I began my career in 2012 as a trainee accountant with Audit Scotland, studying towards the ICAS qualification. Having graduated in psychology from university, accounting was a new field for me and the learning curve was certainly steep at first. However, the experience taught me the value of resilience, curiosity, and continuous learning.
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2015, I joined KPMG to gain experience within a Big Four environment. During my time there, I worked across both internal and external audit and spent a period of time in management consulting, broadening my understanding of organisations and how they operate. It was while working with NHS Highland that I discovered a real passion for the NHS and recognised that healthcare finance was the direction I wanted to take my career.
In 2019, I joined the Scottish Government as a Value and Sustainability Manager for the NHS. Since then, I have held a number of roles, including Head of Social Care Finance and Depute Director of Finance for NHS Scotland. Each role has provided new opportunities to develop my skills, broaden my experience, and contribute to improving outcomes for people across Scotland.
My current role brings a wide variety of challenges, but it is also incredibly rewarding. I am fortunate to work with talented colleagues and continue to benefit from opportunities for personal and professional growth. One of the things I value most about my career is that there is always something new to learn.
My advice to anyone at the start of their career journey would be to take opportunities when they come along, even if they feel daunting or outside your comfort zone. Self-doubt is normal, but every new experience offers the chance to learn, grow, and discover what you're capable of achieving.
For more information contact nhsscotlandacademy@nhs.scot
