Picture of Leadership
Please provide us with a picture of yourself
Question: Can you describe your career story to Regional Director of Finance (RDOF)?
Answer: Following a childhood in Cornwall and a degree in English Language and Literature at Leeds I’ve moved around a fair bit. I trained in the National Audit Office where my first role was auditing the United Nations, I’ve never quite managed anything as glamorous since! I worked for a global engineering company for a couple of years and then spent several years in the Civil Service (Home Office, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, Committee on Climate Change). Somewhere in the middle of that I had two children and took a total of 21 months of maternity leave. I moved into the NHS nine years ago, initially to RNOH (who I will forever be grateful to for taking a chance on me) and then to CNWL. I’ve been the RDOF for London for a little over two years now.
Question: What do you enjoy most about being a RDOF?
Answer: The opportunity to work with London CFOs and wider partners (such as the Greater London Authority and London Councils) to look at our collective resources to make a difference to our population by making London the world’s healthiest global city, and the best global city in which to receive health and care services. We have a great mix of huge experience and incredible talent, and I love working with this group of individuals. Working with the other RDOFs has been great as it has been a supportive network. I’ve also learnt a lot working with wider NHS England leaders, especially in finance.
Question: What do you find most challenging in being a RDOF?
Answer: I’m very aware that I am in this role at one of the most challenging times ever in terms of funding in the NHS, and also recent announcements on the future of NHSE and ICBs. It is very hard sometimes to get the balance right between supporting staff who are under huge amounts of pressure and keeping a focus on living within our financial means and maximising value to patients and taxpayers.
Question: How do you cope with the pressure of your role and some of the tough decisions that you have to influence others to take?
Answer: Having a support network in the other RDOFs is key and I’m lucky that I have close confidents across the London CFO community. Caroline Clarke (the London Regional Director) is a big support as well as being a hugely experienced CFO. National finance colleagues are also great for advice, support, and sharing best practice. It’s about having a sense of perspective – it’s difficult to work through in the short-term but there’s always a better thing coming e.g. the medium/long term transformation, which is hugely energising. I remind myself a lot to focus on what is in my control and try not to worry about what isn’t.
Question: Were there any role models who gave you a sense of what it is to be a leader or helped you on your journey?
Answer: I’m very lucky to work with Caroline Clarke, who remains one of my role models. The positivity and vision she brings, her clarity of focus and her sense of fun is much needed at times! Other RDoFs and London CFOs have always been generous with their time, energy and learning.
Question: When interviewing candidates for senior leadership roles, what are the top 3 attributes you look for?
Answer: Integrity, strong values, and capability. I look at whether individual values align to the values of the organisation I’m interviewing for. Individual leadership on EDI and influencing skills are also vital leadership qualities.
Question: What one piece of advice would you give to those aspiring to senior finance leadership roles, knowing what you know about the barriers you faced?
Answer: Can I have three?
Grab every opportunity that comes your way e.g. I wouldn’t have been a CFO if I hadn’t have done a Spending Review. I joined the Home Office after the bid had been submitted but I led the negotiation with the Treasury which was a huge challenge but one I learnt an enormous amount from.
Undertake a ‘contracting exercise’ with your family about what any job change would mean for your family life as it will impact, and everyone needs to be signed up for that.
What I’d say to my younger self is ‘believe in yourself’. Throughout my career I’ve often found people have believed in me before I have had confidence in my own skills, and its only know that I value what I can uniquely bring to roles and organisations.
Question: The theme for International Women’s Day this year is #InspireInclusion – How are you inspiring inclusion?
Answer: I will dedicate space on agendas for key meetings e.g. London CFOs, to discuss inclusion and agree tangible actions to improve where we are. I will be visible and share my story – I hope I can act as a role model to people aspiring to senior finance leadership. But we have much more to do to be truly inclusive.