What drew you to work at OG?
Having worked in the charity sector for the last 13 years, I’d learned that sense of purpose is extremely important to me. I couldn’t imagine not working in the not-for-profit sector. I’m passionate about the environment and the legacy we are leaving for future generations. Everyone has a part to play in tackling climate change, and I felt that my skills in charity finance could help support an ambitious organisation such as OG to do more in this area.
I was impressed by what OG had achieved in such a short time, from setting up the SASHA coalition, engaging in key climate discussions, supporting underrepresented parties, and publishing numerous reports to help inform and drive action towards greener practices across multiple sectors. It was clear that they had great ambitions to do more.
Another draw was OG’s commitment to EDI and their focus on cultivating culture to create a positive working environment. Not just rhetoric but backed by progressive working policies and a commitment to investing in learning and development. It made OG a standout potential employer.
What has changed since you started?
The size! When I started last year, we were in the middle of our year-end preparation and audit, which gives me a clear view of just how much has changed. Our funding in OG UK has increased nearly 40% year-on-year, and with it, we’ve not only been able to expand on our existing work but also broaden our reach into other areas. With this growth has come the need to review and develop our financial process and procedures to ensure they remain robust, are properly adhered to and stay appropriate to our size.
OG Europe, based in Belgium, was just being set up when I started. It has now grown from one employee to four, with a fifth currently being recruited!
What are you most proud of being involved in since you joined?
One highlight has been supporting the set up and growth of OG Europe, including preparing its first set of accounts. It’s been a challenge working with Belgium based accountants both in terms of different policies, procedures, but also the language, with things sometimes getting lost in translation. Google translate is a great tool but not always the best when it comes to accounting acronyms! From a development perspective it’s been a real learning curve with lots more still to come.
We’ve also just rolled out a purchase order system. I’ve been heavily involved in the set-up, guidance, training and management of the system. As we continue to grow, we need to balance the need for robust financial processes with the ability to devolve some financial responsibility. The purchase order system will hopefully give more authority and oversight to team leads, helping to track expenditure, ensure consistency and transparency around the approvals process, reduce the risk of fraud and errors, and streamline the payment process.
What inspires you about what you’re working on?
It sounds cliché, but I’m inspired by the people I work with, and by hearing about what the teams are working on and trying to achieve. OG’s ambition for delivering lasting change is what attracted me to apply for the role, so hearing directly from the advocacy, climate diplomacy, analytics and legal teams about what they are working on reinforces why I wanted to join OG. I’ve learned so much, and it encourages me to try harder. You want to do your bit to enable them to have the greatest impact and the Ops team are a supportive and motivating bunch!
What are you looking forward to in the coming year?
In any finance position, I think you need a one-year cycle to truly understand the role. I now feel better placed to support OG. I’m excited by the planned growth and look forward to the challenge of keeping our finance processes in line with the pace of change, while trying not to bore everyone too much with new spreadsheets!
