Sophie Hopkins
Norwich,Norfolk
Summary
Motivated early-career professional with a first-class BA in Geography and a merit in MA Gender Studies. Proficient in mixed-methods research, policy writing, and stakeholder engagement, with expertise in data governance and confidentiality. Recognized for academic excellence with the Driver Prize and workplace impact through the Appello 'Positive Energy' Award. Dedicated to leveraging research to inform policy and promote inclusive, evidence-based practices.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Customer Service Specialist
Virgin Wines
Norwich
2025.10 - Current
- Dealt with returns and exchanges to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Resolved complaints with effective problem-solving skills.
- Managed difficult situations for improved customer relations.
- Ensured customer satisfaction by promptly addressing queries and concerns.
- Handled confidential customer information responsibly, adhering strictly to data protection rules.
- Manage 100 cases per day, and am consistently high performing for various performance metrics and statistics
Shift Supervisor
Careline365
Norwich
2023.09 - 2025.10
- Promoted to Shift Supervisor from Emergency Call Handler in September 2024.
- Delivered emergency support to elderly and vulnerable adults, triaging calls, coordinating urgent assistance, and handling sensitive medical data in line with confidentiality and safeguarding protocols.
- Oversaw call handler performance through regular quality assurance checks (40 a month) by delivering structured feedback and training to support service improvement.
- Managed daily shift schedules, resolved real-time resourcing issues, and addressed inbound call backlogs to maintain service efficiency and compliance with TSA standards.
- Supported recruitment processes, and led onboarding and training for new starters and delivered ongoing upskilling sessions to ensure consistent performance across the team.
- Analysed performance data to inform decision-making and improve shift planning, call routing, and outbound task efficiency.
- Recognised with Appello’s 2025 Positive Energy Award for exceptional contribution to service culture, teamwork, and operational impact.
General Assistant
J Sainsbury PLC
Epsom, Surrey
2017.09 - 2019.03
- Dealt with complaints professionally leading to swift problem resolution.
- Processed payments securely, safeguarding against fraud or discrepancies.
- Assisted with inventory management for efficient stock control.
- Worked on till operations efficiently reducing queues at the checkout.
Education
Master of Arts - Gender Studies
University of East Anglia
Norwich, Norfolk 2022.09 - 2023.09
Bachelor of Arts - Geography
Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham, Surrey 2019.09 - 2022.06
Skills
- Research Methods & Analysis: Mixed-methods research (questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, content and thematic analysis), Quantitative and qualitative data coding, synthesis, and report writing
- Governance & Ethics: Understanding of research ethics, epistemology, GDPR, and safeguarding procedures Familiarity with quality assurance frameworks and compliance standards (eg TSA)
- Communication & Policy: Academic policy writing and creation of accessible, evidence-based reports for varied audiences Skilled in stakeholder engagement, including collaboration across staff and student groups
- Organisation & Delivery: Administrative support, records management, and coordination of feedback processes Strong prioritisation, time management, and team coordination in high-pressure settings
- Salesforce platform
Career Highlights
- Student Advocacy: Served as Undergraduate Student Representative for the Geography Department during a year of disruption. Created and distributed surveys to gather student feedback on teaching, communication, and online platforms. Worked with fellow reps to analyse responses and present findings to senior faculty. Helped introduce a consistent Moodle layout across all modules, and present issues in a professional, evidence-based manner, strengthening student voice in departmental decision-making.
- Digital Systems Implementation: At Careline365, supported the rollout of a new scheduling system using Microsoft Loop within a 24/7 emergency response centre. Collected structured feedback from call handlers, identified pain points, and proposed improvements to align the system with staff needs. Advocated for the most-requested changes, leading to the adoption of several key adjustments. Succeeded in improving shift management, gaining recognition for constructive contributions and user-focused thinking.
- Operational Planning: As Supervisor at Careline365, analysed daily staffing heatmaps and compared real-time capacity against forecasted demand to support effective shift planning in a fast-paced alarm response centre. Identified mismatches in resource allocation and generated daily reports to support operational decisions and maintain service continuity. Helped optimise the deployment of team members across peak and off-peak periods, improving both performance and resilience within a time-critical care environment.
- Mixed-Methods Research: Completed an award-winning undergraduate dissertation exploring how street harassment affects students’ urban mobility. Designed and implemented a mixed-methods research plan, including questionnaires and in-depth interviews with students. Analysed qualitative data through thematic coding and supported findings with quantitative insight. Produced a structured, accessible report with implications for policy and safety initiatives contributing to the Driver Prize for academic achievement.
Certification
Course Representative - Royal Holloway, University of London
- Conducted research to gain insight into fellow students’ experiences to feedback to lecturers and leaders of the department.
Workplace and Diversity Training - CPDUK Approved Online Course
Dementia Friends Training
Management Training
Accomplishments
Driver Prize - For excellent academic performance and contribution to life of the department. Royal Holloway, University of London
Positive Energy Award - Appllo Group
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Customer Service Specialist
Virgin Wines
2025.10 - Current
Shift Supervisor
Careline365
2023.09 - 2025.10
Master of Arts - Gender Studies
University of East Anglia
2022.09 - 2023.09
Bachelor of Arts - Geography
Royal Holloway, University of London
2019.09 - 2022.06
General Assistant
J Sainsbury PLC
2017.09 - 2019.03