External contributor / Rebecca Richards

Joining the NHS in 1990 as a welsh finance trainee, Rebecca has held a number of positions across South Wales.  These included positions of director of finance in two organisations for a combination of 14 years leading both to financial break-even.

For 18 months from July 2014, Rebecca held the position of chair of the All Wales Directors of Finance supporting the creation of the NHS Wales Finance Academy, developed to create learning and improvement opportunities for finance staff, taking personal leadership of the Partnerships Programme.

In April 2016, Rebecca took a unique step in taking up a personal development opportunity to work in Aneurin Bevan Health Board as associate director of finance for one year which included completing the Value Based Healthcare Programme at Harvard Business School. During this year, Rebecca also qualified as a mentor with the HFMA Mentoring Programme.

Rebecca is vice chair of her local primary school board of governors and has numerous outside interests including figure skating, netball and playing a variety of musical instruments. Rebecca firmly believes personal development is by its nature a personal thing. However, sometimes it can be difficult to figure out on your own what approach would work best depending upon the challenge or issue faced.

Rebecca’s listening and reflective style driven by an enthusiasm for staff to reach their full potential, provides the space to consider the issues at hand and an offer of support to explore approaches from a variety of perspectives to find the best fit for you.

Having been through formal training, middle and senior management and operating at finance director for a number of years, Rebecca can offer a variety of experiences – both good and bad – to draw on if felt appropriate and helpful. She has experience of being both coached and mentored throughout her career and in turn has supported her own staff as well as coaching a variety of others to create the development programme that works for them. 

With her own recent personal development experience, she has set the example that it’s never too late to learn and take on new development opportunities – regardless of where you are in your career.