Richard Wintour
Cheltenham,Gloucestershire
Summary
Exam qualified CIPFA accountant, currently submitting my portfolio, with extensive experience in corporate, financial and management accounting. Looking to utilise the skills I've learnt so far in my next role. Skilled accountant with experience gained in the public sector which I believe would be transferable to the retail banking world.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Accountancy Manager (Finance Business Partner)
Gloucester City Council
Gloucester
09.2023 - Current
- Led, alongside the section 151 officer, the Finance team with direction to maintain high standards of productivity and customer satisfaction.
- Engaged with stakeholders ensuring sound financial management of £16m revenue and £5m capital budgets.
- Lead as the finance contact on major transformation projects. including an overhaul of our finance system to ensure it was fit for purpose. As part of this project, we needed to rebuild the system following a cyber attack that took place before I joined the organisation.
- Supervised and predicted long-term revenue streams for the Council.
- Oversaw financial accounting tasks, such as collection fund, VAT, and treasury.
- Agreed on multi-million-pound borrowing schemes to support the Council’s capital programme. And insured proper duegiligance over our short-term investment balances.
- Advised Officers and elected Members on Council’s financial planning.
- Ensured compliance with statutory requirements for balanced budget.
- Contributed to the construction of the Council’s medium-term financial plan, including an adequate level of savings and reserves for the life of the plan.
- Led efforts in assembling comprehensive financial statistics required by DLUHC and other bodies.
- Achieved goals in alignment with the overall authoritys overarching plan.
- Ensured services consistently met and exceeded customer expectations.
- Cultivate an environment of ongoing personal and professional growth alongside efficient performance management.
- Contributed to generating income and ensuring financial sustainability through strategic initiatives.
- Forged productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to foster collaboration.
- Encouraged constant development within my team through regular catch ups and a mentorship approach.
- Represented Head of Service in relevant matters.
- Executed tasks aligned with role requirements and emergency duties.
- Advocated for asset-based community development principles and integrated them into service areas.
Accountant
Gloucestershire County Council
Gloucester
07.2022 - 09.2023
- Completing a review of process and managing change that I recommended. This included the complex management of stakeholders from different areas of the council.
- Line managing a team of 6 debt recovery/credit control officers. Leading regular 1-1s and bi-yearly performance reviews.
- Case review, analysing collection problems and their causes, advising on courses of action in line with current legislation and internal policy.
- Liaison with service managers, recommending changes to processes which impact collectability of outstanding debt.
- Monthly report preparation for lead cabinet members and senior officers.
- Liaison with legal services, providing information and advice on actions to be taken.
- Liaison with payments and income colleagues in our Business Service Centre on income receipts and allocation to debtor balances.
- Preparation and delivery of debt management overview sessions to budget holders and service managers.
- Quarterly meetings with portfolio holder and director of finance. Part of this was. presenting complex financial information, seeking approval of recommendations. made by myself.
- Identified and implemented process changes to improve reporting time and quality.
Finance Officer
Gloucestershire County Council
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
10.2014 - 07.2023
- Creating reports on financials and forecasts using Excel and Microsoft Powerpoint.
- Analysed, designed and configured monthly forecasts for senior managers using the SAP system, making the data user friendly and understandable.
- Support commercial and profit driven areas, such as street parking and road closure permits.
- Support the Capital account in calculating the quarterly recharge for capital time to larger projects.
- Used my own intuition to prioritise which debt to chase and work with credit controllers to write down debt and create provisions.
- Authorised the daily treasury and cash management process. This included investing surplus cash and analysing/arranging borrowing needs. As part of this role I attended training set up by our advisers Arlingclose.
- As part of the year end process I calculated and posted any accruals or prepayments for the highways area and liaised with the financial accounting managers on the completion of final accounts.
- Closely monitored budgets to avoid overspending.
- Advised executives on contracts with significant financial implications by providing information and analysis.
- Having to understand and be mindful of the international accounting standards in everything I did.
- Supported asset transfers, lender and equity requests and audit inquiries.
- Developed annual budget and compared actual expenses against projected budget.
- Produced financial reports and audit documentation to facilitate internal and external auditing.
Education
CIPFA Exam Qualified - Finance
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounti
Cardiff/Virtual2023
AAT - Finance
Gloucestershire College
Gloucester, GLS2017
Skills
- Line management
- Leadership
- Liaising with elected members
- Financial Analysis
- Treasury accounting
- Invoice processing
- SAP
- CIVICA Financials
- Management accounting
- Balance sheet management
- Relationship building
- Month-end and year-end closings
- Financial forecasting
- Time Management
- Non-profit accounting
- MS Office suite
- Financial modelling
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Complex problem solving
- Advance Excel Skills
- Variance analysis
- Month-end reconciliations
- Stakeholder engagement
Charity Work
One of biggest passions is social justice. In the two years prior to the Coronavirus lockdowns I visited the Philippines with a local charity. During this trip we visited schools to supplies and teaching equipment also hospitals to distribute medical equipment. This is a experience I will hold onto for life. I learnt so many valuable life skills that I've applied to my working career. One of the highlights of the first trip was visiting a local prison where I spoke to inmates and led a talk on life skills.
Timeline
Accountancy Manager (Finance Business Partner)
Gloucester City Council
09.2023 - Current
Accountant
Gloucestershire County Council
07.2022 - 09.2023
Finance Officer
Gloucestershire County Council
10.2014 - 07.2023
CIPFA Exam Qualified - Finance
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounti
AAT - Finance
Gloucestershire College