BSc (Hons) 2:1 Durham University
Additional Qualifications
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA)
Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA)
Role and responsibilities
As a member of the Leadership Team, Ruth contributes towards the strategic direction, corporate policy making and development and delivery of NSCD objectives. Her primary role is to oversee the management of the School’s Finance Team together with responsibility for financial regulatory compliance. In addition, overseeing the work of the School’s Resources Teams to ensure operational efficiency and value for money. This includes management of Facilities and Estates, IT, the Library and ‘frontline’ services such as Reception, Security and the Café.
“I have always been committed to the creation and development of the best possible opportunities for young people and it was this interest that led to a work move into the education sector. I have also previously been a volunteer trustee of two locally based charities, one in the social housing sector and one a youth charity.
On a personal note, I have four young adult children who have all been to university and I really do understand all the challenges and rewards that going to university brings.”
As the COO and finance director, Ruth has significant input and oversight into curriculum development by ensuring that financial resources are allocated efficiently to support academic initiatives. Her role involves collaborating with academic teams to assess the financial viability of proposed courses, making strategic decisions about investment in new programs, and ensuring that the curriculum aligns with the institution’s long-term business goals. Ruth oversees budgetary constraints and ensure that curriculum developments are cost-effective while maintaining educational quality and innovation.
Ruth joined the Northern School of Contemporary Dance as Director of Finance and Resources in December 2015.
After graduating with a 2.1 in Engineering Science from Durham University she trained as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms. Ruth then moved to another, PWC, where she qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser, a role that involved both specialist legal and tax technical training.
She spent eleven years working in a number of increasingly senior positions in Financial Services, firstly with a large locally-based bank and its predecessor organisations where she was Head of Finance within first the Consumer Credit and then the Insurance Division. It was during this time that she took her first appointment as Finance Director of one of the Group’s subsidiaries, later moving to Finance Director at a start-up Leeds-based financial services company to oversee its successful launch.
Ruth has worked independently as an Interim Finance Director and Business Consultant for around a decade in a whole variety of companies and businesses, specialising in supporting start-ups, business improvement and turnaround.
Before joining NSCD in 2015, she worked within the Education Sector first at an independent school, then a medium-sized multi-academy trust consisting of ten schools.
Ruth was appointed as a Board Member of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund in August 2017.
