Graham Williams

Reflecting continued growth and critically the need to support a meaningful succession plan to retain key, high performing individuals and therefore protect the security of the business, the role of Group Chief Operating Officer was developed accordingly.

• Responsible for supporting four business directors (three Site Managing Directors and one Group Finance Director) into their new roles via transfer of knowledge, experience and effective delegation.
• Responsible for direct management of four business directors and the HR department.
• Responsible for all aspects of group performance on a day to day basis including health & safety, customer service, business critical accreditations and profitability across three profit centres consisting of six sites in England, Wales and Ireland.
• Responsible for chairing monthly board meetings.
• Responsible for establishing and driving bi-annual business strategy meetings.

Following the acquisition of Balcas Limited in Kildare, ROI, W Howard Limited changed to W Howard Group Limited and with that the role of Managing Director became Group Managing Director to ensure consistent management and clarity of direction was in place across three profit centre consisting of six sites in Manchester, West Thurrock, Newtown (Powys) and Kildare (ROI).

• Responsible for all aspects of group performance including health & safety, customer service, business critical accreditations and profitability.
• Responsible for direct management of five business directors (one Site Managing Director, one UK Group Operations Director, one UK Commercial Director, one UK Sales Director and one Group Finance Director) and the HR department.
• Responsible for driving and delivering strategic management programmes designed to improve business performance by reducing process and material waste and maximising employee engagement.
• Introduced range of employee benefits including healthcare plans.
• Responsible for retention and development of key business accreditations (ISO90001, ISO18001, ISO15000, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), Certifire, IIP (Investors in People) and reducing carbon emissions.
• Responsible for assessment of potential business systems to address key business risk posed by existing unsupported and fragmented systems in place.
• Responsible for selection and driving of introduction of Microsoft Business Central for use across all group business.
• Central to identifying potential business acquisition opportunities and subsequent due diligence processes.
• Worked closely with Manchester Chambers of Commerce and local colleges to introduce apprenticeships to the business, including work placements for the newly introduced T-Level qualification.

Following a period of business growth through acquisition from 2008 (including diversification into engineering and vehicle maintenance businesses) a need to strengthen the infrastructure of the business was identified, part of which was to create a role of oversight in the form of Chief Executive Officer resulting in a vacancy for Managing Director.

• Responsible for the continued growth of the core business via UK sales and the introduction of an export market into the Benelux region resulting in the business being recognised by the UK Government.
• Responsible for management of five business, three based in Manchester, one in Newtown (Powys) and one in West Thurrock.
• Responsible for the integration and growth of newly acquired and diverse businesses (Eccleston Engineering, Polyco, and Astley MOT).
• Responsible for all aspects of site performance including health & safety, customer service, business critical accreditations and profitability.
• Responsible for direct management of five site managers and the HR department.
• Responsible for driving and delivering strategic management programmes designed to improve business performance by reducing process and material waste and maximising employee engagement.
• Responsible for establishing, retaining and developing key business accreditations (ISO90001, ISO45001 (formerly ISO 18001), ISO14001, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), Certifire, and IIP (Investors in People).

In the immediate period following the acquisition of Polyco Limited based in Newtown (Powys) and the opening of a distribution centre based in West Thurrock to capitalise on sales opportunities in South East England, the organisational structure of the business was reviewed accordingly, resulting in the role of Operations Director being created and the role of Production Manager being recruited for.

• Responsible for the continued growth of the core business of W Howard Limited.
• Responsible for establishing the distribution centre based in West Thurrock as a functioning operational unit to support sales growth.
• Responsible for reviewing, rationalising and strategic growth of a previously underperforming Polyco business.
• Responsible for the delivering the first ISO accreditations (ISO9001 & ISO18001), identified as business critical.
• Responsible for all aspects of site performance including health & safety, customer service, and profitability across two profit centres consisting of three sites in England and Wales.
• Responsible for direct management of five site managers.
• Responsible for driving and delivering strategic management programmes designed to improve business performance by reducing process and material waste and maximising employee engagement.
• Responsible for retention and development of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and IIP (Investors in People).

Having been instrumental in doubling turnover and taking the business from loss to profit, the role of Operations Manager was created to encompass the warehousing and logistics facilities with a view to accessing greater opportunities for efficient and effective operations with the role of Production Manager being recruited for.

• Responsible for the continued growth of the core business of W Howard Limited as part of a cross-functional team.
• Responsible for the delivering the first accreditations identified as business critical IIP (Investors in People) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
• Responsible for all aspects of operational performance including health & safety, customer service, and profitability..
• Responsible for driving and delivering strategic management programmes designed to improve business performance by reducing process and material waste in operational areas and maximising employee engagement.

Recruited to a loss making business with little or no operational control, the opportunity to introduce good business practices into a SME learned over a long period of time working in various multi-national business was a great opportunity.

• Established production controls covering health and safety, quality standards, discipline, formal lines of communication for personnel, formal communication routes for internal customers (i.e., sales, commercial and accounts departments).
• Established machine maintenance contracts with OEM reducing lost time and increasing output.
• Achieved IIP (Investors in People) standard.
• Instrumental as part of a cross-functional team in taking the business from loss to profit within twelve months.
• Identified opportunities to improve and streamline manufacturing processes to maximise time and revenue.

Responsible for the relocation of a door set manufacturing facility from Hampshire to Sheffield and the ongoing manufacture of MDF architectural mouldings already established on site.

• Relocated the door set operation from Hampshire to Sheffield over a nine month period.
• Established the operation in Sheffield, specifying and sourcing equipment from USA to enable growth into a nascent UK market.
• Improved the existing MDF architectural mouldings operation with controls and employee engagement, to the point where the business achieved zero late deliveries over an unprecedented thirteen week period.
• Full responsibility for operational element of P&L.

Responsible for hollow and solid door manufacture across three shifts, I was recruited as part of a new team to take the business ahead of the competition, maximising opportunities in a sector hampered by poor quality and customer service.

• Full responsibility for operational element of P&L.
• Introduced continuous improvement initiatives augmented by external expertise, delivering record volumes of production and significantly reduced numbers of customer concerns.
• Developed key personnel already working in the organisation as part of a formal succession planning strategy.
• Worked as part of a cross-functional team to improve overall business performance.
• Worked as part of a specific cross-functional team to assess, select and introduce a new business management system.
• Worked closely with key suppliers and the engineering team to improve performance of machinery.
• Worked closely with the suppliers of adhesive, a key element of door manufacture to achieve the best possible results under specific test conditions.

Relocated from Liverpool to Leeds for the opportunity to work in a different industry, to test and expand my professional skills.

• Responsible for the manufacture of staircases
• Full responsibility for operational element of P&L.
• Developed key personnel already working in the organisation as part of a formal succession planning strategy.
• Worked as part of a cross-functional team to improve overall business performance.

Following completion of my HNC I was approached to interview for the role of Production Manager for the Fabrication Shop and Low Voltage Switchgear production areas of the business.

• Full responsibility for operational element of P&L.
• Responsible for the fabrication and finishing of component parts consisting predominantly of bright mild steel and copper.
• Responsible for the assembly of low voltage switchgear for contracts ranging from Ministry of Defence to Power Stations in the UK and China.
• Worked with and developed key personnel already working in the organisation as part of a formal succession planning strategy.
• Worked as part of a cross-functional team to improve overall business performance.
• Worked as part of a specific cross-functional team to assess, select and introduce a new business management system.
• Identified and selected Numerical and Computer Numerical Control machines to improve quality and output.

• Responsible for recording production processes, working in conjunction with time and motion engineers to ensure engineered components were manufactured to correct quality standards and in line with costings.

• Responsible for designing power press tooling for the manufacture of component parts used in low voltage switchgear and fuse assembly.

• Four year City & Guilds apprenticeship working in the tool room, learning various pieces of equipment to manufacture press tools to produce components for low voltage switchgear and fuse manufacture.