Sitting on a ferry to Dublin, at 6pm, 13 hours after first getting up, and with the prospect of unpacking everything in front of me, I’m keen to try and think about something else, so I’m reflecting on my packed 18 months in Devon. In theory I was an operations analyst, but the size of the business means there was scope to get involved in more than just material and labour variances!!
Some of the more varied tasks included:
- Giving input into all areas of the supply chain strategy and not just the cost aspects.
- Reviewing Environmental, Health and Safety packs with the Ops Manager for presentation and ease of understanding.
- Learning the ins and outs of payroll and rewriting and rolling out a new expenses policy.
- Getting to grips with the different types of Omega, and learning the difference between fish and algae derived oil, as part of a project I was leading.
- Helping organise and manage a full stock take.
- Participating in taste panels for new vitamins!
- Taking part in ideation sessions organised by marketing to pull together new product suggestions.
- Providing comments and recommendations on the advertising campaigns for one of our top brands.
- Reviewing the complete P&L with the MD and finance team on a monthly basis.
- Picking pharmacy orders at the warehouse.
- Packing zubes on the bagging line.
- Negotiating sales of one of our products to the Cadbury staff shop.
- Undertaking a commercial evaluation of a new product.
- Clearing a cliff path on the coast - well 1 square metre of it, but it was the best square metre that was ever cleared!
- Helping decide on a new vending machine supplier, and sampling all of the drinks on offer to help inform this decision.
- Chairing a regular Supply Chain P&L review with the 3 heads of department.
- Introducing a new, more accurate method of product costing.
- Helping out with HR processes such as grievance investigations.
Some of the things I’ll miss about living in Devon:
- Timepiece, possibly the best nightclub in the world (or maybe just Devon).
- The various kebab shop, pizza place and fish and chip shop owners of Exeter – some of the friendliest takeaway staff known to man!
- The tradition of buying cakes for everyone at work for the slightest reason.
- The ratio of men to women in Exeter – it makes you feel like a princess!
- All the people who used to pop into my office for a chat and 8.30 meetings by the coffee machine.
- Being able to walk into the city centre to go shopping – I can’t quite afford to live that close to Dublin city centre.
- The nice temperatures and Summer sun
- Going for lunch with the Operations team and being given a high visibility jacket to wear so I didn’t feel left out – lunches are much less colourful now!
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