Rachel Richardson knows Nyman Libson Paul from more than one perspective. Having started her career here as a trainee, she’s worked her way up to Audit Manager. She now supports a varied portfolio of charities, arts organisations and small businesses, as well as the next generation coming through the firm.
We caught up with Rachel to talk about life in audit, what she’s learned along the way and what being an ally looks like to her.
Tell us a little about what you do at NLP and the clients you typically work with.
I’m an Audit Manager at NLP, specialising in charities, particularly arts-based organisations and theatres, as well as a range of small businesses. I manage audit teams, review files, help clients navigate technical accounting issues and make sure audits run smoothly from planning through to completion. I also spend a lot of time supporting and training more junior members of the team. Having started my own career at NLP as a trainee accountant and gained my ACA qualification here, it’s important to me to pay that experience forward and help others develop in the same way.
What does a typical day look like for you?
One of the things I enjoy most about my role is that no two days are ever the same. A typical day might involve balancing project management with technical accounting work, reviewing audit files, supporting and training team members, and keeping clients updated on progress. The nature of my work also changes throughout the year depending on the seasonality of our clients and where we are in the audit cycle, which keeps things interesting and means there’s always a new challenge around the corner.
What does being an ‘ally’ to your clients mean to you?
Being an ally means becoming a trusted partner rather than simply providing a service once a year. Many of the charities and arts organisations I work with are focused on making a positive impact and often have limited resources, so it’s important that they know they can pick up the phone and ask for support whenever they need it. For me, being an ally is about understanding their mission, providing practical guidance, and helping them focus on achieving their objectives while knowing they have someone in their corner who understands their challenges.
What’s something your NLP colleagues would immediately associate with you?
Probably charities and the arts! A large part of my client portfolio is made up of arts organisations and charities, so I spend a lot of time immersed in that sector. Beyond work, I’ve always had a passion for the arts, particularly music, so I think my colleagues would associate me with both the charity sector and a genuine enthusiasm for the organisations we support.
What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
Outside of work, music has always been a huge part of my life. Before becoming an accountant, I was a classical musician and performed recitals at venues including the Barbican, Cadogan Hall and St Martin-in-the-Fields, playing both the piano and oboe. I still play regularly in my spare time and enjoy reviewing and writing about music, so although my day job is numbers and audits, my creative side never really went away!