At Dunkley’s, we take great pride in watching our team grow and succeed as they progress in their careers. This month, we’re delighted to shine a spotlight on Phoebe Abad, one of our senior auditors who always goes the extra mile to deliver a top-class auditing service to our clients, while mentoring juniors and placement students.
Phoebe’s Journey to Dunkley’s
Originally from the Philippines, Phoebe moved to the UK with her family when she was 7 years old and grew up in Wales. She always loved maths and numbers and knew that, if she didn’t end up with an acting career, her other love, she would have a job with maths in her future.
After A ‘Levels, Phoebe moved to Bristol to study Accounting at UWE which included a placement year in a local business. Wanting to work for a local company rather than a big national, Phoebe discovered Dunkley’s and wrote to Mike about a placement. She then saw an advert at Uni, for a placement at Dunkley’s so applied through the official channels. Interviews followed, which went well so she was offered the role. Maybe it was fate!
Finding Her Feet in the Early Years
The first few months at Dunkley’s, Phoebe admits, were more challenging than she expected, and she found the transition from learning accounting in an educational setting very different when trying to apply it in the workplace. But she soon found her feet, and from there she flourished.
When she returned to UWE to complete her degree Phoebe stayed on at Dunkley’s, with a part time position as an accounts trainee doing bookkeeping, VAT returns and personal tax returns as well as general accounting. When she graduated, Phoebe was offered a full-time position with the opportunity to study and complete her ACCA.
Thanks to the years she had already worked in accounting, Phoebe only had to sit 4 more exams, instead of the usual 13, to complete her ACCA and soon passed it to become a fully qualified accountant.
Stepping into Audit
After several years of broad accounting experience, Phoebe was ready for a new challenge, and about 2 years ago, it was decided to create an official audit team, as Dunkley’s were already offering the service. Phoebe was invited to join them as a junior auditor. She agreed. The start-up team was just 4 auditors with Director Matthew overseeing them. Phoebe really grew within this role and after about a year was promoted to senior auditor under the guidance of her managers – Nathan and Dan. Since then, the team has grown to 11 people with 4 senior auditors. Phoebe, having been there the longest has become a natural mentor of the team and regularly trains the new starters and placement students.
Why Phoebe Loves Working at Dunkley’s
When asked what Phoebe loves about her job she said:
“I love making my clients happy and it’s so rewarding for me to deliver a great service and know that I have overdelivered and done my job well.”
“Auditing can be challenging, but we never feel like we’re alone, because it’s such a supportive department and my managers always help us when we’re up against it.”
Building relationships with clients is a real pleasure for Phoebe and it’s important to her that they trust that she will always do a great job for them. This is reflected in the great feedback that her managers received from their clients.
One of the highlights of Phoebe’s time at Dunkley’s was the 30th birthday party for the company, when they went to a Gatsby themed party at The Bristol Museum. It was the first year that she worked for Dunkley’s and was a great opportunity to meet more of the team that she didn’t know very well.
When asked who she credits for her progression at Dunkley’s Phoebe doesn’t hesitate in commending her managers – Nathan and Dan. They were all there at the start-up of the audit team and have grown together and support each other effortlessly. Phoebe would love to become a manager herself one day so watch this space!
With her drive and dedication, Phoebe’s future at Dunkley’s looks bright, and we can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next.