Louise Strange, Financial Controller
Finance; broadly defined as the ‘management of money’.
This may be so, but in the case of VCA, that definition in my opinion is extremely limited. In the time that I have been here, the department has proved to not only manage its day to day activities conscientiously and efficiently, but also to go above and beyond what is required of it.
We are a team of 12, ultimately providing senior management, especially Pia Wilkes our CEO in her role as Accounting Officer, with timely and accurate financial information, reporting to DfT on a variety of matters, preparation of budgets, producing the Annual Report, Statutory Accounts and ensuring compliance with external and internal auditors. VCA is worldwide and the financial & admin systems differ across the countries; it is also our responsibility to collate and consolidate all information.
Although often perceived as a ‘back office’ function, the finance department feels hugely involved in the life of VCA and it is an absolute privilege to working for such a brilliant Government Agency!