Next in our series of blogs introducing our team, we have Ana Subias, our Financial Consultant.
Have you ever wanted to know more about the Gradient team? We’ve asked each team member a range of questions that we think will help you understand what makes them tick. This month we’re talking to Ana, one of our team of consultants.
Over to Ana!
How do you help Gradient clients?
I help our clients by learning their existing processes and understanding their current bottlenecks, then I devise solutions that will improve those processes and make them more efficient.
I also help them to make the most of their system by utilising standard functionality to avoid developing unnecessary customisations or personalisations.
As a previous Finance Manager, I understand business requirements and I always bear them in mind when setting up a new system by asking myself “How can we do this task effectively?” and use the tools that the system provides.
What is your non-negotiable before you start work each day?
My breakfast – having time to have a coffee, some fresh fruit and buttery toast to fuel my day.
It is even better if I can have my breakfast in peace looking out of the window onto the garden before my kids get up.
How do you plan your day?/What do you need to do in your day?
First, I get my kids sorted for school. Getting a brisk walk to school and back gives me enough fresh air to clear my mind and start my day invigorated.
Being a consultant my calendar is planned around client work. If I am not with a client, I have the flexibility to move my workload around. I spend the first hour of my day clearing my email and catching up with admin. Then I will have internal projects to work on and personal development time to keep up to date with the latest system enhancements or to broaden my knowledge of SyteLine outside finance. I love discovering new enhancements or features. I always ask myself how can this be used by our clients?
I usually spend some time talking to fellow consultants to bounce back ideas, asking for help or their input on issues/queries. We support each other and complement our skill sets. Colleagues are always happy to help each other.
I also usually catch up with the management team and project managers to keep me updated on what is happening with the business and our other projects.
What is the best thing about working at Gradient?
The best thing is that I can use my finance skills I developed over the years working in business. We work as a team, and we support each other. I am given time to research and continuously build my skillset through training. We also work with many clients, so the job is varied and never gets boring.
What has been your career highlight?
Going through a SAP implementation, while doing my CIMA final year exams and getting an award for best case study of my promotion. It was a tough period but very rewarding.
What did you do before you worked at Gradient?
I have always worked in finance. I did my CIMA qualification and ended up running the finance department for production execution in a manufacturing company. Throughout my career I have been involved in several system implementations which I really enjoyed, so working as a finance consultant for Gradient gives me the best of both worlds as I can use my understanding of finance to help clients to make the most of their system and support the implementation process.
What is your favourite film or TV program?
I do not have a favourite film. The ones that I remember the most are classic films. I love Alfred Hitchcock films. I like his ability to keep you on edge and the suspense he creates without being gory or excessively violent. I used to see them as a kid with my cousins and then do pranks based on the scariest scenes of the films.
Which sports team do you support?
I prefer basketball over football. I support the Spanish national basketball team – “Selección Española de Baloncesto” (La Roja) but I prefer watching Trafford Titans (my son’s basketball team – year 4). Watching their games gives me more adrenaline and excitement than any international game.
If you were on our quiz team, what would your specialist subject be?
Probably Spanish culture and geography.
Finally, what is one thing about you that someone may not know?
I worked as a bingo caller in Spain so I could finance my Erasmus studies in the Hague. My Erasmus experience gave me the bug to live and work in a different country.
Thank you to Ana for being our next team member to write a post, we hope you enjoyed it. We’ll be posting these between our other blogs, so watch out for our next team member.
If you want to see how we can help you with any of the SyteLine topics that Ana has raised, then please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.