From Finance Apprentice to Business Partner, Chloe has shown she is an integral member of her team and JLR.

I’m Chloe and I work as a Finance Business Partner. I have been at JLR for 7 years now, starting my journey here on the Level 7 Finance Apprenticeship.

Being on the apprenticeship, has meant I have moved around a lot of different teams within finance and have a breadth of experience across the business. I was lucky enough to work in five departments while on the apprenticeship – Accounts Payable, Product Development, Fixed Marketing, Manufacturing and Pricing. Being able to work in different areas of the business has allowed me to see how they all fit together and that we are all one team working towards the same goals. The knowledge I have gained has not only been interesting but also easily transferable between different roles and other opportunities.

The apprenticeship also gave me the chance to study CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) and do a Masters degree, which I have been able to put to use in the workplace. There’s a range of study methods available for taking the courses and also flexibility around taking the exams to suit you. JLR were very supportive of my studying and where possible aim to reduce the stress and pressure on us; both your cohort manager and line manager will be there for you along the way. It is not an easy qualification, but the hard work really does pay off and its completely worth it.

After finishing the apprenticeship not much changed as all of the roles I had done so far had been at the same level and I had been treated like any other employee. I am now in my second role as a Finance Business Partner and I absolutely love it. I work within the SVO team, so am able to get close to the very best of our products while speaking to so many different teams across JLR. I have been given plenty of opportunities within my role to develop myself and I have definitely been challenged which all helps towards my personal growth.

As well as my role, I am always keen to get involved in things outside of my day job. I am part of the Finance People Initiative (FPi), a network where we are all passionate about building strong relationships across the finance organisation. As part of this, we organise plenty of events throughout the year including Summer Party, Christmas Party, Mini Golf, Axe Throwing, Bongo’s Bingo, Murder Mystery nights and much more! This is a great way to network with people outside of my direct team, I have met so many people over the years through this and also get the chance to organise large scale events for my colleagues.

Another network I am involved in is the Finance One Team – this is a network that ensures a two-way conversation between the senior leadership team and the finance population. We receive anonymous feedback and discuss with the senior leadership team how we can improve the issue. I am specifically involved on the communications workstream, ensuring all employees are aware of the thing we are doing as a team.

I am also heavily involved with the TIC (Team Improvement Circle) programme. It is an employee engagement structured process improvement programme, where small teams of employees improve a problem in the workplace to the benefit of themselves and the business. You then get the chance to present at conventions, with senior directors present, and some teams progress through to the next rounds. I have been involved in this for the past 5 years. The first few years as a Team Leader, where our teams reached the Global Convention and got to spend a week exploring more about JLR and our culture with fellow winners. This year I have participated as a coach, supporting a team through the programme. It is a great opportunity to develop yourselves and others, network with many people while problem solving, at the same time as improving the wider business. It is a programme I always recommend people get involved with! For me, the part of JLR I enjoy the most is networking – I have met so many different people throughout my time here, all inspirational in their own way. They have helped me to build my confidence, develop as a person and get to where I am today – I am proud of my successes and being able to say I work for JLR.