With a number of career opportunities available at Bango, we spoke with Katharine Challen, Management Accountant, about her career highlights, development and aspirations.
What is it like working in the Bango finance team?
My role entails the preparation of the Group’s consolidated management accounts, with additional VAT, audit and budget responsibilities. The finance dream team is quite small but we all support each other, it’s nice knowing that if you’re off sick or on holiday your team has helped with the workload. Bango has a very fun working environment, everyone is very dedicated and has a strong work ethic.
How has your career progressed in 3 years at Bango?
After graduating in 2015, I joined Bango as an Accounts Assistant. Bango was undergoing rapid growth and within 6 months I was promoted to Management Accountant. Working in a high growth company means I get exposed to tasks and projects that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to benefit from. For example, being involved in the acquisition of Audiens was a huge learning curve and a great opportunity for me to not only visit Milan and meet new people, but also to experience international accounting differences, such as different taxes and reporting deadlines. All of this helps to increase my business experience.
The high scrutiny of working for an AIM listed company has motivated me to keep on top of regulatory changes across my industry. Being heavily involved in the bi-annual audits ensures I keep my work to a consistently high standard. I enjoy the pressures of working in a fast-paced tech company and being surrounded by entrepreneurs and experienced staff who are always approachable and willing to mentor me. This is an attractive trait for me as I need to feel like I’m progressing.
What is the highlight of your time at Bango so far?
By far, the highlight would be finishing my ACCA qualification. The generous study support and college time was all built into my role at Bango, enabling me to pass all my exams first time and in quick succession, all because I was given the time to study. This helped boost my confidence and fast track my career. My study experience at Bango was so stress free. I have developed a positive relationship with education, enjoying it so much that I decided to enrol in a master’s degree in Professional Accountancy at UCL. I aim to finish by the end of 2018.
How does Bango differ from other companies you’ve worked for?
Bango employs a lot of equally-ambitious employees so I’m in the right place to
learn from others and motivated to think of new ideas and projects. Bango is a lot of fun. The diverse cultures and employee age range means there’s a lot of energy in the office. You get everything from microwave popcorn to an inflatable shark floating around the office, so there is always something to keep you amused. Cambridge is a great location, I can spend summer lunch times in the outdoor swimming pool or sunbathing on Jesus Green. Plus, it’s only a 5-minute walk to the pub on a Friday! It’s perfect.
Work with online giants including Google, Microsoft, Samsung and Amazon. Bango has lots of exciting career opportunities in development and operations, visit https://bango.com/careers