In the first of our mini-series of ‘getting to know you’ interviews with the team at CCL, we’d like to introduce you to Finance Manager,Tanya Volynets.

When did you join CCL?

I’ve been with CCL for five years, and this actually is my first full-time job. Prior to joining the company I was in education, including a year on placement as a trainee for The Accountancy Practice.

 

These last five years with CCL have been really interesting. When I joined, the company was in what had become very cramped offices in Isleworth. Since then we’ve relocated to bright and spacious offices with great facilities and an enormous warehouse at London Heathrow. We’ve also become part of Lenton Group, which has given us an extended reach and profile. These are all positive and exciting changes, not just for the business, but for me too, as they have helped to expand my job and my experience.

 

So, tell us a little about what you do at CCL

My job title is Finance Manager, and that covers quite a wide remit. Mainly I oversee all the day-to-day financial processes. I deal with creditors and debtors and handle bank reconciliations. I raise invoices, liaise with the bank, prepare HMRC duty returns, check the ledger and deal with any finance related queries.

 

One important regular responsibility is working with Tatiana, our Financial Controller, to compile the month-end management reporting for the Lenton Group corporate HQ in Hong Kong. It takes about 10 days every month to pull together the information we need on revenues, accruals and payments, and accuracy is vital.

 

What training and qualifications prepared you for this role?

I graduated from the University of West London with a Bachelors degree in Accounts and Finance. I’ve been studying beyond this and am on the final stage to becoming ACCA qualified – with just three more exams to go.

 

Self or home-study is quite challenging at this level, especially whilst working full-time. The adjudicating body assumes your subject knowledge. What they want to see is your technique. I have been taking revision courses specifically to learn how to tackle the exam questions in the way the ACCA expects, learning how to show my workings in the right way, as well as applying my knowledge.

 

It certainly sounds as if you have a busy life

I think I do. Time is always an issue, but I find the more I do, the more time I can make to squeeze in just one more thing. When you have a lot going on, you get better at managing your time.

 

What do you particularly enjoy about working at CCL

It may sound strange to some, but I really do love accounting! I have a mathematical mind – I’ve always been good at maths. I like working with figures.  It’s satisfying being able to balance things out.

 

CCL is a very friendly company to work in and every newcomer is made to feel welcome.  I love that we’re such a multi-cultural company. We’re always exchanging cultural experiences, like holidays and cuisine.

 

Talking of culture, tell us a little about where you come from

Here’s a question for you – am I Estonian, or Russian? My parents are Russian. They moved to the region which is now Estonia whilst it was still part of the USSR. The place in which I was born was therefore in USSR, and I spent the first seven years of my life in USSR. Following independence in 1991, the region became the independent country of Estonia.  I continued to live there until coming to England in 2004.

 

And what about interests and goals?

I’m very ambitious and motivated person – even at the weekends I like to keep busy. And I try and do a little bit of learning every year. My most important short term goal is to complete my ACCA exams and qualify. I’m also going to be learning Spanish from August this year. I love being able to speak the lanuage when I go to a country.

 

I enjoy running, and want to keep it up. It’s really special when you’re running, surrounded by thousands of people pursuing the same goal. It’s amazing to be part of something big, with such a great atmosphere.

 

My other sport is boxing. I’ve been working with a personal trainer for two years and I’m really enjoying developing my boxing skills. I’m excited that CCL is sponsoring boxer Louis Lye.

 

Lastly, a quirky question: Do you have a favourite motto or saying?

I have a book of quotations by the fashion designer Coco Chanel and I would say I love every one of her quotes. But here are a couple which are really resonate with me:

 

“There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony. There is time for work. And time for love. That leaves no other time!”

 

“In order to be irreplacable one must always be different.”