Nicola Ruth Bickers
Knebworthw
Summary
Highly skilled professional with expertise in operations management, risk management, and relationship-building. Demonstrates strong communication, self-motivation, and resilience under pressure to drive efficiency and achieve organisational goals. Proficient in computer literacy and adept at time efficiency, with a proven ability to take initiative and foster collaboration through emotional intelligence. Committed to leveraging these strengths to deliver impactful results in dynamic environments.
Following aver 20 years in the city following redundancy in 2024 I am now looking for something part time more local to home.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work history
Operations Director
Aon Plc
City of London
09.2015 - 01.2024
- Company Overview: Aon plc is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, reinsurance, retirement and health solutions
- Drive initiatives as directed by the management team that contribute to long-term operational excellence
- Communications; work with COO to help drive engagement and colleague awareness using various methods of communication as appropriate (email, WebEx, face to face townhalls)
- Responsible Finance and administration team (14 staff)
- Central contact for all Facilities Management & Health & Safety policies and procedures working with central team
- Work with Security team to create and test HCS Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans
- Central point of contact for the Data Security policy for the business line
- Conduit between Aon Legal BP and our Solution Line for all legal (contracting for suppliers and contractors) template control / updates.
- Recruitment of temporary staff to cover busy season
- Responsible for office moves and refurbishments including liaising with contractors, costing project and change management communications to colleagues
Director – Finance
McLagan (Aon) Ltd
09.2002 - 09.2015
- Company Overview: McLagan is the financial services industry's leading compensation consulting and pay, productivity and performance benchmarking firm (a subsidiary of Aon)
- Responsible for all aspects of the company accounting procedures from petty cash to management reporting, including contracting for both staff & suppliers
- Managing a team of 4
- Preparation of annual budget and quarterly forecasts
- Overall responsibility for the smooth running of the Sales Ledger function, for multiple companies within the McLagan group
- Control of 4 Bank accounts – responsible for inter-account transfers and investments on overnight markets
- Month end routines - journal preparation and submission using PeopleSoft including prepayments / accruals, bank reconciliations
- Provide commentary on MTD, QTD & YTD variances to Plan /Fcast & PY
- Hold monthly meetings with Partners to discuss variances
- Implementation of Health & Safety / company fire policy
- Facilities Management of the office / building which includes 4 admin staff
- Recruitment of temporary staff to cover busy season
- Responsible for a complete refit of new office
- Responsible for issuing supplier contractors and recruitment related activities
Accounts Manager / Financial Controller
Smart421 Limited
11.1997 - 07.2002
- Company Overview: Smart421 - a technology group specialising in delivering fully integrated e+m Commerce solutions
- Implementing a comprehensive accounting and financial control function
- Recruiting a team of two later growing to three, managing the team in a period of rapid growth (company annual turnover grew from £3.5 to £22 million)
- Responsible for the management of Group cash flow and bank liaison including quarterly meetings with Bank Manager
- Responsible for all aspects of the company accounting procedures from petty cash to management accounts
- Preparation of integrated annual budget/cash flow forecasts and balance sheets
- Overall responsibility for the smooth running of the Purchase Ledger and Sales Ledger functions
- Control of 6 bank accounts – responsible for inter-account transfers and investments on overnight markets
- Month end routines and journals in preparation of monthly budget statements and variance analysis
- Production of monthly budget statements and variance analysis using Winforecast, including provision of detailed variance analysis for budget holders/ directors
- Monthly meetings with budget holders/directors to discuss budget variances
- Completion of statutory returns (VAT, Companies House returns etc)
- Assist KPMG with year end audit
- Smart421 - a technology group specialising in delivering fully integrated e+m Commerce solutions
Client Support Administrator
Pentana Audit Technology
02.1995 - 11.1997
- Company Overview: Pentana - a leading developer and provider of audit software solutions
- Duties included managing a busy office, looking after two directors
- Organising /attending exhibitions and training courses
- Arranging overseas travel
- Purchase & Sales ledger, stock control, supervising junior staff
- Taking sales enquires over phone
- Day to day running Customer support line
- Distribution of software
- Pentana - a leading developer and provider of audit software solutions
Education
National Diploma - Business & Finance
B TEC
AAT Qualifications - undefined
Skills
- Self-motivation
- Strong communication
- Time efficiency
- Relationship-building
- Computer literacy
- Operations management
- Resilience under pressure
- Risk Management
- Emotional intelligence
- Initiative taking
Affiliations
- I am a keen gardener, I enjoy travel and socialising. Recently undertook a volunteering trip to Costa Rica and spent 3 weeks in the jungle
Personal Information
- Date of birth: 29/04/1964
- Nationality: British
- Marital status: Married with two grown up children
References
Available upon request
Timeline
Operations Director
Aon Plc
09.2015 - 01.2024
Director – Finance
McLagan (Aon) Ltd
09.2002 - 09.2015
Accounts Manager / Financial Controller
Smart421 Limited
11.1997 - 07.2002
Client Support Administrator
Pentana Audit Technology
02.1995 - 11.1997
AAT Qualifications - undefined
National Diploma - Business & Finance
B TEC
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