Bidvest Noonan

A leading provider of Facilities Management Services

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Christina McDonald’s 8 Tips for Aspiring Managers: Navigating Success in Facility Management

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Christina McDonald is a seasoned professional with over 12 years of experience at Bidvest Noonan. Starting as a rostering helpdesk admin, she has climbed the ranks and now holds a leadership position as an Operations Manager, overseeing a team of managers across accounts from more than 20 customers. Christina’s journey to success has been marked by determination, hard work, and a commitment to continuous improvement. In this blog post, we will delve into eight valuable tips she shares for aspiring managers looking to advance their careers.

1) Believe in Yourself:


The first and foremost tip from Christina is to believe in yourself. If you aspire to climb the career ladder, you must trust your abilities and believe that you can achieve your goals. Don’t shy away from expressing your interest in promotions or taking on more responsibilities. By putting yourself forward, you demonstrate confidence and determination.

2) Find a Mentor and Set Up a Support Network:


Success is seldom achieved in isolation. Christina emphasises the importance of finding a mentor and establishing a strong support network. Seek guidance from experienced professionals who have led the way, can provide insights, advice, and encouragement as you navigate your career path. Having a support system is crucial for growth and overcoming challenges.

3) Stay Consistent at Building Relationships with Clients:


In the facilities services industry, strong customer relationships are paramount. Christina advises aspiring managers to consistently build and nurture relationships with clients. Understanding their needs and delivering exceptional service is key to success. Whenever possible, engage with clients in person to strengthen these connections.

4) Strive for Excellence:


Maintaining a commitment to excellence is vital in any managerial role. Christina recommends keeping a fresh perspective and always look for ways to improve both customer experience and team efficiency. Embrace a proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.

5) Don’t Underestimate the Power of Previous Experience:


Reflect on your past experiences, no matter how junior they may seem. Christina highlights the value of identifying transferable skills gained from previous roles. This can provide an advantage in understanding systems and procedures, positioning you for success in your next role.

6) Build Trust with Your Team:


Recognising her team as the biggest asset, Christina emphasises the importance of building trust with team members. Treat them with respect and kindness and create an environment of reliability and mutual trust. Acknowledge the crucial role your team plays in delivering quality services to customers.

7) Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions:


Asking questions is a sign of curiosity and a willingness to learn. Christina encourages aspiring managers not to fear seeking help when needed. By asking questions, you demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional growth, gaining valuable insights from those with more experience.

8) Challenge Yourself and Embrace Growth:


Finally, Christina advises against complacency. Challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone, and embrace a continuous learning mindset. Refuse to stay stagnant in one position, actively seeking opportunities for growth and advancement.

Conclusion:


Aspiring managers in Facilities Management can learn valuable lessons from Christina’s journey. By believing in yourself, seeking mentorship, building strong client relationships, striving for excellence, leveraging previous experience, fostering team trust, asking questions, and embracing growth, you can pave the way for a successful and fulfilling career in managerial roles within the industry.

A Year of Green Achievements

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As 2023 draws to a close, we at Bidvest Noonan take pride in reflecting on our environmental accomplishments. One of our colleagues guiding our success in sustainability is our Environmental Manager, Keerthana Sreenivasan. This year, we’ve made significant strides in reducing our environmental footprint, aligning our operations with eco-friendly principles and more. Keerthana shares some updates below:


Embracing Green Energy:


“Our journey towards sustainability took a great leap forward as we transitioned our offices to green energy. They are now powered by renewable sources, mainly wind farms. Shifting to green energy is not just a utility change for us; it truly shows our commitment to being more sustainable, and going forward we can exactly pinpoint the where our green energy comes from.”


Excellence in Sustainability Reporting:


“Our efforts in transparent and responsible environmental reporting have been recognised with awards from Ecovadis and CDP. These accolades reflect our commitment to sustainable practices, especially in managing our supply chain for a greener planet. I was very proud of these achievements.”


Innovative Waste Management:


“Innovating in waste management, we’ve not only found ways to turn waste into energy but also embraced processes that significantly cut down our landfill use. I am quite excited about exploring creative recycling initiatives, like transforming old uniforms into new ones, marking a step forward in our circular economy efforts.”


Smart Water Management:


“We focussed a lot on water conservation and integrated Smart Flow technology, enabling us to monitor water usage and carbon emissions in real time. This, along with the implementation of yet another Comac InAqua machine at a customer site, has helped us manage our resources even better and supported our customers with their sustainability goals.”


Sustainable Procurement:


“Our procurement team has been pivotal in implementing a product classification system – green, amber, and red – to gauge environmental impact. This approach ensures that our operations stay environmentally conscious, striking a balance between ecological responsibility and maintaining quality and efficiency.”


Looking Ahead:


“As we look to the future, I am quite excited for what’s ahead. We are committed to science based targets and that has to be announced first by the business. Also we are actively setting new standards, pushing boundaries in innovation and continuous improvement. Our focus is clear: to lead in environmental stewardship and shape a sustainable future. 2024 is shaping up to be a year of further progress”.

Olga Mitropoulou promoted as our new Risk & Compliance Director.

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We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Olga Mitropoulou to the role of our new Risk & Compliance Director.

Having started her career as a lawyer, Olga quickly shifted her focus to the world of Risk and Compliance. Her journey in this space has involved roles within the legal and financial sectors, including stints at Irish company Unio and globally renowned professional services and management consulting firm, AON. This invaluable experience has provided Olga with a solid foundation and all the expertise necessary for her new role.

Olga has been instrumental in helping Bidvest Noonan establish a strong and robust Risk and Compliance structure as the business continues its growth.

As Risk & Compliance Director, Olga will lead the Risk & Compliance function across the UK & Ireland to build on our effective Enterprise Risk Management Framework, compliance monitoring, and stringent data protection practices.

Olga said: “I am thrilled to lead the Risk & Compliance function at Bidvest Noonan. Our goal is to add value while effectively managing risks and protecting our assets. With a solid team and strong support from senior management, I look forward to playing an important role in our company’s continued growth and success.”

CFO Kathy McDermott added: “I am delighted that Olga has been promoted to this new role. Olga has already made a substantial contribution to our business and is a strong leader with deep expertise in Risk and Compliance. I look forward to working closely with Olga, and I am confident she will be highly successful in her new role.”

Julie Mernagh joins Bidvest Noonan as its new Chief People & Culture Officer.

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We are pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Mernagh as our Chief People & Culture Officer. Julie’s extensive experience and proven track record in human resources, talent development, and organisational culture make her an ideal fit for aligning with Bidvest Noonan’s needs and values.

An Impressive Background

In her previous role as the Global Head of Leadership and Talent Development at Vodafone, Julie was instrumental in developing innovative leadership and talent strategies across Europe and Africa. Julie drove pioneering Diversity & Inclusion policies, enabling Vodafone to become a leader in this space.

Julie’s professional journey includes a senior leadership role at AIB, a major commercial bank in Ireland and the UK, where she directed organisational culture initiatives central to the people strategy. With over a decade of consulting experience at renowned firms like PwC and Accenture, she specialised in areas such as strategy, people & change, and led large-scale transformations across Europe.

Vision for Bidvest Noonan

As Chief People & Culture Officer at Bidvest Noonan, Julie will lead the People & Culture team, focusing on developing and executing a people strategy to foster an enhanced workplace environment and improve overall employee experience.

Bidvest Noonan CEO, Declan Doyle said “Julie’s experience and values align perfectly with the needs of our business. She has a proven track record of building successful HR strategies, transforming colleague experiences, and unlocking potential. I am confident that she will be highly successful at Bidvest Noonan and I am delighted that she has joined us”.

Julie said ” I am delighted to join Bidvest Noonan, an ambitious company that is passionate about putting its people first. Bidvest Noonan is serious about investing in its people and culture agenda and creating employee experiences that will enable their growth trajectory. I am looking forward to making a difference for our colleagues and customers.”

From Admin to Operations Manager: The Inspiring Journey of Christina McDonald, a Determined Leader at Bidvest Noonan.

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Twelve years ago, Christina McDonald embarked on a promising journey with Bidvest Noonan, beginning her career as a Rostering Admin. By September of last year, her commitment and dedication had earned her the position of Operations Manager. In this role, Christina has made a significant impact, particularly in building stronger customer relationships.

Christina’s inspiring rise reflects her determination and tenacity. Committed to continuous growth, she has avoided becoming too comfortable in any role. As soon as she began feeling settled in a position, she viewed it as a cue to strive for more, propelled by her strong ambition.

Recently, we had a chance to briefly chat with Christina about her path to success, her approach to strengthening customer relationships, and the impact of these efforts on her recent performance feedback.

Your ascent within the business is inspiring. What have been the factors in your success?

“Career progression, in my opinion, calls for several essential elements. There are five key principles that have guided me:

  • Work diligently
  • Build experience
  • Show respect and kindness to colleagues
  • Encourage open communication by asking questions
  • Believe in yourself

Out of these, believing in yourself is probably the most important. There were times when my aspirations seemed too high, but the encouragement and backing I received from my superiors and peers strengthened my resolve. They convinced me to challenge my limits and chase my goals relentlessly. The belief that I had the necessary skills and knowledge to take the next step allowed me to maintain focus and persistence, even when immediate success seemed far away.”

In your opinion, what is the most important ingredient for a successful client relationship?

“People form the very core of our service delivery, and these individuals represent our company when interacting with our customers, especially those on-site. Treating your team with respect, providing support, and helping them excel in their roles are key to solid customer relationships. Having ascended through the ranks myself, I can relate to my team’s experiences and challenges. This connection creates mutual respect and understanding.”

You recently received positive feedback from customers for significant improvements made to some of your sites. How was this accomplished?

“Multiple factors contributed to this success, but I believe the main catalyst was my commitment to improving relationships with those customers. Regular meetings and on-site visits proved invaluable in identifying necessary improvements to enhance our service delivery. Should problems arise, my past experiences help me to present effective solutions. A thorough understanding of our processes has also empowered me to address challenges more effectively.”

We Have Launched our Brand New Energy Management Service in Response to Soaring Energy Prices.

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Energy prices have soared in recent years, driving businesses to search for solutions to control their rising costs. In response to this, we have launched a new Energy Management Service. This innovative service is designed to help businesses streamline energy consumption, achieve significant cost savings, and boost sustainability.

“Our new Energy Management service will help customers overcome energy challenges,” says Peter Smyth, our Director of Innovation and Technology. “With high energy prices and continued volatility in the energy market, our mission is to help customers reduce their energy consumption, pay the lowest rates and achieve their sustainability goals.”

The new service simplifies energy management into three key steps:

  1. Contract and Consumption Analysis: Our energy management teams perform an in-depth review of our customers’ existing energy contracts and consumption, pinpointing areas of potential financial improvement.
  2. Supplier Negotiation: Our business then negotiates with energy suppliers, on behalf of our customers, leveraging our position to secure the best price and terms on the market.
  3. Contract Finalisation and Monitoring: Bidvest Noonan’s team handle the transition to the new supplier and continually monitor market trends and manage contract renewals for a seamless, uninterrupted service at the lowest cost.

The energy management service enables our customers to align their energy procurement with their sustainability objectives, sourcing energy from sustainable energy suppliers.

“Bidvest Noonan remains dedicated to helping businesses navigate these challenging times,” adds Peter Smyth. “With our expertise and this innovative solution, we are set to unlock significant cost savings for our customers while contributing to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.”

Additionally, we are offering an energy audit service to identify potential energy-saving projects such as lighting upgrades, solar installations, EV charging solutions, and more, enabling businesses to achieve further environmental and cost efficiencies.

Bidvest Noonan’s Workplace Solutions Managing Director, Mary Kealy added: “Our new energy management service is just another step forward in our ongoing mission to provide added value for our customers. It underscores our dedication to continuously finding new ways to support them and help them achieve success.”

For more information about Bidvest Noonan’s new Energy Management Service, or to schedule a consultation, please visit our dedicated page here.