Tell us about your job in a nutshell
My job is extremely varied! I work with all departments to ensure the company is compliant with all procedures and processes, making amendments when necessary. This includes environmental, quality and energy standards; Feed Materials Assurance Scheme (FEMAS) and Trade Assurance Scheme for Combinable Crops (TASCC) compliance. The latter two are vital for our products that are sold into the animal feed industry.
I also carry out internal audits against international standards and review our management systems to ensure everything is up to date.
Every working day is different. One day I could be sitting with auditors in a Feed Material Assurance audit and the next day I could be out collecting the data from our bore hole data loggers. This data is used for Hydrogeological Impact Assessments which is required for quarry extension applications.
How has your career developed with Longcliffe?
I started working for Longcliffe in 2010, initially as maternity cover working in quarry purchasing administration and the laboratory. Many years later, still here!
Prior to working at Longcliffe I didn’t really know what career I wanted. I was really lucky that I managed to land the maternity cover position and to be kept on full time afterwards.
One task led to another and so on, and now I feel that I have a good all-round knowledge of both Longcliffe and the quarrying industry as a whole.
I have always been part of the quality team. I then had the opportunity to focus on auditing. This led to requiring deeper knowledge of the environmental aspects of the business. Then I took on the Energy Management System administration – this is still learning in progress!
What training/qualifications do you have and what are the key skills you need to do your job?
I came to Longcliffe with A-levels. I didn’t go to university; it never really appealed to me. I completed an internal auditing course with the British Standards Institution (BSI) through Longcliffe. All other skills I have learnt on the job and by being given opportunities to expand my role over the years.
To do my job you need a good understanding of international standards and how to interpret them. You need to be able to think logically and have a thorough, methodical approach to your work. Importantly you also need good people and communication skills.
What do you most enjoy about your job?
I like the variety of tasks, and the mixture of on-site and in-office tasks. I also enjoy managing my own time and always being given the opportunity to learn about something new or get involved with a new project.
What are your career aspirations?
I am always looking to further my knowledge within the quarrying industry. I enjoy the role I am currently in and wouldn’t be looking to move away from compliance, but I would like to move higher within Longcliffe possibly to a Compliance Manager position.
What would you say to anyone thinking of applying for a job with Longcliffe?
