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Blog written by Sashi Laji, Deputy Head of Finance at UCLH /UCL Joint Research Office
My Journey to Deputy Head of Finance at JRO at UCLH/UCL
Having completed my degree in Accounting and Information Systems in my early twenties, I started working in the NHS in Wales as Project Assistant. After receiving much encouragement from my colleagues, I started to prepare for ACCA qualification alongside working full-time, which helped lay solid foundations in finance and apply those to NHS settings.
Embarking on this new professional path within the NHS enabled me to move with my husband's training posts in the NHS and work flexibly to raise our son. My determination and love for learning kept me going.
Nurturing my Career in NHS Finance
As I started my journey in NHS finance, many excellent mentors allowed me to approach problems creatively and think outside the box. Over the next decade, I dedicated myself to continuous learning and growth. Once I gained ACCA qualification, it opened doors to new opportunities.
Role in the ULH Research Unit
The pivotal moment in my career came at the beginning of the pandemic. Despite the challenges posed by the remote interview process, I was appointed as the Deputy Head of Finance at the ULH research unit. This role not only marked a significant milestone in my career but also provided a unique set of challenges.
Navigating the Pandemic
The pandemic brought an unexpected twist to my journey. Like many, I had to adapt to remote work and manage a team of 9 facing new and pressing challenges. The pandemic brought to the forefront the importance of continuing medical research even during a crisis and I found myself working tirelessly to ensure our research unit could operate at a high level, even during these challenging times. Clinical research finds answers to clinical issues at scale. Contributing to that process in an enabling role is, to me is an honourable career choice.
Building, Mentoring, and Succeeding
During the pandemic, I focused on building and mentoring my team, nurturing their talents, and ensuring that they could excel even in the face of adversity. I was amazed at how our collective dedication and resilience helped us overcome obstacles and achieve remarkable results.
My journey from general NHS finance manager to in my current role as the Deputy Head of Finance at the JRO has been a rewarding one. It required considerable determination, willingness to adapt and a diverse skill set. Throughout, the role has given me great deal of job-satisfaction and strengthened my skillsets further. I hope my story inspires others to pursue a career in research finance which is a truly impactful role.