A week in the life of FTS Resolve’s Head of Business Services
A chat with Adele Spiteri, FTS Resolve’s detail-orientated finance guru and Head of Business Services.
What does your role as Head of Business Services involve?
I oversee the day-to-day finance and administration functions at FTS, which includes payroll, IT, and accounts payable and receivable – providing support to the broader finance team. In turn, this helps to ensure that we deliver the best outcomes for our clients.
What does your average working week look like?
My week begins with the finance and admin team’s Monday WIP meeting, where the team discuss workloads for the week, overdue or outstanding items, and any blockers or challenges. Setting the agenda and identifying any challenges early is incredibly important to ensuring we’re on top of everything from an organisational and procedural perspective.
Overall however, a large part of my week – and role in general – involves ensuring accuracy and efficiencies across all of the business’ finances. This involves making sure the systems we have in place are operating as they should, and if they aren’t, making adjustments or putting better systems in place.
How long have you been working at FTS?
I started in February of 2016, having previously worked in wholesale and pop-up retail, as well as the educational sector – both in Australia and abroad.
What do you like about your role at FTS Resolve?
I like the flexible working environment, which includes having the ability to work from home, as well as having flexible working hours that enable me to be there for my family. It’s also a really supportive environment backed by plenty of great people; from the other heads of the business down, you’re encouraged to take responsibility and ownership of your role and help the business succeed.
What is the team culture like?
FTS is in a growth phase at the moment, with an increased investment in equipment and personnel. In some workplaces I’ve seen that take a toll on team culture, however, the culture here is really good. Everyone is committed to getting the job done, but we’re not afraid to have a bit of fun as well, and I think that’s a good litmus test in terms of team culture and environment.
The telecommunications, electrical and construction industries are quite male-dominated, however there’s been tremendous growth in the amount of roles being filled by women since I started several years ago. We now have a strong female presence within the team with Ailene, Michelle and Claire who look after key clients and capabilities within the business.
How do you think FTS differs from other employers/industries?
From my experience, most businesses have a finance team that never gets to see or interact with a lot of the other outputs of the business. People just clock in at 9am and are out the door at 5pm. In contrast, when I first started at FTS I was taken out on site to see the hauling, splicing and civil teams in action. This was a great opportunity, as it gave me a better understanding of the business as a whole, not just through the lens of business’ numbers. FTS really challenged me to learn about the business (and industry) as a whole, not just what related to my role.
Interested in working at FTS Resolve? Explore our careers page to see what opportunities are available.
