Available for a Senior Finance Manager, Procurement Manager or similar position where I can use my extensive accounting knowledge, financial analysis skills procurement knowledge and business acumen to contribute to the growth of your company.

Following the acquisition of Gist by M&S transferred to the M&S procurement team and was responsible for integrating Gist procurement activities and processes into M&S whilst continuing to run multi-million-pound tenders. Assessed and classified supplier base and, where synergies existed, consolidated suppliers demonstrating an ability to navigate organisational changes and deliver procurement solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Led the procurement function for Gist Ltd showcasing adaptability and leadership. Managed a team responsible for providing procurement and purchase to pay oversight and control for £300m annual spend.Directed procurement strategies, supplier management and cost optimisation, aligning procurement goals with organisational objectives.Led and managed business critical, multi-million-pound tenders, negotiating and securing key contracts to optimise costs and supplier relationships, including fuel, utilities, agency labour provision, contract cleaning, contract catering and PPE.Collaborated with key stakeholders to improve specification requirements and ensure buy-in to the procurement decision.Secured beneficial electricity and gas prices, through hedging, during the recent unprecedented period of market volatility, saving several million pounds.

During this time was also a company appointed Trustee Director for the BOC Ltd (Gist’s parent co at the time) DC pension scheme which managed >£380m of pension fund assets. Played a crucial role in safeguarding the interests of pension scheme members and ensuring the scheme was managed effectively and in compliance with all applicable regulations.Heavily involved in the schemes transfer to Master Trust and closure of the old scheme.

Spent several years leading the regional finance teams of Gist’s acquired European subsidiaries in the Netherlands. Driving financial strategy and operational improvements across multiple markets.Financially restructured and merged some of the subsidiaries into a simpler corporate structure.Managed their integration into Gist and Gist’s parent, The Linde Group.Produced and analysed key financial management information including ensuring accurate revenue and cost capture and variance analyses to budgets to understand and drive business cost control and profitability.Produced cash flow forecasts and liaised with Group treasury and the local banks to ensure enough funding was available.Produced annual plans and quarterly reforecasts in combination with local MDs.Provided liaison between Gist Board and local MDs supporting key business decisions.Liaised with Group Auditors to ensure local statutory accounts were completed in Dutch GAAP and reconciled to the monthly IFRS accounts reported to Group which formed part of the Group Consolidated Accounts.Successfully defended a French tax claim for a Dutch Permanent Establishment in France.Set up a French company and engaged a local firm of accountants to administer the accounts.Gained invaluable pensions experience as heavily involved in two major pensions projects. Firstly, in 2016, the end of ‘contracting out’ and then in 2019 the closure of the Gist DB scheme and transfer to the BOC DC scheme. Created a spreadsheet model to validate the outputs of a pension modeller designed to illustrate various outcomes dependent on contributions, investment growth, length of service and time until retirement.Finance lead for a project to investigate SAP AX as a P2P/Invoicing system to interface with a major customer but also as a possible replacement for the Gist finance system. Created a fully functional pilot system.

Spent 3 years in Gist’s Business Assurance team ensuring compliance and accuracy in financial processes through audit and risk assessments against SOX processes and controls. Gained invaluable financial experience in the purchase to pay and revenue to receivables processes, general month end processes and balance sheet reconciliations.

Progression from Assistant Accountant to Management Accountant through various roles in Gist.Managed a team of 3 accountants responsible for weekly and monthly management information, month end closes, balance sheet reconciliations, kpi reports, business profitability analyses and budgets, cost centre control and variance analyses for 3 divisions of Gist.Major Tender: 2007 - Finance lead in two stages of a major tender for a billion-pound 10-year contract. Modelled different scenarios for the business over a 10-year contract and evaluated the contract price.SOX: 2006 - Undertook detailed financial process reviews and re-engineering to ensure processes and controls were Sarbanes Oxley compliant.Qualified ACCA 1996