International Women’s day seems like a good opportunity to celebrate a couple of the inspirational women working with us at Portsmouth Aviation – with their blessing and input, of course. Hats off for making a real contribution to a company operating in an industry that is still largely dominated by men, despite progress in recent years (more on that on Women in Engineering Day!)
Sarah Collins
Tell us a little about yourself
My name is Sarah, and I am the New HR Assistant that supports the HR Manager. My career background consists of administrative roles, and I passed my CIPD Level 3 in Human Resources Practice in August 2021.
When did you join, and what is your role?
Recently joined Portsmouth Aviation in November 2022 as the HR Assistant. I report directly to the HR Manager and am responsible for providing administrative support on all human resources-related matters. This includes Employee Relations, Recruitment, HR Systems, Training, and Development. I can learn from my very experienced manager, as he mentors me through the HR Processes to build my knowledge and confidence.
Tell us a little of what a typical day at Portsmouth Aviation is like
The role itself is varied and covers all elements of HR, which will be a valuable experience.
Our day starts with ensuring people have clocked in and registering any sickness or absences. We have a duty of care to each of our employees so on their return we do a back-to-work with them to ensure they are well enough to be back and sort out any reasonable adjustments they may need. This also means liaising with managers to ensure they are aware of what is going on. We have mandatory training, which needs to be checked and updated every week through an online platform. This is to ensure our employees are trained in Health and Safety, Fire, and any additional modules they might need. I send out regular updates for those that need to get this completed. I also organise any learning and development requirements by booking training either on or off-site for anyone in the business. We are currently working on our apprenticeship programme, to upskill our workers and to pass on our knowledge to the next generation. I also get involved in other projects as and when required, but there are times when we must be reactive to any given situation as we may then have to do a grievance or a disciplinary and ensure the processes are followed properly. In the short time I have been here I have achieved so much already. I believe PA will be the making of me, as everyone is supportive and it’s an environment where I can grow! Watch this space!
Sophie Giles
Tell us a little about yourself
My name is Sophie and I’m Office Manager in the Technical Office. My career background consists of administrative roles since graduating from University with my BA Hons degree in Applied Languages (French and German).
When did you join, and what is your role?
I started at PA just under 4 years ago when I joined as Office Administrator within the Technical Office. I have progressed since then, and my current role is Office Manager based within our Technical Office. My role mainly consists of managing the Technical Office, ensuring work runs as smoothly as possible, by liaising with other departments as a representative for our office as well as supporting staff in our office.
Tell us a little of what a typical day at Portsmouth Aviation is like
Within my current role, each day is different – exactly how I like it! My main duties consist of supporting our department e.g. Project Managers, Design, Safety, and Stress in relation to our Design/Tech Support projects. Not only do I support our staff, but also communicate with some of our customers and suppliers to ensure a smooth working relationship.
In terms of reporting, I’m in charge of producing Resource Plans; consisting of reviewing hours spent, consequently breaking these down for deeper analysis, to help prevent potential overspending. I also produce our Sales Report each month, in order to monitor which invoices have been sent to customers, and also look ahead to review and keep track of monies due to come in for each contract. In addition, I also collate and distribute monthly project progress and cost reports to our project managers for their review.
We have both internal and external Audits, both of which I am involved with. These are particularly important as we need to ensure we are following company procedures, adhering to regulations, and highlighting any areas for improvement if they arise.
Another important aspect of my role is providing support to other departments within the business where required. This also includes assisting with training for new members of staff, for example, training on company policies and the systems we use.
Furthermore, I control the template documentation for our department, as well as carry out regular procedure reviews and updates, to make sure that these are all still fit for purpose and continually improve where we can.
Overall, PA is a fast-paced environment where I can build on my knowledge daily and develop my skills further!
Portsmouth Aviation’s team is made up of a wide range of individuals, all of whom bring their own skills, expertise, and personality to the group. Today, we celebrate the women who make the company what it is. Not only those mentioned here, but everyone. Thank you, and happy International Women’s Day!
Could a position with Portsmouth Aviation be the best next step for you? Take a look here or contact us to find out more!