Collaborative working is important to my role for several reasons. I manage a team of customer-facing staff who represent the University every day. Our aim is to assist, support, and provide guidance to students, staff, and visitors who contact us through our reception and switchboard services.

By working closely with other teams across the University, we can build accurate knowledge, handle queries confidently, and stay proactive in keeping up to date with any changes. This collaboration ensures that our team can provide a consistent, efficient, and professional service.

I also manage the external contracts for the on-site catering provision and the Connect Bus service, which involves extensive collaborative working with both internal teams and external partners to ensure the needs of the University community are met, while also aiming to provide value-for-money services.

In this role, I monitor service quality, share feedback from staff and students, and work with partners to resolve any issues promptly and efficiently – which is sometimes easier said than done!