University: Napier University, 2001-2004, BA Business Information Management

Post MDS Permanent Role: Assistant Production Manager, Flamingo UK   

MDS Experience:

Flamingo Ltd, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, October 2009 - April 2010

Stock Analysis Project Role

Responsibilities and duties:

• Measure the accuracy of inbound freight to site against flight advice declaration from the suppliers
• Record actual coffins received, packs received, damages, supplier inaccuracies
• Build a weekly tracker by supplier to monitor each supplier, measuring the percentage of missing packs accurately in each suppliers’ delivery so the company can challenge the suppliers
• Deliver to the business accurate goods in process detailing product analysis
• Improve and capture the internal job processing to improve the stock accuracy
• Notify suppliers of discrepancies so the business can claim back the money

Cobrey Farms, Herefordshire, April - October 09

Packhouse Shift Manager

Responsibilities and duties:

• Organisation and management all pack house activities and personnel (managing 340 people during peak of the season); such as managing job lists and hours for all pack-house employees, seeking continuous improvement in pack-out % and reduction in pack-house cost per kg
• Planning and Liaison for harvest/intake, production and quality, which includes  co-operation with the Quality Control Manager to ensure least cost production and maximum pack-out to meet specification
• Responsibility for traceability and stock control throughout the pack-house, including intake, raw material, graded product, packed product, dispatch
• Responsibility for each and every order dispatched with specific attention to; quantity, quality & presentation, labelling, loaded on time and is accompanied by correct paperwork
• Responsibility for the correct and proper implementation of all procedures with necessary record keeping. Including; HACCP, technical equipment, first aid, hygiene registers, knife register, glass and foreign bodies and control of visitors

Achievements:

• Successfully managed the overtime of all packhouse workers’, ensuring it was kept to a minimum therefore saving the company money
• Gained experience in managing a large number of people during a very intense season, ensuring all deadlines were met with market and supermarket orders.
• Developed my communication and people skills further by dealing with hours, discipline and performance
• Worked closely with the Field Manager especially towards the end of the season to ensure the packhouse had enough employees to operate with minimal overtime
• Ensured all workers were aware of their responsibilities and quality standards required for each product line, for the main four supermarket customers, as well as the markets.
• Maintained a very good working relationship with company owner and fellow managers and contributed towards a very successful asparagus season for Cobrey

QV Foods Ltd, Lincolnshire, Oct 08 - April 09

Primary Retail Packaging Project/Dispatch Co-ordinator

Responsibilities:

• Optimised a £0.5million packing line to improve through put to run at between 80 - 95 bags per min
• Made sure the packing line was running at optimal through-put by early December ready for the Christmas peak
• Documented all downtime of the line explaining the reasons and length of time
• Liaised with all members of staff in factory, engineers, team leaders, production managers etc in order to optimize the lines performance
• Supervised a team of workers in the despatch department ensuring they collated each load within 45 minutes so that the lorries are turned around in an hour or less during the busy Christmas period
• Supervised the inspection tables of all 5 lines in the factory ensuring the workers knew what the quality specifications were for the product. Also made sure there was the correct amount of product on the tables
• Team leader of QC intake, making sure all loads were checked as quickly and as thoroughly as possible, and that the loads were going to the correct factory in accordance to their quality
• Liaised with buyers over load issues, haulage managers, production managers from all factories, grader managers/team leaders etc for various reasons
• Awareness of health and safety issues and risk assessment

Achievements:

• Developed my management and communication skills further
• Successfully supervised various different teams within different departments
• Gained a good understanding of all areas and operations within the company, from the loads coming in, being graded, going through the lines to the product being collated ready to be despatched
• Gained some experience in dealing with difficult people
• Learned the importance of documenting and using KPI’s to the company’s advantage

PDM Produce Ltd, Shropshire, May - October 2008

Harvest Rig Supervisor

Responsibilities:

• The daily management of up to 32 eastern European staff rotating between 3 iceberg lettuce rigs, which required looking after their welfare and discipline
• Maintained the quality standards required on each rig and ensured the lettuce going to each customer were within the set technical specifications
• Ensured the orders for the day were completed at a good speed so the workers met the piece rate targets
• Responsible for the completion of all the daily record sheets and the rig KPI’s were calculated and recorded
• Ensured that PDM hygiene and H & S regulations were adhered to both in the field and the packhouse
• Liaised with Quality Controllers and Harvest Manager on a daily basis
• Running the rigs and planning ahead to ensure there were enough supplies on the rigs to complete the orders
• Supervised the moving of the rigs from one field to another

Achievements:

• Successfully managed the eastern European workforce and have learnt to communicate to a range of staff the required information
• Developed my management and communication skills
• Achieved a good rapport with the staff
• Gained a good understanding of fresh produce production, and the relationship between suppliers and supermarkets