What does an Aspire Manager do on a day-to-day basis? How do they fall into this sort of role? In this week’s article, we speak to Rachelle Quinton, Operations Manager at Aspire Procurement Training, to get a break down on a day in the life of an Operations Manager!
What is your background?
I first started working in procurement since I left school. I worked in aerospace factory where they manufactured the wings for planes and at the time I had an office junior role which involved some buying and selling. I always had a key interest in these areas. From this, I was offered a trainee buyer role in the procurement function within the business. At this point, I didn’t have a clue what the “procurement” word even meant. Later on in my career, I then moved to the engineering industry where I worked for a prestigious blue-chip company. This is where I had the opportunity to study CIPS. Shortly after obtaining my professional licence of MCIPS, I worked my way up to interim Head of Supply Chain.
How did you fall into tutoring and the role you are in now?
I decided to become qualified as a tutor because I wanted a challenge. I really enjoyed my CIPS journey and after obtaining years of industry experience along with my MCIPS licence, I thought… why not try something new? I wanted to give back to future learners and continue to make learning enjoyable and relatable, whilst still working in industry. After having taught CIPS training for quite some time and whilst tutoring for Aspire, an opportunity came up and I joined the team as Operations Manager.
What does your role involve?
My day-to-day job involves managing our team of Student Champions which are responsible for onboarding and supporting learners throughout their CIPS studies. Also, I oversee the operations within Aspire where I am involved with developing, implementing and reviewing operational policies and procedures within the business. I continue to deliver tutoring for some of our students which is great as I get to see the CIPS journey from both a business and student perspective.
What does a typical day consist of in your role?
Every day is different as we have a variety of individuals studying CIPS with us from across the country. A typical day will involve assisting the onboarding team to make sure they have everything they need to do their jobs. Our primary aim is to ensure that all our learners have the best possible start, continued support, successful exams with of course, fantastic results.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy my role the most when we have happy and engaged learners, especially those who may have doubted themselves before starting their CIPS studies. At Apsire Procurement Training, we are always looking for continuous improvements and adding value for our learners. Another area of my role that I particularly enjoy is supporting my team with their own professional development.
Why did you decide to pursue this career?
At the start of my career, I worked for a fantastic manager who equipped me with the tools and opportunities to develop and add value on the projects I worked on. I had been heavily involved in the improvement of operations and found this to be a part of my career which I enjoyed. When the opportunity of Operations Manager came up with Aspire, I wasn’t going to turn it down! Having had the tutor experience and of course, previously being a student myself, I knew I had the relevant skill set required to progress the operations within Aspire.
What advice would you give to somebody considering studying CIPS or pursuing a career in procurement?
Procurement has lots of facets and many of the skills taught throughout the CIPS accreditations can be transferable across industries. If you are an existing student studying CIPS, then just enjoy the time learning something new. Particularly, if you are a classroom student, engage in these sessions as you will certainly reap the rewarding benefits when it comes to your qualifications and your future career. Maybe one day you’ll become a CIPS tutor yourself!