Whilst working with a Scottish agri-tech firm, I got to know Brian and Scott Wilson from Fullwoodhead Dairy Supplies who then offered me a great opportunity to join their company. That was three years ago and I’ve never looked back. My family and I live in Ayrshire and we love living and working in Scotland.
My day-to-day job is incredibly varied. Some days I could be discussing new products, or on a break down, other days I might be in the office doing paperwork and sometimes I’m organising training and implementing protocols. As Operations Manager, my role is to support Directors Brian and Scott, as well as work closely with other members of the team.
I do sometimes miss dairy farming but my role here is often very hands on. I have been very much welcomed by customers and it’s not unheard of for me to muck in and give a farmer a hand if required! Our customers trust us and we get to know them pretty well and when our customers realise that I have genuine dairy farming knowledge they open up and trust me even further.
I am the only non-family member on the Fullwoodhead Dairy Supplies management team. That could perhaps be perceived as a challenge, but it actually works incredibly well and I feel very much accepted. I hope that the others also view it as a positive thing, because I can add that extra outside perspective. I feel we operate as a great team.
I work closely with Brian and am always in awe of his incredible knowledge of milking parlours. Also Scott, as an electrician to trade, is a great problem solver and has a wealth of experience in dairy engineering. I think that’s why Fullwoodhead is such a well-respected company – the team are so knowledgeable about everything that they sell and install.
I actually think that the enjoyment factor of my job is 10 out of 10 most days. Yes, not every day is perfect, and sometimes change can be scary, but the great reputation of Fullwoodhead is well deserved and also makes them a great company to work for.
If I was asked about anything that I would change about the job, I think it’s simply to request better milk prices for our customers. They deserve it.
