Role: Accountant
Company: Henderson Wholesale Ltd
Track Record:
What does your job entail?
I am the accountant for Henderson Wholesale Ltd, the finance team is made up of approx. 40 people. I work closely with the financial controller to prepare monthly and quarterly figures for reporting under tight deadlines. I also prepare and submit VAT returns, I’m responsible for maintaining the fixed asset register, and preparing reconciliations for balance sheet figures along with any ad hoc projects. We will soon be preparing budgets and annual statutory accounts so I will be heavily involved with these and will be liaising with external auditors.
Is it 9-5?
The majority of my work is 9-5 but like any role in accountancy, there are always deadlines that require working under time pressure. At quarter end and year end I may have to work a few extra hours a week but it is only certain weeks of the year and requires no weekend work, which is a big change from Practice!
How did you get into this line of work?
I completed my degree in Quantity Surveying at the University of Ulster, when I graduated in 2009 the recession had hit and there were no jobs for Quantity Surveyors. I had preferred the financial aspects of my degree as opposed to the construction side of things and therefore sought a career in accountancy. My degree was non relative so instead of going back to university and acquiring another student loan I began working in a small practice and completed the first year of the Accounting Technicians Ireland examinations. I placed within the top 10 in Ireland and my employer and I decided to skip the second year of exams and I went on to do the Chartered exams and qualified in 2014.
Outline your career to date?
I began my career working as a trainee accounting technician in a small accountancy practice, after completing the first year I moved on to chartered exams and qualified in 2014. I had obtained a good all round skill set throughout my training but as it was a small practice my audit skills were lacking. After qualifying I moved to a medium sized practice where I improved my audit skills and got exposure to much bigger clients than in my smaller training firm. After 18 months I decided to move on so that I could continue to add to my skill set. I was torn at this stage between industry and a “big 4” firm but decide to join the “big 4” firm before I left practice for good. I have always kept an eye on the Henderson Group via the Facebook careers page, it is a reputable firm which does a lot to support the local community. I was in contact with Glen Young, Henderson’s talent acquisition specialist, and he was a great help throughout the application and interview process.
Tell us about your qualifications/training.
I completed GCSEs and A-Levels at school, and after completing my degree in Quantity Surveying I took a change in career path. I undertook the first year of Accounting Technicians Ireland, then completed a 3.5 year training contract with Chartered Accountants Ireland and became a fully qualified chartered accountant in 2014. As part of the upkeep of my qualification, I attend numerous CPD courses every year to keep up to date with the ever changing tax rates!
What qualities are required for your job – personal and professional?
Strong communication and people skills are vital for my job, the Henderson group employ over 3000 people so it’s important to be able to fit into the team. Being organised and able to multi-task is a big help when it comes to working towards tight deadlines.
In order to get my job I had to be a qualified accountant, industry experience would have been a bonus but not essential. I’ve found that my experience in practice has been very transferable.
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?
Having trained in practice, making the move into industry was daunting. The Henderson Group is a huge company with plenty going on, I’m new into the role and I’ve found it challenging getting up to speed quickly but the learning experience is both rewarding and challenging. Working as part of a finance team and pulling together to meet tight deadlines is the most rewarding part of my job.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I spend my spare time catching up with friends and family. I enjoy getting out for walks up the Mournes or Cavehill whenever the weather is good and stick to the gym when the weather disappoints.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
I live up to the reputation of being a boring accountant… Unfortunately I have no great sporting achievements to date but I’ve recently joined the property ladder and I’ve discovered my DIY skills are enough to give Nick Knowles a run for his money!
Who has inspired you most in your life?
I would have to say my grandparents have inspired me most in my life. They have a great attitude to life and never let anything get them down, no matter what problem you have they are always there for some level headed advice over a great cup of tea!