Stephen Chambers Email & Phone Number

Wakefield / London

Small group. Initially joined as part-time Interim FD - retained to fill a created permanent role. Enhanced full-time role from 2017, enabling wider utilisation and development of skills and experience.~Group responsibility for The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (Solace Group) Ltd (charitable parent) and Solace In Business Ltd (subsidiary).~Mixed management team. Involved Non-Exec Board consisting of Chief Executives and experienced senior managers. Direct engagement with/reporting to Non-Exec Directors.~Income streams include: interim placement, executive recruitment, consultancy, executive personal development, organisational development, apprenticeships, membership services, events.~Corporate Resources responsibilities/accountability include finance, data quality, information & performance reporting, HR, facilities, IT, legal, company secretarial, business partner to all delivery areas.Key achievements include:• streamlined and enhanced management reporting for departments, company, group• formalised business planning and budgeting• formalised board reporting arrangements, improving quality of information and governance• strengthened profitability, reserves and cash positions• revised group insurances and pension arrangements, saving cost and improving services• oversight of Salesforce implementation project including Fonteva and Bullhorn4Recruitment apps• unification of employment terms and conditions, expenses policies and other internal processes • new appraisal/personal development review process and documentation (output of MBA project)• creation of staff engagement group to assist with process and policy reviews• increased robustness of contracting documentation• consistent nominal structures for group companies to enhance consolidation reporting• transition from ISO9001(2008) to ISO9001(2015) quality management system• implemented hybrid working for all, supported by appropriate cloud-based systems

West Yorkshire

Assignment A (part-time): December 2014 - September 2015. ~Solace in Business / Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers. Small group, mixed commercial / charitable. Joined mid-restructure. Full FD responsibilities. Initial 3 months assignment plus extension. Retained to fill new permanent role created during 2015. Assignment B (part-time): February 2015 - January 2016. ~Life Church UK. Small group; charity parent and commercial subsidiary. Day-to-day management is by operational heads, reporting to a managing director and board of trustees. Initial 6 month assignment commenced February 2015; extension to January 2016 including key project accounting, departmental and group budgeting and briefing of new FD. ~Income streams include: daycare nursery, conferences and events, external hire of conferencing facilities, audio-visual services, music promotion, bookshop, coffee shop, donations, voluntary collections. Assignment included: year-end procedures and statutory accounts preparation, liaison with auditors, internal controls reviews and improvement recommendations, oversight of permanent finance staff.

Part of my role with Improve Limited as the NSA for Food & Drink is a wholly owned subsidiary. Full Board-level FD and company secretarial responsibilities in addition to day-to-day functions and company leadership as part of the executive team.

Effective management of finances, staff and other resources to efficiently deliver priorities and return even in periods of change and transition.Business start-up in 2004; small group structure from 2007. Non-Executive Board comprising Chief Executives and senior managers. Successful, customer-focused delivery in a complex, fast changing, pressurised environment with multiple stakeholders. Mixed income model – projects, consultancy, grants, membership, ‘welfare to work’ activity, Skills Funding Agency funded training and qualifications. Stakeholders and customers include: government departments /agencies; FMCG businesses of varying size; FE / HE learning providers.Expansive personal role encompassing Board-level and day-to-day company leadership responsibilities as well as management of discrete functional teams (finance, research, technical). Achievements included: corporate governance arrangements; risk management process; contracting (customers and suppliers); financial and commercial insight on potential opportunities; KPI and other performance reporting; financial management and budget control; cost and time recording appropriate to a variety of income streams and projects (inc. EU funding); integration of parent and subsidiary company processes and procedures (“two entities, one operation”) with bottom-line benefits for both businesses.

Non-Executive Director role including Board-level responsibilities, assistance to the employed finance team and regular engagement with operational leaders. Provision of financial and related guidance and fulfilment of other Non-Exec duties. AoG Inc. is a national charity comprising a college, regional and national departments, activities relating to young people and children, overseas missionary activity and aid relief.

Development and coordination of a new, UK-wide network of Sector Skills Councils covering 85% of UK economy. Appraisal of strategic, business and financial plans. Development of internal financial systems and performance indicators to support effective contracting and performance management. Provision of focused guidance to internal teams and to external business leaders of companies ranging from £2m to £300m turnover; covering areas such as risk management, governance structures, financial forecasts, strategic and business plans, cash flow management and management reporting.

Management of a portfolio of fee generating clients and audit/business advisory staff. Development of business opportunities and the direct delivery of audit, business advisory and other services (e.g. internal audit, due diligence, Statement of Affairs preparation, funding forecasts, management reporting reviews, grant funding applications, financial viability and forecasts reviews). Clients included charities, FE colleges, new start-ups, listed plc divisions, University spin-out companies, engineering and manufacturing companies, a football club, an AIM listed group.

National secondment requiring ability to quickly grasp an understanding of novel and complex areas of developing activity to a level sufficient to be accepted by established practitioners. Responsibility for development and implementation of initiatives connected to community finance and micro-finance issues. Representational skills and organisational and political awareness developed through a highly exposed position in a political environment.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba), Pass With Merit

Part-time study, motivated by a desire to: (i) continue to expand my learning and my ability to operate at a senior level in business.

Fcca

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Economics

Education record