Rachel Transcript

My name's Rachel. 
 
I'm a Civil Service Finance Fast Streamer and I'm employed by the Cabinet Office, but my first placement is at DWP, Department for Work and Pensions. 
 
The Government Finance Function is a community of professionals who all work within the sort of general heading of finance. 
 
These can be different types of financial specialists, so Finance Business Partners, Analysts, Economists. It helps you to build connections, it helps you to build relationships. It enables you to stay up to date on all your latest training, to be the best finance professional you can be in whatever area you choose to specialise in. 
 
So the impact of the work I'm doing is really important to me. There's a project that we're running called the Midlife MOT, which is important for sort of over fifties champions to access rewards and make sure that their financial position is secure for the future, and as a Finance Business Partner, I am responsible for the budget for that project. And so as we get more users weekly onto this platform, ‘cause it's an online tool, I can see the real impact on the work I'm having. 
 
A number that’s really important to me is the number three. I have been working in the Government Finance Function for three months now and that number is special to me because I have been given a lot of responsibility, how much training I have got, and the amount of trust with which Senior Civil Servants have placed in me. 
 
What balance means to me in my work life is that I have both support to grow, but also the responsibility for meaningful projects. The support that I get for that is really phenomenal. So my line manager is a Chartered Accountant and I have Fridays dedicated to study to work towards my ACA, which is an accounting qualification. So I feel really supported, but also able to do meaningful work. 
 
I would recommend the Government Finance Function because I think we really need people who are good with numbers, who care about policy. And I think that the interaction between the two is what makes good government and I would really recommend that anyone should apply.