining aircraft maintenance schedules for all aircraft
•	Maintaining Captains expense ledgers for approximately 100 Captains. Processing credit card statements and expense forms. Reconciliation of the accounts on a regular bases
•	Maintaining the standard data on the Costing System
•	Reconciliation of the Bar Sales Bank Account
•	Reconciliation of the issues and returns of cash and travellers cheques to/from the Thomas Cook Account, and two Branch Office Accounts
•	Processing of fuel receipts and monitoring the processing of all other invoices, ensuring all deadlines are reached
•	Supervision of 4 individuals
•	Monitoring the processing of crew allowances, bar sales and commissions to be paid to the cabin crews, ensuring all deadlines are reached for submission to the payroll department
•	Monitoring the costings of flights
•	Reporting to the Management Account, and the Financial Controller.

Chelmsford Further Education College	
14th December 1998 to 28th January 2000	
Finance Office Manager	

This Further Education College provides full-time education to student’s aged 16 – 19 and to individuals over 19 on a part-time basis. I was the Finance Office Manager and managed a team of 3 full-time and 4 part-time personnel. In addition I oversaw the payroll function and was the database administrator for the payroll and accounting systems (including Fixed Asset Register). My greatest achievement was initiating, overseeing and implementing a BACS payment system for the college’s suppliers, thereby reducing the college’s costs in regards to bank charges and making settlements more efficient.

•	Maintain an Asset Register, which includes some 850+ assets. Entering new assets and disposals. Preparing depreciation journals to input onto CFACS (college Accounting System)
•	Maintaining a 5-year depreciation forecast, on an EXCEL spreadsheet, for the use in the management accounts
•	Reconciliation of various Balance Sheet accounts including Wages Control; PAYE/NIC control; Pension Control and various Asset, Revaluation and Deferred Grant Controls Accounts
•	Completion of various returns to external sources including VAT and Pension returns
•	Data administration on the CFACS Accounting Package, Fixed Asset Register, Payroll and Personnel Packages
•	Monitoring and setting up new suppliers
•	Assisting with the yearly Sector/Department budgets. Allocating and loading budgets onto CFACS.
•	Monitoring budgets on a monthly basis. Looking for potential overspends and advising the Sector/Department concerned
•	Processing virements within each department/sector budget
•	Preparing and entering various monthly journals including payroll, accruals, prepayments and asset finance lease interest
•	Implementing the NatWest Bankline and Payaway systems
•	Writing a user manual for those in the accounts department on how to use the new system
•	Writing various reports in Personnel Partner regarding various employee detail and information for use at Year End and budgeting purposes
•	Attending conferences and workshops, writing reports for submission to the Director of Finance
•	Collating information and writing a finance manual for use by other departments within the college. Including the various procedures needed for processing paperwork, etc through the Finance Office
•	Writing a user manual on the accounts package, and flow of information and data through the system, for the use of new members of staff in the Finance Office, to assist in their training.

Wickford-based American Golf Clothing Distributor	
20th April 1998 to 11th Dec 1998	
Company Accountant	

This company is the Europe and UK distributor for an American golf clothing label. It is well known in the Golfing industry as a high quality product. I was the Accountant for the UK and reported to the Operations Manager, in the UK, and the Financial Director, in the USA. In addition to performing the various financial and management functions of my position, I supervised the Purchase Ledger Clerk, the Credit Control Department and the Stock/Production controller. I had also streamlined various tasks and put into place internal controls which were previously non-existent.

•	Purchase and sales ledger reconciliation's
•	Bank reconciliation's for 3 sterling and 9 foreign bank accounts
•	Stock reconciliation's
•	Reconciling foreign bank accounts to the nominal ledger sterling equivalent
•	Preparing monthly prepayments and accruals
•	Preparing monthly journals
•	Calculating commissions for 8 UK and 10 European Sales Agents
•	Monitoring and signing cheques/bank transfers to suppliers
•	Managing monies between bank accounts
•	Maintaining computerised cash book
•	Setting up, monitoring and fulfilling foreign exchange contracts for up to 9 foreign currencies
•	Payroll for 32 employees, monthly and weekly. Full time, part time, shift work and job share.
•	Maintaining personnel records
•	Maintaining fixed asset register and calculating depreciation
•	Producing monthly management accounts for the Financial Director in the USA
•	Weekly conference calls to the USA, with the General Manager and the Operations Manager in the UK and the CEO and Financial Director in the USA
•	Assisting in the preparation of the budget
•	Monitoring expense budgets using variances. Enquiring where large variances occur
•	Assisting in the preparation and conduct of the annual stock take
•	Responsible for the Credit Control function, including 4 people
•	Producing accounts receivable forecasts for the USA
•	Reporting to the USA on a regular basis
•	Responsible for overseeing the input and control of stock
•	Reconciling the Inter-Company account with the USA
•	Responsible for the Purchase Ledger function
•	Investigating none current items in the purchase ledger and tiding accounts
•	Responsible for 6 people

Southend-based Chartered Accountants	
6th Aug 1996 to 17th April 1998	
Semi-Senior Accounts Clerk	
			
This is a well established auditing firm of Chartered Accountants with a highly varied client base. Here I was able to further enhance my knowledge of the wide variety of accounting systems used by businesses. I reported direct to practice managers and partners in all aspects of auditing and accounting, including: 

•	Preparation of accounts for sole-traders, partnerships, and small to medium sized limited companies
•	Calculation of tax liabilities for submission to the internal tax department
•	Auditing small to large limited companies
•	Preparation of VAT returns
•	Preparation of sole-trader and partnership self-assessment tax calculations for submission to the internal tax department.

Education Authority Financial Services	
2nd Oct 1995 to 3rd Aug 1996	
Account Manager	

At this local Council I was personally responsible for 30 schools, supporting Head teachers, administrative staff and Governors, by providing comprehensive financial advice to enable them to manage resources effectively. My responsibilities included:

•	Assisting schools in preparing budget projections 
•	Advising and assisting in the managing of the budgets delegated to each school
•	Monitoring budgets for an additional 30 schools ensuring effective budgetary control
•	Operating a finance helpdesk for Essex Local Education Authority
•	Member of the Software Liaison and Advisory Team for Essex County Council Education Financial Services. 

Southend-based Insurance Brokers	
11th Dec 1989 to 30th Sep 1995	
Accounts Clerk, Deputy Manager	

This Company was a large, multi-national insurance broker dealing in marine, aviation, motor and corporate risks. Beginning as an accounts clerk I was later promoted to deputy manager with a team of five clerks. After this I took on a more investigative role for complex accounts. My responsibilities included:

•	Arrange for the prompt collection of receivable balances within agreed terms of credit
•	Follow up slow payers and overdue balances
•	Computer entry of transactions on accounts
•	Arranging for swift settlement of terrorism policies
•	Reconciliation of difficult accounts and inter-company corporate risk accounts
•	Liasing with insurance technicians and brokers in order to solve accounts queries.

Southend-based Chartered Accountants 	
10th Jun 1985 to 8th Dec 1989	
(Sep 1987 to Jul 1988 - attended Oxford Polytechnic)	
Accounts Clerk	

This firm is one of the major training firms in Essex for the Institute of Chartered Accountants. It was here that I began my career in accounting. Their client base was highly varied which gave me an early insight into many different types of businesses. My responsibilities included:

•	Auditing limited companies
•	Bookkeeping and accounts preparation for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies
•	Computerised statutory accounts
•	Client payroll.

Professional Qualifications

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – Part Qualified June 2001

Accounting Framework	Information Analysis	
Legal Framework	Audit Framework	
Management Information Systems	Tax Framework	
Organisational Framework	Managerial Finance	

Association of Accounting Technicians Final Examinations 
Qualified December 1989 with Distinction.

Financial Accounting 	Tax/Auditing	
Analysis and Design of Information Systems	Costing/Budgeting	

Formal Training

Diploma in Accountancy (Oxford Polytechnic 1988)	
Financial Accounting	Economics (credit pass)	
Costing/Budgeting	Auditing	
Quantitative Techniques - statistics and maths (credit pass)	Computing
Law	
		
Other Training		
Management Accounting	Computer Awareness	
Financial Awareness	Quality Control	
Office & Communication Skills	Interviewing Skills	
Writing Skills Workshop	Double-entry Bookkeeping	
Team Management	Basic Insurance	
Time Management	Introduction to Reinsurance	
Auditing Small Businesses More Efficiently	Technical Education Network videos	
Contributions Agency - Refresher courses for PAYE, Directors Expenses, SSP/SMP	Various government and educational conferences and workshops.	

PC Skills

Microsoft Excel 4.0, 5.0, 7.0, 97 & 2000	Sage Sovereign & Line 100	
Multisoft Telnet – Accounting System	Windows 3.1, 95, 98, 2000 & XP	
Lotus 123	Word for Windows 6.0, 97 & 2000	
Quattropro	Display Write 5	
Supercalc 5	GS400/AS400 (branch accounting system)	
SMARTWarell 	School Fund Manager	
Auditman (Financial reporting system)	LRM – School accounting	
Tetra CS3 (Finance, Distribution, Payroll and various other modules)	Centrefile Personnel Partner – college Personnel, Payroll and Employee Data Base	
CFACS – college accounting system	Cognos - report writer/generator	
PayPoint – college payroll reporting system	Airline costing system produced in-house	
NatWest Bankline	Britannia Software – Fixed Asset Register