Introducing Clair Rayner, FCA DChA
Clair is an MFW partner. Clair has been with the firm for 22 years having joined the firm initially as a newly qualified chartered accountant, in the role of an accounts and audit senior. Since then Clair has worked hard and been promoted firstly to Manager and then Partner status.
Friendly team with a family feeling
During her initial interview, Clair was impressed with the friendly and approachable manner of the partners. As the firm was of a suitably large sized Clair considered that the opportunities within the firm would also be good and varied.
Clair loves the fact that the team at MFW has a family feel to it and that the work is varied and never dull and boring.
She enjoys client contact and getting to be part of lots of different clients’ teams. She works within a wide variety of sectors from schools, to leisure centres and even acts on behalf of a zoo and conservation charity.
Her average day
On an average day, Clair will advise clients on various tax and accounts related queries and holds client meetings to plan work. She also gets involved with the marketing of the firm and in meeting with other professionals to build her professional network.
Her role includes people management, financial management, and maintenance of the practices quality and assurance standards. She is also responsible for maintaining workflow and quality management.
Asked why she wanted to become an accountant Clair said, “Being an accountant in practice allows you to work with lots of different business owners ranging from the smallest of sole traders to large corporate entities. You meet lots of different people and there is always a new challenge. In this way work never gets samey”.
Her advice to trainees
Her advice to new trainees of anyone interested in a career in accountancy is, “Study is a necessary part of developing the base knowledge required to be an accountant. You never stop learning though and so, if you enjoy learning new things, this is a good career to choose. Accountancy isn’t just about calculating things. It’s actually about interpreting the numbers to understand the performance of a business and this is the most interesting part”.
The social side of MFW
Clair is a great champion for social events at MFW and says, “We are a sociable bunch at MFW. We enjoy our Sports Days, quizzes, car rallies, coffee mornings for charity and Christmas Jumper day. The Firm also has an annual dinner, hosted by a different office each year at a new venue in Kent. The partners of MFW also provide an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which includes counselling sessions with qualified health care professionals and webinars on various topics such as stress management, because the wellness of our team members is crucial to us”.
