Laurie Gayle abandoned a career in fashion PR because she found it "self-absorbed and humourless". She found her true vocation as a finance officer at Save the Children where her role is all about making donors' money go further.
What are you working on at the moment?
Remember in Casino Royale when James Bond first meets partner-in-crime-busting Vesper Lynd? She introduces herself by plopping down and exclaiming, "I'm the money". That's pretty much me – except I don't get to work with Daniel Craig.
Fundraisers land the big money and help to reel it in. I guess you could say those of us in finance prepare the catch for the table. We've recently been given a large donation from a new donor, so today I'm ensuring their money is allocated to the correct project, is banked safely and mechanisms for tracking the spend of this money are put in place from the start.
Why did you choose to work in the voluntary sector?
I was pursuing a career in fashion PR in Miami. It was decadent, self-absorbed and humourless. I needed to have a reason to go to work in the morning that wasn't based on the superficial or fear of my Anna Wintouresque boss. It came down to three things: 1) Hitching my wagon to something greater and 'being the change'. 2) Working towards a common and laudable goal with like-minded, interesting people. 3) Not being a banker.
What has been the proudest moment in your career so far?
Taking a colleague who was completely finance-phobic and genuinely uninterested in the money or business-planning side and helping them to understand the importance of financial structures. Seeing them 'get' it and embed it in their work was hugely validating.
What's the greatest challenge you face in your professional life?
Seeing the wood despite the trees. Finance is all about detail, and obsessively so. It's hard to wade through all that and focus on how you're contributing to the larger goal sometimes. It's also just not the 'sexy' part of working to change the world – end of. It is, however, the one essential part of getting the sexy stuff to actually come to fruition.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Ideally, I'd like to either be co-ordinating my own charity, or a smaller charity, or working in some sort of capacity-building arena for the voluntary sector here and abroad. Good governance and financial structures, and the policies that accompany them, are needed for charities everywhere so the full impact of their work is felt and maximised.
Sadly though, they aren't always at the centre of what organisations do and it has a negative impact on funding, outcomes, you name it. I'd like to be the person that comes in and says, "ah, this is what we need to patch up" and then teaches people to identify, remedy and prevent the exact same thing for future practice.
What's the one thing you'd change about the voluntary sector?
It's not maliciously meant, but because of the severity of recent cuts and general lack of funding, there is a heightened sense of competitiveness in the sector, despite us all working towards some pretty similar aims.
Name one person who's inspired you in your professional life.
My great friend and former colleague, Jason Bergen. We worked together at Oxfam GB for many years. I've yet to come across someone as dedicated, astute and efficient as he. He really believes that one person's voice can change a room and from there, they can change the world. He is the man who helps the voiceless find the courage and resources to speak up, year in, year out.
Brief CV:
March 2009 – present: Finance Administration Officer – Save the Children (Edinburgh)
August 2008 – March 2009: Business support officer – Oxfam GB
Aug 2006 – Aug 2008: Business support assistant – Oxfam GB
Jan 2006 – Aug 2006: Volunteer outreach coordinator – Oxfam GB
May 2005 – Sept 2005: Youth and student services intern – Amnesty International (Dublin)
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