Natalia Ray
Reigate
Summary
Accomplished financial professional with extensive expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning. Proven track record in risk management, operations management, and people management. Adept at negotiating funding and liaising with HMT, DHSC, and local authorities. Skilled in management accounts, auditing, financial control, process improvement, and system implementation. Demonstrated ability to achieve cost savings and align financial performance with organisational goals through strategic business partnering. Proficient in facilitation techniques, business process improvement, GAP analysis execution, change management proficiency, Scrum framework understanding, knowledge of BPMN, change control process understanding, financial modelling experience, agile project management tools usage, effective communication techniques and project management.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Agile Business Analyst/ Senior Project Manager
Ministry of Defence
London
09.2023 - 02.2025
- Analysing and formulating requirements for operational applications
- Review and capture of the business services architecture (business functions, roles, processes), end-to-end solutions architecture (application and technical services), user and system requirement specifications and user stories
- Identification of requirements captures process improvements
- Driving requirements capture process improvements
- Driving requirements capture reviews
- Capturing requirements in auditable requirements documentation sets
- Support to managing dependencies for the delivery of end-to-end services
- Stakeholder Engagement
Deputy Programme Director
Ministry of Defence
London
01.2023 - 09.2023
- Responsible as Deputy Programme Director for a £15bn Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) and leadership of technical strategy across front line commands and defence business, including the establishment of appropriate governance and assurance, monitoring progress, managing risks and issues and ensuring the business readiness for change
- Led the development of the OBC and FBC, alignment with senior stakeholders and agreement through Programme Board / SRO / Management Board / Cabinet Office/ IPA and HMT
- Ensured external and internal stakeholder interests were identified and addressed
- Segmented and managed multiple stakeholder groups appropriately in complex environments
- Built consensus across a large and often diverse group of stakeholders and develop strategic relationships with suppliers
- Provided direction and guidance on development to team and more broadly across department and government
- Designed, Built and maintained a strong delivery-focused programme team and provided leadership
- Accountable for ensuring strategic and operational risks and issues are identified, prioritised, assessed and mitigated
- Provided strategic leadership in monitoring benefit delivery to maximise benefits from the programme
- Responsible for identifying success criteria, set project controls and accountable for performance
- Worked effectively together whilst managing dependencies
- Responsible for management of 40 members of staff
- PMO, Requirements, Stakeholder Engagement, Risks, Issues and Dependency Team, Requirements, Schedules
Deputy SRO
Ministry of Defence
London
04.2022 - 01.2023
- Responsible as Deputy SRO for multiple transformation programmes including £15bn Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP)
- Acted as the champion for the project and took ultimate authority and personal accountability for its delivery
- Provided clear leadership and strategic direction to the Project Director / Project Board throughout the life of the project
- Influenced and managed the operating environment into which the project outcomes will be delivered, including relationships with key stakeholders, business owners and other project sponsors
- Ensured the Project worked towards delivering the Business Case Benefits and Outcomes
- Designed and implemented a robust and efficient governance end to tend to ensure the project was governed responsibly
- Managed the strategic risks and issues in the operating environment and is aware of all high-level risks and issues affecting the project
- Management of SRO Team
- Budgeting & Cost Control – Monitoring the budget against the business case throughout the life of the project
Head of Strategy, Policy, Governance and Finance Business Partnering
DHSC
London
05.2021 - 03.2022
- Set up and implementation of a FBP team to ensure the delivery of a comprehensive finance business partnering service which promotes and facilitates VFM decision making and effective financial control over the activities of the UKHSA
- Working with DHSC Directors, Policy colleagues and the Accounting Officer across finance on a range of issues
- Support the delivery of an affordable Business Plan for UKHSA and ensure that business plans and in year monitoring data is complete
- Meet with DGs and Directors on a regular basis, understand and challenge the in-year and future years financial position
- Provide financial assurance of key products such as Business cases, submissions and policy proposals
- Leading liaison with HMT on key policy developments and supporting delivery of the financial plan and reporting
Interim Medium-Term Financial Plan and COVID-19 Consultant
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
Reigate
12.2019 - 05.2021
- Hands on role using detailed financial planning and corporate finance experience to fill a significant gap in experience within the team focusing on the detailed MTFS budget model
- Preparation and Collation of elements of the 2021/ 2021 MTFP, including a full refresh of the Budget and Forecasting of the Council for the next 5 years in coordination with the 5 Year Plan, Revenue and Capital
- Implementing and designing the Delegated Authority Letters in line with the new Budget
- Covid-19 Tracking and Monitoring all Financial Impacts, modelling reports and completing associated returns to MHCLG and Surrey County Council
- Supporting the Section 151 officer in providing high quality financial management focussing on financial and budget planning to deliver significant levels of savings
Interim Head of Finance, Procurement, and Contracts
Department of Education
London
05.2018 - 09.2019
- Direct all aspects of department finance, procurement, and contracts management
- Prepare financial accounts, budgets, and forecasting of all projects
- Create Processes and process Maps
- Oversee general accounting functions, including GL and AP administration, reconciliations, and month-end closing processes within tight deadlines
- Single handed design of the Finance and Procurement Team structure as well as processes and models to be implemented
Interim Finance Project Manager
BARD Ltd
Pease Pottage, UK
01.2018 - 12.2018
- Ensured the timely and cost-effective delivery of 3 projects by planning, overseeing, and leading projects from ideation through to completion
- Tracked and updated project documentation
- Organised and managed project team meetings
- Implemented Project Governance and processes
Interim Lead Programme Accountant/ Finance Lead
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
London
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Managed service department finance activities, including financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reforecasting within a digital IT portfolio
- Consolidated financial results and performed variance analysis to provide valuable financial insight in strategic planning and implementation
- Achieved £3M saving for the department by analysing and rectifying department ledgers
Interim Lead Programme Accountant/ Head of Project Finance / Asset Project Manager
The Cabinet Office
Westminster, UK
01.2014 - 01.2016
- Administered aspects of finance and accounting operations, including administering GL, overseeing journals, performing reconciliations, and driving month- and year-end closing processes
- Prepared and analysed monthly income and expenditure reports
- Led asset management audit project to identify the location and process of all of the assets in the digital function
Interim Portfolio Finance Lead and PMO Lead
Sainsbury’s PLC
Holborn, UK
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Efficiently completed 16 projects simultaneously ranging from £1M to £13M by managing PMO team
- Performed variance analysis to identify budget deviations and implemented remedial measures
- Developed projects’ budgets, forecasting, and resource management plans
Interim Head of Project Finance
Gala Coral Group
Woking/ Nottingham, UK
01.2011 - 01.2012
- Provided leadership and guidance to a Finance team within a large IT Programme while dealing with multiple 3rd parties
- Managed a programme budget of circa £43M
- Prepared financial reports for monthly Board meetings
Interim Management Accountant/ Project Manager
Oakam Ltd
City
01.2010 - 01.2011
- Prepared monthly management accounts for inclusion in the board pack
- Performed balance sheet reconciliations and drove month-end closing processes
- Produced VAT returns and responsible for year-end statutory reporting and audit
Education
BSc (Hons) - Applied Finance
Oxford Brookes University
Skills
- Budgeting
- Forecasting
- Financial Planning
- Risk Management
- Operations Management
- People Management
- Negotiating Funding
- Liaising with HMT
- Liaising with DHSC
- Liaising with Local Authorities
- Management Accounts
- Auditing
- Financial Control
- Process Improvement
- System Implementation
- Cost Savings
- Strategic Business Partnering
- Aligning Financial Performance with Organisational Goals
- Facilitation techniques
- Business process improvement
- GAP analysis execution
- Change management proficiency
- Scrum framework understanding
- Knowledge of bpmn
- Change control process understanding
- Financial modelling experience
- Agile project management tools
- Effective communication techniques
- Project Management
sections.external_links.name
Custom
SC Clearance to 2027
Timeline
Agile Business Analyst/ Senior Project Manager
Ministry of Defence
09.2023 - 02.2025
Deputy Programme Director
Ministry of Defence
01.2023 - 09.2023
Deputy SRO
Ministry of Defence
04.2022 - 01.2023
Head of Strategy, Policy, Governance and Finance Business Partnering
DHSC
05.2021 - 03.2022
Interim Medium-Term Financial Plan and COVID-19 Consultant
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
12.2019 - 05.2021
Interim Head of Finance, Procurement, and Contracts
Department of Education
05.2018 - 09.2019
Interim Finance Project Manager
BARD Ltd
01.2018 - 12.2018
Interim Lead Programme Accountant/ Finance Lead
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
01.2016 - 01.2017
Interim Lead Programme Accountant/ Head of Project Finance / Asset Project Manager
The Cabinet Office
01.2014 - 01.2016
Interim Portfolio Finance Lead and PMO Lead
Sainsbury’s PLC
01.2013 - 01.2014
Interim Head of Project Finance
Gala Coral Group
01.2011 - 01.2012
Interim Management Accountant/ Project Manager
Oakam Ltd
01.2010 - 01.2011
BSc (Hons) - Applied Finance
Oxford Brookes University
Similar Profiles
ANIL KUMARANIL KUMAR
Jr Works Manager at Govt of India, Ministry of Defence, Department of Defence ProductionJr Works Manager at Govt of India, Ministry of Defence, Department of Defence Production
Giuseppe MoramarcoGiuseppe Moramarco
Customer Experience Manager at Ministry Of Defence ( Defence House)Customer Experience Manager at Ministry Of Defence ( Defence House)
Ghanem AlkatheeriGhanem Alkatheeri
Company Commander at Ministry of DefenceCompany Commander at Ministry of Defence
Mark GalleyMark Galley
Senior Team | Head of Training and Development at Ministry of DefenceSenior Team | Head of Training and Development at Ministry of Defence
Chiara BregaChiara Brega
Principal at Kingsley Gate PartnersPrincipal at Kingsley Gate Partners