Bridgette Thomason

Remote Support & Communication

• Provided high-level administrative support to Advisers and liaised closely with Paraplanners to ensure seamless business processing for a client of over 250.
• Worked remotely using MS Teams, attending and contributing to daily Adviser meetings, weekly staff calls, and Director updates to support operational needs.
• Served as a reliable link between Advisers and clients, ensuring efficient communication and service delivery across all areas of financial planning.

Training & Supervision

• Trained and supported staff in preparing mandating letters, maintaining back-office system accuracy, and navigating key administrative processes.
• Provided guidance on valuations, transfers of servicing, and Letters of Authority to ensure Advisers were fully equipped for client meetings.
• Ensured all documentation, including Fact Finds, Customer Agreements, and verification processes, were compliant and up to date.

Client-Focused Administration

• Delivered exceptional support in preparing meeting packs, annual reviews, and compliance documentation.
• Managed post-meeting workflows, ensuring action points were recorded, monitored through WIP systems, and completed on time.
• Supported bereavement case handling, liaising with executors, solicitors, and families to ensure sensitive and timely account closures or transfers.

New Business & Compliance

• Processed new business applications, ensuring full regulatory compliance and that advice sets met FCA standards before passing to relevant team members.
• Conducted research and liaised with product providers to set up and monitor investment transactions accurately.
• Completed Pre-Approval processes for pension and investment transfers, including risk profiling, performance analysis, and suitability documentation.

Operations & Financial Reporting

• Maintained accurate management accounts, providing regular reports to Directors and preparing year-end accounts for external accountants.
• Oversaw daily operations tracking via workflows and WIP management, ensuring task allocation and progress tracking were up to date.
• Monitored funds under management and contributed to process improvement and strategic business projects to support growth and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities & Achievements:

• Meeting & Governance Support
  Provided full administrative services, including agenda preparation, minute taking, and collation of supporting documents for meetings. Ensured efficient follow-up on actions and distribution of materials to stakeholders.
• Correspondence Management
  Maintained accurate records of all incoming and outgoing correspondence, ensuring clear audit trails and timely responses to inquiries.
• Stakeholder Liaison
  Acted as a key point of contact alongside the Chair, Vice Chair, and Members in communications with public organisations, agencies, and council officials.
• Grants & Financial Administration
  Prepared and processed payments and grants in accordance with funding conditions. Applied for grants on behalf of the organisation (FCC), ensuring compliance with application criteria and deadlines.
• Financial Reporting
  Maintained and updated financial records, prepared monthly accounts, projected budgets, and annual financial statements. Submitted reports to Members, Shetland Islands Council (SIC), and relevant regulatory bodies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ledger & Transaction Management:
  Created and maintained bank, cash, sales, purchase, and nominal ledgers using Sage, including the application of project codes and analysis for accurate financial tracking.
  Posted all financial transactions and conducted regular ledger and bank reconciliations to ensure financial accuracy.
• Cash Handling & Banking:
  Managed day-to-day cash handling, including cheque deposits and banking, maintaining accurate records and timely deposits.
• Accounts Payable & Receivable:
  Processed all creditor invoices, staff out-of-pocket expenses, and payments aligned with cash flow planning.
  Issued debtor invoices and ensured timely receipt of payments in line with agreed terms.
• Financial Reporting & Budgeting:
  Prepared monthly financial reports, including breakdowns of restricted, unrestricted, and reserve balances, for review and approval by Directors.
  Produced and updated cash flow forecasts and budget vs actual analyses for core and project-specific funds.
• Year-End Accounts & Regulatory Submissions:
  Summarised all financial activity for financial year-end, gaining Board approval prior to submitting returns to Accountants, OSCR, HMRC, and Companies House.
• Payroll Administration & HMRC Reporting:
  Managed payroll and salaries for staff, completing monthly and annual RTI submissions to HMRC and ensuring compliance with payroll regulations.
• Grant Management & Reporting:
  Prepared and submitted detailed grant vouching and financial reports to funding bodies, ensuring adherence to all reporting deadlines and grant conditions.
• Financial Administration:
  Handled all financial correspondence, responded to internal and external financial queries, and supported general administrative tasks to ensure efficient financial operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ledger & Transaction Management
  Created and maintained comprehensive bank, cash, sales, purchase, and nominal ledgers using MM software, with detailed project coding and financial analysis.
  Posted all transactions accurately and performed regular ledger and bank reconciliations.
• Cash Handling & Banking
  Managed all cash handling, cheque deposits, and banking procedures, ensuring timely and accurate recording.
• Accounts Payable & Receivable
  Processed creditor invoices and staff expense claims in line with cash flow management plans.
  Issued debtor invoices and ensured prompt collection of payments within agreed credit terms.
• Financial Reporting
  Prepared and submitted monthly financial reports, including restricted, unrestricted, and reserve balances, for review and approval by Trustees.
  Created and maintained projected cash flow forecasts and delivered budget vs actual analyses for both operational and project-based funds.
• Year-End Accounts & OSCR Compliance
  Compiled and summarised all financial activity for year-end accounts, gaining Trustee approval before submission to Accountants and in line with OSCR requirements.
• Payroll Administration & HMRC Reporting
  Managed all aspects of wages and salaries, including Real Time Information (RTI) submissions to HMRC on a monthly and annual basis, ensuring compliance with statutory regulations.
• Grant Management & Compliance
  Prepared and submitted grant vouching and financial reports to relevant funders, ensuring strict adherence to deadlines and compliance with all grant conditions.
• Financial Admin & Communication
  Handled all incoming and outgoing financial correspondence, responded to enquiries from stakeholders and funders, and performed a wide range of general administrative duties to support day-to-day financial operations.

Key Responsibilities & Achievements:

• Ledger Management & Transaction Processing
  Created and maintained bank, cash, sales, purchase, and nominal ledgers in Sage, including accurate project coding and analysis.
  Posted all financial transactions and performed regular ledger and bank reconciliations.
• Cash Handling & Banking
  Managed cash handling, cheque deposits, and banking activities, ensuring accuracy and timely deposits.
• Accounts Payable & Receivable
  Processed all creditor invoices, payments, and staff expense claims in line with cash flow planning.
  Issued debtor invoices and ensured prompt payments in accordance with agreed credit terms.
• Financial Reporting & Budgeting
  Produced monthly financial reports for Directors, including restricted/unrestricted and reserve balances.
  Created and updated projected cash flow reports and budget vs actual variance analysis for core funds and project-specific finances.
• Year-End & Regulatory Submissions
  Coordinated year-end financial summaries for Board approval and submitted to Accountants, OSCR, HMRC, and Companies House as required.
• Payroll & Compliance
  Managed all aspects of wages and salaries, including monthly and annual RTI submissions to HMRC.
  Ensured compliance with tax and employment legislation.
• Grant Management
  Submitted grant vouching and financial reports to relevant funding bodies, ensuring alignment with grant conditions and reporting deadlines.
• Administration & Communication
  Handled all financial correspondence and inquiries. Provided general administrative support, ensuring a high standard of internal and external communication.
• Creating & updating projected cash flow reports, budget-v-actual comparison analysis for core funds/reserves & projects.
• Dealing with all aspects of wages/salaries, reporting RTI info to HMRC monthly & annually.
• Submitting grant vouching & financial reports to all relevant funding bodies within required timescales and grant conditions.
• Dealing with all financial incoming & outgoing correspondence, enquiries and general administrative tasks.

Key Responsibilities & Experience:

• Accounts Preparation
  Initially focused on preparing working papers, financial statements, and accounts for charities and subcontractors; later extended to include sole traders and limited companies.
• Accounting Software Proficiency
  Skilled in using a range of accounting platforms, including:
  Sage
  QuickBooks
  Xero
  FreeAgent
  Proficient in Microsoft Excel (formulas, reconciliations, formatting) and Word (report formatting, templates).
• Hybrid Working
  Adapted successfully to hybrid work environments, managing tasks efficiently across both office-based and remote settings.

Key Responsibilities & Experience:

• Managed day-to-day financial record keeping, including posting sales, purchases, bank payments, and receipts using MM accounting software.
• Performed regular bank and nominal ledger reconciliations with detailed analysis to ensure accuracy.
• Prepared and delivered regular financial reports to Trustees.
• Coordinated the preparation and submission of year-end accounts to Accountants, ensuring compliance with OSCR regulatory requirements.