Career Success Stories from Supply Chain Online - Caroline Flynn

How Caroline Flynn found her dream job as Procurement Officer at Great Places Housing Group via Supply Chain Online. 

 

The Candidate - Caroline Flynn, Procurement Officer, at Great Places Housing Group

“I was made redundant from my previous role and so I was in a bit of a pickle, having never been in this situation before it was important to me to be able to secure a new role, and quickly. I set myself up on Supply Chain Online and quickly started receiving notifications regarding suitable jobs based on my preferences, this then led me to a Procurement Officer role for Great Places Housing Group and having not worked in third sector procurement before I jumped at the opportunity.

"The role was being recruited through Cast UK and they could not have been more helpful. My consultant there, Aimee, provided all the details I needed and more. Aimee was really supportive, highly knowledgeable about the role I was being put forward for, and really quick to get back to me with regards to anything I needed. A real pleasure to work with.

"I started at Great Places in November 2016 and I must say it’s a great fit for me. Having worked in private sector procurement for the previous four years, I was looking for a role which would help expand my knowledge, and it has certainly delivered. The team I work with has recently expanded and we are really focused on promoting procurement as a key factor in driving the success of the organisation and educating colleagues on the benefits of procurement as well as driving efficiencies and innovation through our procurement projects.

"At the time I was made redundant naturally I was concerned, however I am now in a great company, learning more every day, whilst being able to transfer my knowledge and experience from working in the private sector and helping to bring in new processes to Great Places, all of which help to develop my career further. It’s a great opportunity.”

 

The employer - Richard Clark - Procurement Manager - Great Places Housing Group

“We had a requirement to fill a Procurement Officer position at Great Places and were under some pressure to get this turned around as quickly as possible. We had used Cast UK previously & we knew that as sector specialists in procurement & purchasing, they had the necessary expertise to be able to provide exceptional candidates within our tight timescale.

"The successful applicant, Caroline, came to us via Cast UK’s advert on Supply Chain Online, and although she comes from a different background to our sector, her strong commercial experience and the skillset that she demonstrated at interview showed that she would make a really easy transition to a third sector charity organisation like ours. She came to us with a desire to expand her knowledge base and saw the role as an opportunity for her development which is great.

"Cast UK were very proactive in terms of the whole process, communication and diary management was excellent, with our consultant contact being very supportive throughout. Speed & quality were the key.

"Caroline has a really great positive, bubbly and upbeat personality. She’s really passionate about championing the positive benefits & impact that the procurement function can have in an organisation and she has very rapidly taken on an ambassadorial role in our expanding team, having a very positive impact.”

 

The Recruitment Consultant - Aimee Gleave at Cast UK

“Caroline applied for the Procurement Officer role at Great Places, via Supply Chain Online a few days after we posted our advertisement.

"Although on paper she didn’t have any third or public sector procurement experience, I recognised straight away from her CV that her approach to Procurement was similar to that at Great Places, so I was keen to include her in our shortlist to allow for further discussions regarding her experience.

"During our initial telephone call I was impressed by Caroline’s positivity, passion and enthusiasm and I felt Caroline would be a strong cultural fit and would get on well with the team.

"She very eloquently outlined her experience of managing end to end tenders across Indirect categories such as Facilities Management and I knew that this experience & skill set would be of real interest to Great Places. Caroline was also enthusiastic about the opportunity to gain more exposure to EU Procurement processes and I was convinced she would be a hardworking and committed employee who would take every opportunity to learn new skills.

"Caroline was immediately available and so we were able to move things forward very quickly - there was a real commitment on both sides (candidate and client) and so within the space of 1 week Caroline had attended 2 interviews and secured a successful offer. She started in the business a few days later and it’s been great to hear how quickly she has settled in and is enjoying her new role.”

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