HIRING A TEMP

Celebrating International Women's Day with Hannah Shilling

In celebration of International Women's Day, we're shining a spotlight on women in financial leadership roles. In this instalment, we had the pleasure of speaking with Hannah Shilling.After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in Mathematics, Hannah began her finance career as a Graduate Trainee at Croda International Plc, where she also completed her ACCA studies. She then advanced to the role of Group Assistant Accountant. Seeking new challenges, Hannah joined Costcutter Supermarkets Group, where she climbed the ranks to become Head of Finance. Currently, she is the Director of Corporate Accounting & Transactions at Card Factory, where she continues to excel in her field. Hannah's role at Card Factory is varied and dynamic, requiring her to wear many hats and tackle diverse challenges each day. Join us as she shares her journey, career-defining moments, and the traits that have fuelled her success. 1.Please can you provide a summary of who you work for and your current role?I am Director of Corporate Accounting & Transactions at Card Factory. I look after Management Accounting, FP&A, Transactions and Procurement. A typical day for me can involve reviewing divisional performance, working on Finance transformation projects, and defining our procurement strategy. So, a very interesting and varied role, which involves me wearing a lot of different hats!2.What have been the one or two most defining moments in your career to date?I would say without a doubt when I became Head of Finance at Costcutter Supermarkets. I had joined Costcutter as an analyst 5 years earlier, so to build my career and step into a senior leadership role after returning from maternity was a very proud moment.3.What are the most important personal traits, values or characteristics that, being a female finance leader, has really helped to contribute to your success?Being nosy and stubborn! In all seriousness though, opportunities have presented themselves through me stepping outside of my lane and getting involved in all sorts of things that were only vaguely linked to my role. And you’ve got to be resilient and determined if you want to be a true change agent in a larger organisation. I describe myself as having a healthy level of discontent with the status quo, so I’m always agitating at how we do things better, faster. If apathy sets in, I know that it’s time for a new challenge.4.What is the one piece of advice that you would share with the next generation of female finance leaders as they look to build their careers?Build your resilience and confidence when your career is in a steady state, so you’ve got plentiful reserves to draw on when you step up to a stretch opportunity. And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.Hannah Shilling's career in finance is a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and stepping out of one's comfort zone. Her journey from her Graduate role at Croda International PLC to a senior leadership role at Card Factory PLC is truly inspiring. Despite the progress that has been made, women still face significant challenges in the finance industry. In the UK, women hold only 33.5% [1] of senior management roles in financial services, and while they make up 41.1% [2] of finance professionals, they are underrepresented in leadership positions. Hannah's advice to build resilience and confidence, and to seek help when needed, is invaluable for aspiring female finance leaders. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we hope Hannah's story provides inspiration to female finance professionals to embrace challenges and pursue their career goals with confidence and determination. Looking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don't wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAY and let's chart your career path together.

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Temporary employees make a huge difference to a business and during these current challenging times. Whether it’s to cover a period of absence, an extra pair of hands to support an increase in trade or support for a particular project, the flexibility, urgent availability and niche skill set offered by temporary accountancy and finance professionals is proving to be invaluable to many organisations across the Yorkshire region.

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Temporary employees will be ready and available for work almost immediately, meaning that you are able to have a new highly skilled and experienced member of the team in place typically within 24 hours of identifying a particular need.
They often possess specialised skills which match a particular requirement that currently exists within an organisation so as well as delivering within their role, they are sharing their experience which benefits and expands the knowledge of others.
New employees give a boost to existing members of staff; they come with fresh ideas and can offer an alternative perspective which can be hugely motivational to the rest of the workforce.
Temporary employees will have been rigorously interviewed and evaluated in advance. Our detailed understanding of a client’s requirements and a candidate’s skill set will ensure suitable members of staff are in place without the need for businesses to dedicate significant time and resource to assessing and interviewing potential candidates.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond CONTACT UStoday to discuss your recruitment needs with a member of our team.