Michael Ponting

Being welcomed to a huge progressive and growing business, with great opportunities throughout. adapting to a completely new and unknown environment for myself absorbing knowledge every day, always training on new processes and procedures. Firstly, working as part of the production team working through various speed environments sterilizing customer products in line with their requested validation. Taking a role within the production office gaining knowledge of the full process of a customer’s order enhancing my problem-solving skills and gaining vast Knowledge of our systems and customer communications. I gained an award for great customer service in 2018 for my services to customer service within Steris along with my fellow working colleague. Taking the Co role of R+D technician ensuring that all customer samples are irradiated to required specification avoiding deviations and being given the responsibility of the customer volume flow of R+D to ensure we can meet all customer demand quickly and efficiently. With my growing knowledge and skills I considered myself to be a great support and multi-functional asset throughout the site here at Steris Elgin covering multiple roles where present. Understanding and growing the standards of 5 S across the site, making all process flows visible and easy to understand for team members across the site and working to a lean standard minimizing excess workload. Having shared responsibility in rolling out the new manual handling training required By Steris from Pristine condition, maintaining its high standard and competence which is measured and maintained as the top site for its high standard. I’m considered to be a reliable source within the site for problem solving and to support training needs set for relevant team members from the site operations manager and supervisor. Throughout my career at Steris, I have gained so much knowledge and experience which is forever growing and Steris taking my development seriously and supporting every step of the way. Taking this opportunity of being promoted on site to Shift Leader at STERIS Elgin I have worked on various shifts and with various team members. Within this role it is my responsibility that the team remain compliant with all work processes and procedures delivering STERIS’s Values every day. Also looking at continuous improvement standards across the site and trying to instill the culture within the team so that the standard can be challenged and improved ongoing. I have achieved annual GPS targets within my time in this specific role and pushing myself further over the past 2 years developing my knowledge on problem solving techniques and supporting the site in creating counter measures against challenges and opportunities we have faced. I have been tasked to train all new starters that arrive on site here at Elgin following the current training flow plan, to train out all specific training that is required for the operator role in line with Steris’s training documents and to the standard which is required.

In this role of assistant manager my expectations were to ensure that all trading and health and safety standards were complied with 100%. To maintain and exceed sales forecasts and waste and wage spends day to day and to ensure volumes of product flow met the needs of the store’s customer climate. Maintaining the e-commerce operation within the store with a 3-delivery van operation, delivering great customer service all over Swindon through 8 am to 8 pm. One of the most important tasks was ensuring all cash flow values were accurate and secure always and handed over to G4S security on a twice a week basis at store. Delivering Iceland’s message always and maintaining the strong ethos from the store and maintaining its high reputation.

Returning to a comfort zone in a business I already knew I was to embrace a new challenge of becoming a Department Supervisor on the bakery department. Taking a huge step into a world which required patience and skill, to adapt to a time set environment and to have the ability to work in high demand times of trade and at speed. Throughout this role I was entrusted to deliver great customer service, great quality and to ensure we maintained our production volumes and reduced all waste at any cost every day. Adapting new ideas and new recipes to ensure that they were trained and supported throughout the working team. To ensure we have high standards of a clean and safe working environment all day and every day.

With my previous experience I was given the opportunity of being promoted to trainee manager. Throughout this role I covered various departments from process (stock control) and across fresh food departments. Within this time, I was required to ensure that planning was key from volumes of product coming in to the business, busy time periods and all employees working contracts were suited for the business. Training new and existing employees in new systems and revised processes and developing current employees into new roles across the store. Being held accountable for results and morale and the delivery of day-to-day KPI's through great teamwork. Then to take the role of trainee Bakery manager working over the region working with existing bakery managers learning new skills along the way and implementing all my new knowledge in the role at the Swindon store. Managing a large team of 16 people through difficult business climates, competing against other stores’ sales volume vs plan.

This was a new fresh start within a new industry with new challenges and opportunities to progress in the near future. My responsibilities were to ensure accuracy was maintained within the stock control of the business, from goods in to dispatch ensuring no discrepancies occurred throughout the trading day. Setting up and implementing new ideas in smarter ways of working to help achieve day-to-day tasks with ease. Adapting to a fast-paced environment and building strong trusting relationships with all team members to achieve set goals every day.

After my successful sign off I was given the role of counters manager at the ASDA store in west Swindon. In this new role I was responsible for a team of enthusiastic, professional and well driven colleagues, to deliver great service, availability and projecting ASDA's everyday values always. Trading from a deli, cheese, fresh fish, pizza and rotisserie counters through myself and the team, we maintained great food health and hygiene standards, always in line with trading standards. I ensured that due diligence was followed by every aspect of trading from the buyer to the customer’s trolley. Also ensuring every employee was fully trained and coached to deliver great service and standards. To ensure successful audits achieved by the environment and health organization due to the maintained and consistent great food trading practices displayed throughout the team. I achieved delivering daily, weekly and monthly KPI’s set by the companies set forecasts.

Throughout my time at ASDA I was recognized for my efforts and achievements and was promoted to trainee manager. As a Trainee manager I was tasked with various projects and support roles across various stores in the Southwest region. I was tasked in supporting the launch of new stores, from delivering training to a large team of employees to work in a time sensitive, accurate and fast-growing business environment. maintaining great customer, communication and working with and through others willingly and well. Also working aside experienced managers in supporting all day-to-day tasks and behaviors, learning processes, trading procedures and standards. Finally Working in the Training Centre in Cwmbran, Wales to for my final sign off on an 8-week course tweaking my strengths and developing my weaknesses ready for a role of my own.

Traded products daily to keep full availability consistent across store lines.
Delivered great customer service while working by ASDA values.
Worked across teams and departments to meet KRA and KPI targets daily.