Operations Manager - Distribution
I began my working life as a soldier in the Scots Guards. I left the Army and started a job in distribution for TNT. After a while there, I wanted to move on and I liked the idea of joining a company that was rapidly expanding like Poundland. I’m an ambitious person and knew that opportunities would be created as the company grew.
What surprised me about Poundland was the actual size of the company, how many stores we had, and how many we continue to open. I also never realised just how many products, especially famous brands, that we dealt with.
The challenges of my role involve managing change. The company is growing and we all have to grow with it. It takes good management skills to make this happen – but we’re definitely going down the right path. What’s more, the training I have received has allowed me to develop my team, and myself. It’s important to understand our culture, and training allows this to happen.
There have been some great achievements here. Breaking the £1m mark on a shift felt pretty good – especially considering all loads left on time. But what I really enjoy is the development of my team. They consistently exceed expectations and achieve goals they previously wouldn't have considered attempting.
I think people have to be aware what a good opportunity working for Poundland is. The recent media coverage has given the public a good idea of what the company is about. We’re a company that lets you develop and rewards hard work and ambition. Long may it continue.