Insider profil
Keen to receive questions about
Top Insider Advice
When i joined the first financial institution i worked for, initially working in customer services, i had two goals in mind: 1. I knew Customer Services was not for me long-term, and i wanted to move to a more admin based role as soon as possible. I achieved this within a year of joining the first financial institution i worked for. 2. Standard Life had a great reputation and were well known in the City i worked in as being a great place to work. When i took my first job in financial services my goal was to ultimately join Standard Life but i knew i required some experience in the industry before doing so. After two years in Financial Services i successfully applied for my first role at Standard Life. This was a great decision for my career and i remain at Standard Life/Phoenix to this day, many years later.
Career path
Operational Governance and Risk Consultant
Phoenix Group
Started 04/2022 to PresentRegulatory Relationship Analyst
Phoenix Group
From 06/2018 to 04/2022Fund Controls Analyst
Phoenix Group
From 10/2014 to 06/2018Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
Operational Governance and Risk is part of the wider Operations function within Phoenix. Operations is a large function, with a number of teams who all perform different tasks and activities. The result is i can be involved in, or have exposure to, a variety of different tasks/activities which keeps things interesting. I am also lucky that within Operational Governance and Risk, i work in a great team, who are very supportive.
Greatest achievements
I joined the Regulatory Relationship team at a time when it was expanding, following Phoenix's acquisition of Standard Life. During my time in this team, we worked hard to meet the ever-increasing demands of the regulator's and vastly improved Phoenix's relationship with it's regulator's, despite the company undergoing a period of significant change.
Jonathan M
Top Insider Advice
Be open to new opportunities, which make you smile We are in a growth business, and a growth mindset compliments this. I am a big believer in doing things which make you happy and working on your strengths. I feel like I have found this here
Jane A
Employer Brand Manager
Top Insider Advice
If you love doing something but don't have the 'typical' experience for the role, try it anyway or find a company who will give you the opportunity to. At Phoenix and in my previous roles I have tried new things either side-of-desk or via trying a new job and I've learned a lot by doing that. I think ultimately trying different things has led me to be really happy in my current job as I've figured out my strengths and what I genuinely enjoy doing. I appreciate that you need the right environment for that and I've been fortunate enough to work for a couple of organisations who have focused on internal talent and development opportunities. This year I'm doing work in areas that I didn't know much about 12 months ago, and learning about more complex topics and processes which may not outwardly be directly associated with my day-to-day job but will help me when I'm considering what's next!
Josh R
Senior Accountant
Top Insider Advice
The key advice I have given to all applicants and new starters is that Phoenix is a company where your opportunities are significant and plentiful. The key to capitalising on this is to be proactive, take the time to understand and reflect on your goals and achievements and communicate openly and honestly with the team around you about how you want to progress/operate within the business. The business can be fast paced and although all the resources and help are made available, it is incredibly important to make yourself accountable and seek the information you need for yourself. People are always willing to support you here but have respect for those who have taken the time to consider their requirements carefully and actively seek support before it becomes a critical requirement.
