Hockey Australia’s Post

Well, it's been another busy period and I have reached the point where my current project is evolving a little. Whilst I expect to be retained on a part-time/flexible basis with this client, I have capacity to explore new opportunities in the weeks ahead. Recent work has included an extensive focus on cash management for a manufacturing business, developing a daily and 13-week model to give better day-to-day visibility for all concerned - as well as improving MI and creating longer term integrated forecasting tools. Alongside this, I have been working closely with the senior management team, and in turn with external stakeholders, quickly stabilising the overall position as strategy was refined and developed. This followed a period of extensive change and has involved navigation of a challenging time. I am available to support businesses through restructuring and difficult financial circumstances, assist with more general fractional and interim finance leadership requirements, or to provide a cost effective and rapid solution to deliver project work. Please do drop me a line if you require direct support or may be able to facilitate an introduction to a client or contact - always a swift response! More details on my background and services are on my website, which is linked from my profile. Finally, one slight pause in recent weeks was for a very enjoyable family trip travelling around Belgium, which provides the no direct context wallpaper for this post (Bruges pictured!). #accountant #interim #problemsolving #cashmanagement #forecasting #nottingham #consultant #leadership

How can my organisation generate greater returns? This is a question we often ask ourselves as business and team leaders. One important, and often overlooked answer to this, is having the right people doing the right role. During my team leading a finance team, this was something I gave a lot of thought and consideration to. Why? Yes, I wanted to ensure that contributed as much return and monetary value as possible, but I also wanted to ensure that people were fulfilled by their roles and measured in a role aligned to their skill set, generating engagement returns. I’m sure we all know the well coined phrase about measuring a fish on its ability to climb a tree…. The roles within finance teams can often be placed at the wrong level for a variety of reasons. A finance person is a finance person, right?! Knowing the outcomes you want the role to achieve and the role these align with is essential to achieving your margin and creating an engaged team. How much value can an organisation, and the individual, get by paying their CFO to process invoices and prepare management accounts? With that in mind, I’ve put my (limited) creative skills to the test and put together a short clip on the different roles within a finance team. What role do you need to help maximise returns? #helpingotherssucceed #CT

Excited to be providing consulting CFO services along the eastern seaboard! Renowned by way of a movie metaphor, my role is “the key support man” - as ‘Goose was to Maverick’ in Top Gun … but not wanting to die in a workplace accident. I enjoy partnering business owners, to help them find freedoms from overwhelm, bringing calm to chaos; management of business growth; human resource management and development. Let’s develop the “big picture” to execute the details. I have a genuine commitment to understanding your business in its entirety and provide practical guidance and solutions to existing challenges. I’m an external sounding board to assist leaders shape their thinking and decision making. I provide advice; develop innovative solutions; support the management of operations; and above all listen! I can identify growth and development opportunities; business mentoring executive and managers; delivery of Key Person Risk Support; financial control and consulting CFO; analytical improvements for operation and business systems; accounts audit and reconstruction; and full back office accounts control. Key people supported include: Business Owners, CEO’s and General Managers, Operations Managers, CFO’s and Financial Controllers, Finance Managers And yes … I can come to you.

How can you start a successful career as a Management Accountant? To remain viable in challenging times, businesses rely on the support of skilled finance professionals. Management accountants play a vital part in any business’s financial success - which is why we consistently recruit professionals in this area at Marks Sattin. Tom Steel, Consultant in our London office details how to start a rewarding career as a Management Accountant. Read his article here: https://lnkd.in/eCWPHr46 #recruitmenttrends #managementaccountant

Are you an aspiring Financial Controller aiming to transition into the office of the CFO? Do you find it a challenge when trying to transition from a back-office role to a more visible position where you can influence senior management? Financial Controllers are often immersed in day-to-day operational tasks like financial reporting, budgeting, and compliance, leaving little time for high-level strategic planning or involvement in business decision-making. If this sounds like you then join our exclusive Masterclass: From Financial Controller to CFO and unlock the strategic skills you need to step into a CFO role. 📊 On November 28 and 29 in Adelaide experienced career coach Ruth Hutchins (Morgan) and I will teach you the skills to: ➡️ Elevate your career as a finance leader ➡️ Transition from financial manager to strategic leader ➡️ Develop your EQ and interpersonal skills ➡️ Refine your executive presence and communication skills Understanding and overcoming these pain points is critical for making the leap from Financial Controller to CFO. Don't miss out on the chance to elevate your career and lead with confidence! 💼 Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/gTDn9-Y5. Or drop us a DM to enquire further

Titles, Titles, Titles… Let’s pause for a moment to really think about the obsession we have with job titles? It’s easy to get caught up in the prestige of a title like CFO, Head of Finance or Financial Manager but it’s essential to remember that titles rarely comprehend the impact of a role. A CFO of a tiny startup may have a flashy title but could be managing just a handful of tasks, while an Accountant at a large multinational likely has a far more complex and senior responsibilities. Let’s shift the focus from titles to skills, contributions, and the actual work being done. At the end of the day, it’s the value you bring to the table that truly matters!

In companies in the space I work in, a good controller is a must - and a great controller is, well, great! As a fractional CFO, from time to time, the controller at a company I'm working with loses their controller. This could be catastrophic if the controller is a do-it-all controller. But if the next level down - accounting manager, accountants, A/P, A/R - if they are strong, we can continue along while we find the right person to replace. But in some cases, there is not a strong bench. It is those situations when I wish I could call on a fractional controller to fill in the gap - either temporarily, or permanently if they prove that it can be done. On LI you see a ton of posts about being a fractional CFO. Very few about being a fractional controller. Are there any fractional controllers out there that read my posts?

Five Months into the Six-Month Journey as Ad Interim UK Finance Director I’ve been reflecting on what great leadership feels like. At its best, it’s about being aligned on what truly matters, creating space for honest conversations and building trust so everyone can bring their best. When it clicks, it’s energising, focused and impactful. Last month, our UK Leadership Team came together for an offsite and it was a real highlight. We didn’t just focus on business strategy, we took a step back to explore how we work together as a team and our dynamics. We took time to: 🎉 Celebrate: Acknowledging what we’ve appreciated about each other’s contributions this year 💡 Reflect: Sharing where we could step up or lean in more to make an even greater impact 🤝 Support: Offering ideas on how we can better enable each other to grow and succeed This gave us a fresh perspective, not just on our individual strengths but on how we show up collectively. Great teams aren’t about everyone thinking the same way; they are about aligning different strengths behind a shared purpose. I’m really proud of the last five months and the role I’ve played in helping the UK Leadership Team create the conditions for success. Trust, empathy and accountability aren’t optional….they are the foundation for meaningful progress. And yes, the day job kept me learning! A coulple of thoughts: 🌍 ERP deployments rarely end with the go-live moment. Post-implementation is where the opportunities lie, connecting global frameworks to local realities, knowing when to adapt, where to align and how to ensure finance remains a strategic enabler across the value chain 💼 Tax is often seen as a behind-the-scenes function but it’s integral to building resilience and finding opportunities for growth. Its been great learning more here and the importance of aligning their expertise with broader financial strategies to secure and strengthen the business As I head into the final month of this role, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved as a team and excited about what’s to come. When collaboration and trust come together, great things happen! For those reading this, I hope you find time to rest, relax, and recharge over the festive break….. and we begin the new year with clarity and purpose💫 #leadership #finance

I recently spoke with a candidate in a management role who’s feeling “held back” by the company owners as he tries to make improvements to his team and processes…. He was hired to build out an accounting department and make the department a “well oiled machine.” In a short time, he has hired a great team, found ways to streamline reporting, improve collaboration with other departments, and shorten the close process. But despite all of this, he is met with the classic “if it isn’t broken, don’t fixt it” mentality. If you’ve been in this situation before, it is incredibly frustrating for him and his team to have these potential improvements being blocked, as they would save the team time and company money… Through all this, he is wondering why he was hired to improve processes if he can’t make any changes! This could result in this company losing a great manager! The key takeaway from this is to trust your employees and allow them to do the job you hired them to do.