NAME: SAJIDA ALI

RESIDENCE: Nottinghamshire

EDUCATION: BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance HND Accounting and Finance2 A Levels11 GCSEs (including English and Maths)

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA)

PERSONAL PROFILE: A highly motivated, enthusiastic individual, who relishes new challenges Substantial Commercial and business knowledge Ability to communicate with stakeholders from all aspects of the business Producing high quality information and analysis as well as ensuring targets are achieved. Great experience of planning and delivering projects in a timely manner

CAREER HISTORY:July 2013 – April 2015 The Nottingham

Project Accountant

A mutual Building Society offering Estate agency, Building Society products and services. Following an acquisition of a Lettings Business the organisation has diversified to offer products which customers will require during their life cycle.

HM LettingsThe Lettings business was acquired in February 2013. Required an individual to review processes, establish best practise and integrate them to The Nottingham’s processes.

Achievements Reviewed processes;

o Identified efficiencies, by automating processes o Segregations of duties

Incorporated an accountability culture, which enabled staff to become accountable for actions and reduced errors, this resulted to reduced customer complaints

Implemented change in work practises from manual to automated thus resulting to efficiencies Worked with wider Lettings Project team (Marketing, IT, Business Development) to ensure the

integration of the acquisition achieved the targeted deadline Relocated Finance team from Leicester to Nottingham, this involved recruitment, training and

managing staff Devised detailed training and tasks plan to avoid disruption to day-to-day processes and

customer service Managed the preparation of 2013 and 2014 year end reconciliations for external auditors,

ensured detailed analysis and accurate reconciliations were produced Developed the Lettings Finance team to make processes “Business as usual”, thus handed over

the team and processes to the Subsidiary Financial Controller.

April 2013 – July 2013 Welcome Financial Services Interim Auditor

Investigated and reviewed PPI claims and calculations ensured customers were paid the correct compensation to which they were entitled.Produced dashboard reports illustrating results at the end of the month.

2006- 2013 Experian Plc

A leading global Information services company, providing data and analytical tools for clients around the world. The organisation helps businesses to manage credit risk and prevent fraud. It is renowned for the Credit report offered to individuals to protect against identity fraud and check their credit score.

Credit ServicesCredit Services business builds and manages the database of millions of Consumers and Businesses applications and repayment histories. This crucial information enables the business to support Clients when making lending decisions. Total Group revenue of over £29 billion, the Credit Service business has a global contribution of 47% of total Turnover.

Commercial Cost Accountant: 2010 – 2013Achievements: Management of a cost portfolio of £60m for the Consumer Business, a key business line (60%) of

Credit Services Business. Actively involved in the annual and half year budget process, ensuring a thorough and detailed budget is produced. Monthly forecasting of costs.

Business partnering with key internal stakeholders, built strong relationships with Client and Product delivery and Technology Services. These key stakeholders are responsible for 40% of the overall Credit Services cost base, as well as have a significant impact on revenue.

Production of key KPI’s for business Directors, this led to open discussion to review performance and business operations, highlighting opportunities, minimising risk to drive profitable growth. During the mid -year forecast achieved a cost saving on the annual budget of more than £0.5m

Challenged costs and processes identifying data requiring further investigation such as, telephone and people expenses thus resulting to cost savings of over £100k.

Regular and open dialogue with direct reports, this encouraged both personal and professional relationship, a fun and enjoyable working atmosphere, thus greater levels of output.

Project Accountant: 2009 – 2010Achievements: Participated in a multi-million pound project to produce a revised chart of accounts which can be

used across Experian globally. This encouraged standardisation of processes, such as operations – which resulted to exclusive supplier relationships and stronger bargaining powers.

Converted a 6 string chart of accounts to an 8 string. Worked with colleagues across the globe to understand their business operations to appreciate and understand their reporting techniques, to enable global alignment and standardise process.

Reconciliation of 18 months P&L and Balance Sheet data transfer for Experian UK, it was imperative that this task was completed successfully as it would impact internal and external historical reporting, any errors would have an extremely adverse impact on the organisation. An independent audit was conducted to verify the validity and accurateness of the data transfer.

Senior Management Accountant: 2008- 2009Achievements: Produced monthly MI for the Public Sector Director and Sales Team a growing initiative within

the Consumer Business, turnover of £20m, illustrated performance which supported decision making to encourage growth.

Investigated an opportunity for the Public Sector Team to participate with QAS (a subsidiary of Experian) on a sales share prospect, where they could cross sell products to each other’s clients. This resulted to additional £150k revenue for the Consumer Business.

Executed the integration of Background Checking, a company acquired by Experian, this involved reconciliation of the balance sheet, transferring the opening balances free from error. Ensuring the mapping of the chart of accounts was aligned to Experian reporting. Produced and ensured the project plan was adhered to, thus resulting to successful delivery of the project.

Successfully integrated N4 Solutions (an acquisition for the Consumer Business with a turnover of £5m) from SAP onto Experian Oracle Financial systems. Aligned their reporting to the Experian business, trained staff to use the Oracle system.

Integrated the Insurance Business (turnover of £7m) into the Consumer Business. This resulted to process efficiencies and cost savings of almost £1m within the first year of integration. Following the success of the integration undertook the responsibility of the full P&L.

Worked with a team of 8 colleagues across the Finance Community to reduce month end close from 3 working days to two. This was challenging as there was initial reluctance, however by highlighting the benefits we managed to get their support. The project was successfully implemented and delivered throughout the UK (including process and IT changes) within the 8 month project timescale.

Management Accountant: 2006 – 2008Achievements: Following the acquisition of Background Checking, supported the Senior Accountant to integrate

it in to the Consumer Business. This involved detailed reconciliation’s of ledger balances and ensuring the trial balance was accurately transferred from the SAP system to Experian’s Oracle system.

Created meaningful MI of key KPI’s for the VAP’s business to support business decisions and illustrate month end result.

Supported Sales Account Managers to produce bids for clients, this involved sensitivity analysis based on price and product mix.

Oct 2002 – Dec 2005 Cemex UK Materials Ltd Area Business Analyst

(Formerly known as RMC Plc). World’s largest Ready-mix Supplier, third largest Cement producer and fourth largest Aggregate Company, with a group turnover of over £900mAchievements: Supported the Area Director to achieve UK and regional strategic plans, optimising profitability

and return on operating assets Efficiently produced fact based analysis assessing business development opportunities and

continuous improvement initiatives. Promoted a high level of expertise in the use of the available information sources amongst area

staff. Produced effective commentary and analysis on monthly reporting pack to the Area Team,

driving enhanced performance. Developed a remote support team that delivered information to meet set deadline targets. As member of Area Management team, contributed to half year review with Regional and Area

Director.

Delivered detailed analysis and reports for the justification of Capital Expenditure resulting to 98% first time approval.

Provided pier support to colleagues in other Regions to enable targets and deadlines to be met.

July 2000- October 2002 Hyperama Cash & CarryManagement Accountant

Achievements: Produced a thorough analysis for the external auditors justifying key ledger balances, thus

resulted to an approved audit. Supported the Baan consultants in testing the new system, and suggesting reports and SQL

queries to make processes more efficient. Reduced debtors days from 45 days to 29 days.

September 1988 – June 2000 Novara GroupFinance Assistant

SOFTWARE SKILLS Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook. Sage SAP Baan Oracle Hyperion.

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS: Racket sports such as Table Tennis and Badminton, listening to Eastern and Western Music