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Director of Finance, Metropolitan Police Service

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is an organisation with over 40,000 staff, a £2.6bn budget, an international reputation and the responsibility for policing one of the largest, most densely populated cities in the world. Leading a department of around 220, Sharon works to ensure that the MPS has a first class professional finance service that meets the needs of front line service delivery.

Her career has spanned thirty fulfilling years spent working at all levels in local government and the public sector. But she almost ended up as a teacher. "When I left school I didn't know what I wanted to do. I'd got a place to train as a teacher, but decided I'd had enough of the school environment." She therefore accepted a position as trainee accountant at Welwyn Hatfield Council. The main draw was her feeling that "it would be wonderful to work for local services in my hometown."

Sharon decided to study for ACCA because she wanted a qualification that would be "recognised in both public and commercial sectors". Although she has spent her career so far within the public sector she has found that the qualification has suited her well. Her current employer is "going through a period of rapid change" and, as an ACCA member, she believes that she "adapts quickly to changing work demands and pressures easily - I suppose that must be down to the rigorous training."

While progressing in her career, Sharon has found that a successful accountant "needs to be capable of far more than just preparing a set of books." Over the years her roles have developed to include implementing corporate business strategies for Hertfordshire Police, procurement, IT and rebuilding financial systems while with Watford Council and she is currently working on adopting activity-based costing - with over 40,000 staff, that's quite a challenge!

ACCA has given her the confidence to succeed in her role. She says: "I value my membership of ACCA as it gives me a status in the profession and is recognised worldwide. It is important to me to carry out my work with integrity and to behave in a manner that reflects well on ACCA and the profession. Being a member of ACCA is like being part of a very big and special family."