Click on the name below to see more personal information about the AFR team members.
Alternatively, for a quick listing of your local representatives and the markets they cover please select your regional office on the ‘CONTACT US’ page.
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My role
My role at AFR is to recruit senior finance positions across East Lancashire & Manchester. Aside from my ‘day job’, I am tasked with looking after the company finances, pursuing new business opportunities and developing client initiatives. |
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Background
I graduated from The University of Humberside with a degree in Accountancy & Finance and decided to do a summer season as a holiday rep – which turned into a 4 year career through a succession of promotions. My last role with Thomas Cook was in their recruitment team which I enjoyed immensely. After the travel bug wore off I decided becoming a financial recruiter seemed a sensible option combining my accountancy knowledge and my enjoyment of meeting people. |
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Why AFR?
I had always wanted to follow in my parents footsteps and be involved in running my own business. The timing felt right and in 2004 I was at an age where I could put in the hours needed to help get everything off the ground. I’ve never looked back; we are able to react quickly to changes in the market and I feel we are one of the most innovative firms around. It’s clear to see from our news section we have developed lots of client initiatives. |
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Outside of work
I love to play football, and spend time with the family. Holiday pass times include skiing and scuba diving - although now I have a young family I’m more likely to champion making sand castles on the beach. |
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Top recruitment tip
Where there is doubt, there is no doubt.” Roughly translated, always trust your gut instinct about a job or person. |
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My role
I deal with senior industry placements in West Lancashire, Cheshire and the North Merseyside region. Internally I help my colleagues attract and retain new business and I monitor current clients ensuring they receive an excellent service and benefit from our added value processes. |
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Background
I graduated from the Universityof Leeds with a degree in Psychology & Management studies, then did some traveling and worked a ski season before deciding it was time to get a real job.
I knew I wanted a career where my own hard work would be rewarded. I enjoy understanding and learning about different businesses and I liked working with different types of people and clients so recruitment seemed an obvious choice. |
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Why AFR?
I had been working for a large North West recruiter for 6 years focusing on practice and industry placements in Lancashire. Then an opportunity came along to set up a recruitment business where I could be my own boss and add a lot of value, building on everything I had already learned. |
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Outside of work
I am married and have two young children who keep me very busy. I am a keen snowboarder and when possible I like to play squash and go out on my mountain bike, I also enjoy cooking and gardening. |
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Top recruitment tip
Always be honest when discussing your skills and experience, you never know who knows who….. |
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My role
As a Director my role is split; I focus on internal strategy, team development, staff training and appraisals, then as a senior recruiter I specialise in placing junior roles such as Credit Controllers, Purchase Ledger Clerks, Accounts Assistants and Payrollers both on a temporary and a permanent basis in Preston, Chorley and the Fylde areas. |
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Background
I did a degree at the University of Central Lancashire in Tourism and Leisure Management with Marketing. Like many,I fell into recruitment! Upon graduating I registered with a Recruitment Agency hoping to find a role that would give me office experience. They offered me a temporary position working for them in their office. From there I realized the recruitment environment was perfect for me, I then progressed into accountancy recruitment and have been in the industry for over 13 years now. |
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Why AFR?
Having previously worked with Simon, he approached me to set up a Junior Division within AFR 5 years ago. I knew AFR as a competitor and they had a great name in the market place. The AFR ethos that ‘they pride themselves on working closely with their clients to build long term relationships in order to be able to provide the candidates and services they need’ was exactly how I felt and knew they were the firm for me. |
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Outside of work
I have two major passions in life - food and shopping though cannot choose my favourite from the two! I have recently relocated back to my home town of Richmond. I am from a large family therefore moving home has meant I can spend more time with them. I am also still very close to my school and uni friends and socialise a lot with them. As you can see, I am very much a social butterfly.
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Top recruitment tip
Always go with your gut instinct. If there is something that just doesn’t seem right, investigate it further as it probably isn’t! |
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My role
My role is to develop and establish strong links across Lancashire with particular focus on the part qualified or newly qualified levels; Finance Managers, Financial Controllers and Management Accountants.
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Background
Having studied Educational Research at Uni, I moved to Manchester and noticed an agency needed a consultant to recruit for schools across the region. I decided that it would be a new challenge and have now worked in recruitment for 8 years!!
I decided I wanted to be rewarded personally for the effort I put in and therefore a commission-based environment suited me! However I began to want to develop my business acumen and therefore decided to change sector to Finance/Accounts within which I could gain a wider knowledge of different industries and how they operate. |
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Why AFR?
Having relocated back to the North West I wanted to be more Lancashire based. I therefore approached AFR after gaining some feedback from both clients and candidates on the services offered by competitors. It was soon apparent that they are the leaders across Lancashire with regard to consistent positive feedback. |
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Outside of work interests?
I love the outdoors and try to spend most weekends hiking. I also enjoy eating out and generally socialising with friends and spending time with my family. |
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My role
I work closely with Simon to grow and develop AFR within Warrington and the surrounding Merseyside area. I also cover South Lancashire Bolton and Wigan. I am responsible for all accounting positions up to £25K on a temporary and a permanent basis. |
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Background
In the early days I worked in catering alongside some rosette winning chefs and then managed a bar before moving into the finance industry. I started working in banking in 2004, quickly progressing to management then focusing on debt recovery and audit. After 7 years in Debt (not literally) I knew the time was right to look at new related career routes. I never thought that I would enjoy recruitment as much as I have done so far. There’s nothing more rewarding than finding someone their dream job and I have been lucky enough to do this a number of times. |
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Why AFR?
AFR are well known in the industry and have an established brand with a strong market presence. They boast a mass of collective experience which is something that I was keen to tap into. The forums, awards and events that AFR continue to stage to professionals throughout the region really puts them above the competition and continues to add value to both clients and businesses. |
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Outside of work
Having worked in the industry, I am a massive foodie and eat out on a regular basis, I also do a lot of cooking at home. I enjoy socialising with friends, especially at festivals and do keep fit by snowboarding, cycling and going to the gym. |
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Top recruitment tip
Don’t be afraid to say no to a role; we won’t be upset – were working for ALL parties involved and that means it has to be right for everyone. |
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My role
My position is Office Manager covering a wide range of duties including all of the administration side of recruitment; formatting CVs and placing adverts together with compiling the accounts for the office, payroll, invoicing, credit control and management accounts.
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Background
I grew up in the Chorley area and having left school at 16, have spent the last 18 years working in an administration or accounting environment. |
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Why AFR?
I applied for a position with AFR in 2005 when the business was less than a year old and was excited at the prospect of working for a young, growing company with big plans for the future. I had the opportunity to take a position where I could make the role my own, establishing procedures and assisting in the growth of the business. |
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Outside of work
The majority of my spare time is spent with my husband and two daughters. We love to travel when possible, particularly the GreekIslands, having been married on Santorini in 2008. I also love food, both cooking it and eating it – I am often trying out new recipes on my family. |
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My Role
I coordinate AFRs busy calendar of events and manage all social media and marketing activities. I also help out the team and generally ensure the smooth day to day running of the office.
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Background
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| I managed to get into Recruitment by chance 5 years ago as an Office administrator and worked my way up to become a Marketing Manager. I found recruitment to be my calling as it is rewarding helping others achieve their goals in their careers. |
Why AFR?
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| After moving back to the UK I needed to find another job. AFR had a position available as a Data Entry Clerk and, as they are a recruitment company it was an attractive position for me. This was a great chance for me to get back into work for an exciting friendly company in the industry I love! |
Outside of work
I am a mum and my life revolves around my kids, so if I am not at the football field watching my son, I am at my daughter's dancing school. I enjoy reading a good book, cooking, dancing, watching movies and generally spending time with my family.
email: marketing@afrconsulting.co.uk |
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My role
My role with AFR is to advise on their marketing activity and strategy and generate content for the website and blogs as well as any press activity and client case studies. |
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Background
After gaining a degree in Public Relations from Leeds Metropolitan University I spent 5 years working in leading PR and marketing agencies in Lancashire and Manchester gaining a wide range of experience writing and delivering marketing plans for clients across all industries. I have since set up my own consultancy advising businesses on their marketing and providing copywriting services. |
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Why AFR?
AFR are a dynamic company with big ambitions which is an exciting prospect to market; they always have something great to tell their audiences about. They are forward thinking and offer genuine added value to clients and candidates. The team are very friendly bunch and their office is always buzzing. |
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Outside of work
Working just a few days a month for AFR the rest of my time is spent running my marketing consultancy business working for other clients. Outside of the 9-5 I spend a lot of time with my husband and 2 little boys usually out and about in the garden or fields, eating out with my friends or driving my vintage cars – a suitably strange mix! |
| catherinep@afrconsulting.co.uk |
