Meet our Trainee Chartered Accountant

Name: James Woodward

Role: Trainee Chartered Accountant – Audit

Time at Saffery: 2 ½ years

What’s the best bit about your job?

Although my affinity for numbers is initially what attracted me to the accountancy profession, my favourite part of the job has been the opportunity to socialise both with my colleagues and clients, enabling me to form long lasting relationships.

I have always felt that the level of social skills required as an auditor, especially in a firm such as Saffery, where a strong emphasis is placed on the level of client service we provide, is often overlooked.

The opportunity to work as part of a team, where continuous communication is key to achieving excellent results, has been an environment I have thrived in and has me genuinely looking forward to coming into work in the mornings.

The culture of Saffery is really important to the business and the people within it – what do you think you bring to the team and what do you contribute?

In my short tenure at Saffery, I have become a key member of the team, ensuring that I support my colleagues in their development by taking on a core role in our internal training initiative for this year’s audit cycle.

Furthermore, from January this year another colleague and I have taken over the social committee.  We have already organised a number of successful events with the aim of boosting morale and fostering strong relationships within the team.

If you weren’t doing this role, what might you be doing?

Despite having a Masters in Chemical Engineering, I don’t think I ever considered this as a genuine option after discovering relatively swiftly my lack of interest in the subject.

I suppose I might have become a personal trainer, with the aim of achieving my lifelong goal of owning a gym, but who knows? I’m only 25, so maybe I still will?

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

As you may have guessed from the above answer, I am very passionate about sport and fitness. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite good enough to make it professionally, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be an accountant! l’ll pretty much play anything, shown by my recent signing for the Saffery netball team!

Tell us something about yourself that we don’t know

Aged 14 I passed Grade 7 on the Clarinet and I know how to ride a horse!

Who or what inspires you?

Whilst this may sound like a cliché, my inspiration is my father.  Seeing what he has achieved from his own accord and his ambition to do well in life, has instilled core values in my character which make me determined to succeed.

What’s your favourite place in Dorset?

I have fond memories of embarking on the walk along from Old Harry Rocks to Swanage and enjoying an ice cream with my German Shepherd, Layla, while on the beach remembering to meet her demands to skim stones for her to chase.

Give 3 words to describe yourself

Driven, ambitious, and loyal