At the heart of our operations is Zoe Whiteley, our dedicated Office Manager. Zoe has been a vital part of the team for nearly 12 years. With a role that spans everything from finance to HR and strategic planning, Zoe’s work is as dynamic as it is impactful.
Morning Energy
Zoe’s day starts early not by alarm clock, but by her two enthusiastic cats, Len and Max who typically wake her at 5:30 am. After feeding them, she heads to the gym for a HIIT session or yoga before making her way to the office, coffee in hand from a local bakery.
By 8:30 am Zoe is at her desk, diving into emails from the night before. With an office and clients in the US, her inbox is often busy first thing. Once settled, she’ll typically attend a cross departmental team meeting to align on upcoming projects, followed by tasks such as working on the company’s 12 month financial projections, including P&L and cashflow analysis.
Tools of the Trade
Zoe’s role sees her moving fluidly between platforms from Scoro for project management, to Xero and QuickBooks for UK and US accounting, and trusty Excel for detailed reporting. Collaboration is key in her position, working closely with all departments and senior management to deliver projects on time and to spec.
No two days are the same. Unexpected priorities can appear at a moment’s notice like setting up with a new customer as a vendor so a team can be mobilised within a week.
Midday Recharge
Zoe makes a point of stepping away from her desk for lunch, often enjoying a sandwich or jacket potato in the recently renovated office kitchen. A sweet treat in the afternoon keeps the energy going.
To stay on top of her workload, Zoe uses a prioritisation grid that categorises tasks into high priority, weekly, planning/project work, and low priority. Staying hydrated and taking short breaks between tasks helps her reset and stay productive throughout the day.
Afternoon Focus
Afternoons often involve high-level meetings. On this particular day, Zoe hosted the monthly Directors and SMT meeting, reporting on business activities, financial performance, and the admin team’s progress. It’s this variety and pace that she finds so rewarding.
Wrapping Up
Zoe ends her day by catching up on any outstanding emails before signing off. In the evenings, she enjoys decompressing with a walk alongside her husband, followed by a healthy home cooked dinner.
Passion & Purpose
What Zoe loves most about her role is the opportunity to enhance the employee experience. She’s especially proud of helping to introduce the 4 day working week and a comprehensive healthcare plan. Both successful initiatives that reflect her passion for continuous improvement.
For those considering a similar role, Zoe offers this advice: “The marine engineering industry is fast-paced and demanding. You need strong organisational and time management skills but if you thrive in that kind of environment, it’s incredibly fulfilling.”
Zoe’s unwavering commitment and drive to improve even the smallest processes make her a standout presence in the team and a prime example of what it means to give 110% every single day.
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