Accountancy - Case Studies

Ross Flanigan

Ex Air Traffic Control Squadron Leader Ross Flanigan, 39, now works in Cardiff as Head of Tax Support Unit at Deloitte & Touche LLP – a major accountancy firm. An 18-year RAF career included ‘five campaign medals and numerous overseas operations and exercises.’ He rates highly the general personal development gained through the RAF, the formal training, and, most of all, the planning and implementation involved in countless operations and exercises. ‘My main educational achievement was in completing an MBA. This was through personal choice and self funded.’

A Career Transition Workshop was a ‘useful first step,’ whilst management accounting for non-accountants was vital – ‘you have to understand finances.’ He spent most of his resettlement time actively job hunting including visiting the RFEA, finding them ‘a very useful vehicle for information about the area. They provided the first notification of my current role although I had already made links to the firm through other networking routes.

‘Apart from managing a few Service funds, I didn’t have any real experience of working in tax or accountancy type work but, as an experienced project and programme manager, I was recruited to manage a new team to help the tax practice meet its compliance and regulatory responsibilities. I have had to learn a lot about our business and I have built a team of 13 people providing services across the UK.

‘I am very happy in my job and the challenges that it continues to offer. I have a great deal of responsibility and am fully empowered to deliver on my objectives. Managing people, making things happen, achieving targets, setting high standards, spinning many plates are just a few of the things that a typical Service leaver can bring to the party. The key is to understand that they have transferable skills – and then to convince a potential employer with a good CV and interview technique.’

Published January 08