This month we welcomed two new starters to the operations team, Stuart Topping as Operations Manager and Andy Barnes as Inventory Coordinator. This month we sat down with the pair to discuss their previous experience and how they’ve found their first few weeks at Ellard.
Stuart Topping - Operations Manager
What is your previous Experience?
In my career journey, I've steered Operations, Warehousing, and E-commerce ships for both blue-chip companies and SMEs. I specialise in laying down the groundwork for growth, ensuring day-to-day operations are smooth, and maintaining a keen eye on delivering top-notch service to our valued customers. People development is my passion, and I've always made it a priority to coach and empower my teams. With a background in E-commerce, I'm geared up to enhance Ellard's Pick/Pack/Despatch operations to align with our ambitious growth plans.
What are you most excited about?
I'm thrilled to be a part of Ellard’s journey as we solidify our Operations, crafting a robust framework while nurturing our talented team. The prospect of developing both people and processes to deliver safe, quality, and efficient operations is what fuels my excitement.
First impressions?
The commitment to core values is a standout feature for me. The entire ethos of the company resonates with best practices, creating an environment that is not only inclusive and diverse but also encourages freedom of expression. It's shaping up to be an exciting journey, and I'm looking forward to contributing my best to Ellard.
Andy Barnes - Inventory Coordinator
What is your previous Experience?
I bring with me more than two decades of extensive experience in the field of warehousing, having been employed by companies such as Matalan and Bagir UK. Throughout my career, I have undertaken diverse responsibilities, spanning from shopfloor positions and administrative tasks to team leadership and supervision, across various departments.
What are you most excited about?
Being immersed in the new role and learning new products and processes, whilst bringing some new ideas through my previous experiences and knowledge.
There has already been a lot of talk already about progression in the company which shows how confident they are in my skillset which I’ve never experienced before, especially so early on. Ellard seems a company that values its staff above all else and this is evident throughout the business. This is the most comfortable I’ve been at a new job in the first week, and that is purely down to the people who work here, from management to the warehouse team and everything in between.
First impressions?
My first few weeks have been an incredibly positive experience. Every individual I've encountered has been exceptionally friendly and helpful, and their willingness to assist knows no bounds, regardless of their position or role within the company.
I've successfully completed the Fire Marshal course, and the prospect of additional training and development in the upcoming weeks is truly exciting. Next week I’ll be joining the ESG group, providing a promising opportunity to foster better connections with team members across the entire company.
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