Tell us a little bit about you… Tell us about your journey with Anytime After Nine and your role in team.
I started with AA9 in 1999 ….1999! I don’t recall the plan being to stay 24 years (and counting!) but I settled right in and soon became part of the furniture.
I came on board originally to help on the admin side (sending faxes etc 😊) but as I gained more of an understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, and with great mentorship, I took over the role of project manager with an ability to turn my hand to most things, except design which I leave to the experts, although happy to cast a critical eye over designs and give my apparently blunt opinion if required!
What does a typical week look like for you?
I’m not sure a typical week exists. Pharma is a rather fast-paced environment with quick turnarounds required so we may have a schedule at the start of the week which has changed by Monday afternoon! For the most part through, my week will include liaising with our lovely clients, organising workflow, ensuring that we meet deadlines, and that all work we produce is checked before it goes out. I’ll also produce quotes and keep an eye on project costs as the job progresses.
What’s the first thing you do when you get to your desk?
Check my emails and the job list so I’m ready for our 9.15 morning meeting where we catch-up on work for the day, who is working on what, and what projects we have coming in. Oh, and a cup of tea whilst I do this!
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
Thinking about long-term goals whether this be for work projects or life in general. If I can see the end goal, I can list the smaller tasks needed to get there. I do like a good list.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
I’d like to say the gym or a run, but in reality, it’s lots of snooze alarms as I’m definitely not a morning person!
Where do you look for inspiration?
There isn’t one particular place but I love being outside in nature and find that answers come when I’m in that environment, whether it’s riding my bike, walking in the hills or out for a run. It makes me feel alive and ideas start to flow.
What’s the secret to running a successful project from start to finish?
Planning and organisation. Time spent planning in the initial stages almost always saves time later in a project. While we can accommodate changes along the way (no project runs exactly to plan) understanding what is required and how this will be achieved is really important from the start. And there will definitely be a plan B, C and often D just in case!
Best advice you’ve ever received?
There is always a way!
What is your favourite thing about working at AA9?
The team, I love our team 😊 We’ve been together for so long that most of our interaction is done through telepathy. Having that understanding about how each of us work makes for a happy team, and as a natural progression, great work.
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