What does a Client Portfolio Manager at ifac look like? Meet Gemma.

The Tullamore team was small when she arrived, but the welcome was immediate. Within a short time, she knew she’d made the right call.

“The support from my colleagues and the open-door policy to ask questions, seek assistance and get feedback – that told me I’d made the right decision.”

Trainee to Client Portfolio Manager – all in house

Gemma’s progression at ifac, from trainee to accounts assistant, to accountant, to Client Portfolio Manager, has been built entirely through experience and in-house development. She hasn’t sat professional exams, and for a long time she saw that as a barrier to going further.

Attending the Client Advisor Programme changed that thinking.

“I would have always shied away from looking for progression within the office as I felt the lack of professional exams was a barrier. But the Client Advisor Programme made me realise I have value to add to ifac and my clients. It reinforced that experience counts and ifac values this, with many opportunities available at all levels.”

It’s a thread that runs through Gemma’s story: that ifac’s working environment is genuinely open to people at different stages and with different backgrounds, and that progression isn’t gated by one route alone

Expertise without the formality

“The best thing about working with the ifac team is the availability of expertise. We now have blended offices – many teams in the one place, sharing knowledge in a more relaxed atmosphere. Every person on site is a colleague, which takes the formality out of communications, removes barriers between departments, and means we move forward as one.”

Her day-to-day reflects that breadth – client meetings, staff training and mentoring, accounts preparation and review, client communication. The variety is part of what has kept the work engaging over two decades.

Relationships that span generations

After 20 years, Gemma has watched many of her client relationships evolve in the most literal sense, she is now working with the next generation of families she first met decades ago

The work she finds most rewarding is adding value to clients’ overall financial and personal wellbeing. Often that means connecting them to the right specialist within ifac, making sure they’re looked after across all areas, not just the one they came in for.

“It’s often by connecting clients to our specialised teams and providing clear advice that makes a real difference on the ground.”

A Tullamore homebird – with one eye on the Premier League

Gemma describes herself as a homebird, originally from Tullamore, and now just moved from one side of the town to the other. Outside of work she volunteers on the Board of Management of a local primary school and gives time to various community groups in the area.

She has a keen interest in GAA, supporting both club and county. But soccer is the sport of the household – and in the Daly house, Arsenal are always the team.

Her advice? Go for it – you might surprise yourself.

“If you’re considering a career at ifac, go for it. You might start in accounts and end up in farm support, there is a place and an opportunity for movement for everyone.”

The kind of person who thrives? “Someone who will self-learn, ask questions and get involved. Surrounding yourself with good support will make all the difference.”

Coming from someone who has been doing exactly that for 20 years, it’s worth taking seriously.