We are delighted to welcome Karen de Lange as our new Finance Manager. After starting out in retail management, Karen discovered a passion for finance, studying for her accountancy qualifications while gaining experience across manufacturing, education, and medical technology. Now, she’s excited to bring her skills to the non-profit sector, helping us make every penny count.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I live on the edge of Gateshead with my husband and our two cats, who are the most pampered princesses in the world and get up to many kinds of mischief. Outside of work, I have more hobbies than I know what to do with – I read, write, crochet, play the piano, enjoy going for walks and playing board games with friends, and I’ve just started learning to weave.
What’s your career background?
After several years in retail management, I found myself bookkeeping for the shop I worked at, and discovered I enjoyed it. I self-studied for my accountancy qualifications over several years, all while working in the finance function across various different industries – manufacturing, educational services provision, and most recently a medical technology startup.
What’s your new role?
I will be Finance Manager, helping Action Foundation make the best use of its financial resources so that every penny can have as big an impact as possible.
What drew you to work for Action Foundation?
I always had the aim of working for a non-profit, making the world a better and fairer place, when I received my final accountancy qualification. The job advert crossed my feed at exactly the right time, as I was already aware of the charity and the great work it does, so applying was a no-brainer! I’m very excited to get stuck in.
