MIKE COOPER – CURRICULUM VITAE

Finance Manager with over 30 years’ experience within both commercial and charitable/public sector finances. Seeking a finance role in a challenging and dynamic environment.

Contact Details

Heatherlea, Bosworth Road, Carlton, Leicestershire. CV13 0BX

07792184922 mikecooper10@sky.com

Key skill set:

1. Active member of the Senior Leadership Team, inspiring and educating colleagues 2. Leader and Team Manager, bringing out the best qualities from fellow professionals3. Creating and leading budgetary and forecast control, robust and timely management account packs4. Procurement – best value, timeliness, quality and quantity achieving over £100k savings per year5. Audit responsibility/ISO9001 Accredited auditor – clarity of procedures and accurate systems6. Systems development, excellent Excel, Office and Sage skills including impressive visual reporting7. Income initiatives to maximise mission impact, VAT expertise, cost savings and project management8. Insurances and contract negotiations slashing costs with excellent partnership building9. Policy development to ensure the finance function is progressive and active across the organisation10. Investments and banking, demanding the best interest rates and period deposits

Employment History:

Auriga Services

Emmanuel Court, Sutton Coldfield

Auriga manages the trust funds for many utility companies to help those in need manage their debt.

Dec 2016- Jan 2017

Finance Manager

Managing the trust funds, forecasting deliverables and budget analyses, reports to funders.

I managed four finance staff and was responsible to the Chief Executive. Sitting as part of the Senior Leadership Team I encouraged progressive systems to be initiated having reviewed the current systems in use.

My time was cut short at Auriga as my father needed care and I made the difficult decision to resign. The situation is now remedied.

Youth Sport TrustSportPark, Loughborough University

Aug 2004 – Dec 2016

The Youth Sport Trust is an independent charity established in 1994 to build a brighter future for young people through PE and sport, with an annual turnover of c£20m

Finance Manager for 13 very successful yearsResponsibility for a finance team reporting to the Chief Executive responsible for providing excellent accounting, reporting and financial support to all levels of management, ultimately through to the board.

Mike Cooper: mikecooper10@sky.com 07792184922

To this purpose I managed a team of three qualified accountants, two of which for over 13 years which I feel is a great compliment to my style and personality. I regained sole responsibility for the production of the management accounts packs (project reporting, P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow) for the organisation, compiled the financial statements for the Board papers and produce the Statement Of Financial Affairs for the annual audit, amongst many duties to meet the mission objectives.

• Active member of the SLT and interim Finance Director, responsible to the CEO making positive strategic decisions for the betterment of the organisation.

• Excellent audit results year on year, preparation of budget and forecasts presented as varied scenarios to help identify key risks and aspirational development.

• Proven huge savings across projects with a newly implemented procurement policy to reflect best value.

• Contractual sign off including insurance, rents and investments alongside hugely beneficial partnership building leading to a 20% reduction in core costs

• Maximisation of unrestricted funds from £600k to over £5m, year on year achievements surpassing KPI’s

• Able to communicate clearly and confidently across all levels of the business, from presenting monthly forecast figures to senior company executives, to explaining complex accounting issues to non-finance staff.

• Positively leading the monthly re-forecasting, reviewing with Operations Director and Divisional Directors the actual, committed and forecast costs, challenging and revising budgeted amounts, phasing and risk profile.

• Development of versatile Excel models to track development projects, resulting in more efficient allocation of costs and more accurate cost provisions across multiple projects.

• Introduced creative and successful new processes to capture review narrative from project managers in a timely manner, to ensure an accurate and ‘live’ financial position at any time.

• Review and management of the indirect core cost forecast for the organisation, challenging the figures with managers

• Working in partnership with the auditors Baker Tilly to ensure the charitable status was utilised to greater benefit in reclaiming VAT for the organisation, and meeting all of the statutory requirements

• Initiating and developing an investment strategy across various investment houses to maximise our cash reserves.

RWD Consultants, Birmingham.

Oct 2002 – Aug 2004

RWD strives to be the best provider of human and operational performance improvement solutions. Liaising with the headquarters in Detroit, I managed the finances of the UK Division of c£22m, responsible to the Vice President.

Business Manager

• Accurate forecasting of business opportunities, meetings with two Directors weekly and reviewing profit forecasts and opportunities.

• Actively reporting weekly to the Vice President the financial health of the company across the departments, creating a visual board check for ease of clarity which was a great discussion tool.

• Reporting weekly to managers both in the UK and America of their departmental financial accounts, with additional narrative to enhance operational planning and provoke decision making

• Visiting Detroit with improvement suggestions and financial forecasts to meet with associated finance staff and reporting to the President.

• Keeping accurate records and compiling annual reports to be included within the worldwide company accounts.

Mike Cooper: mikecooper10@sky.com 07792184922

British Red Cross, Nottingham.

July 1997 – Oct 2002

The British Red Cross is one of the UKs largest charities, with a turnover exceeding £248 Million and operations on a global level. The charity sector is very competitive, with charities competing for the £6 billion market

Area Business Analyst

Reporting to the UK Finance Director and working in a team of six, the role provided management accounting support to operational managers and their teams and assistance in strategic planning for three business units.

• Produced and reviewed monthly management accounts and commentary for presentation to business unit heads and senior management, giving an accurate picture of the financial health of the business units at any time, and forecast risk analyses.

• Liaised with senior department heads on identified budget variances, including meetings with operational managers to understand budget status for re-forecasting.

• Successfully managed and facilitated the preparation of the annual revenue and capital budgeting process across my business units.

• Lead and assisted business unit heads to develop strategic business plans, business cases, and capital expenditure proposals.

• Set up and directed the management teams of 2 business units advising on financial, non-financial, and strategic matters.

• Managed the Medical Aid accounts, the largest in the UK division of the Red Cross, making a huge impact on systems and reporting process – including the identification of fraud successfully bought to tribunal.

Leicestershire County Council/City Council.

Aug 1985 – July 1997

The County and City Council provided me with employment from leaving college, initially within the Treasurers Dept through to the Education Department, where I completed my career under their employment as an independent schools’ Bursar for eight schools, and Business Manager at Babington Community College.

Bursar/Business Manager to schools and colleges

• Fundamental financial processes implementation to ensure the smooth financial delegation of centrally held funds to schools and colleges. I was in a small initial team as the first members of this financial change in educational fund management, which proved to be very successful and I was proud to have made such an impact.

• Worked with each school’s SLT to achieve a robust and effective administration of finances and business protocol, ensuring financial acumen was developed in the school’s leadership.

• Worked within over thirty educational establishments and reporting to the Financial Director/Head Teachers in each. I was the only Bursar to be working a full week in school’s due to the high standard of my work recognised by the Director of Finance at LCC.

• Due to the high level of my performance I was offered, and accepted, to be directly employed by eight schools during

the last three years of my work as a Bursar

• Attended Governors meetings, finance sub groups, premises and catering meetings and admin group meetings to ensure the smooth running of the school’s activities.

• Managed all purchase and sales ledger transactions, salary, bank, profit and loss and balance sheet and had responsibility for the audits

Mike Cooper: mikecooper10@sky.com 07792184922

• Produced all reporting documents to the Head Teacher and Governing bodies, management accounts, forecasts

Education

Coalville Technical College B-TEC National Studies Certificate in Business Studies

Bosworth College 8 Pass graded ‘O’ Levels incl. Maths, English Lang., English Lit.

Professional training:

ISO9001 Accredited Auditor, Senior Management, Interview, Appraisals, Management Reporting, Financial Management, People Management, Leadership, Mentoring, VAT, SORP

Excellent knowledge:

Excel, Powerpoint, Word (Microsoft office)

Thorough systems experience on:

SAGE Accounting Software, PeopleSoft Financials, Access, Outlook, SIMS

Personal:

I have been told I am very personable, and enjoy working and contributing within a positive team environment. I am driven by making decisions for the betterment of the organisation and enjoy the responsibility of managing a team of inspired colleagues.

I am a 49 year old father of three, and enjoy an active life with my wife Lorraine, who is a secondary school teacher.

I am now looking to further advance in my professional career, and seek new challenges to ensure I am utilising the experience and gained skills to the benefit of my employer.

References:

Joanne Simpson – Finance & Corporate Services Director at the Youth Sport Trust

Gary Heathcote – Director @ Essex CC - Former manager during my career with Leicestershire CC

Mike Cooper: mikecooper10@sky.com 07792184922