Thomas Donaldson

Having secured a contract with the RFA, I was keen to once again explore my career at sea. Facing a new set of challenges not found in the commercial world of marine plant. Working alongside the Royal Navy and various other contractors my skills were further honed and sharpened. Skills such as:

• Carrying out routine inspections and maintenance adhering to the ships safety plan and scheduled maintenance plan, ensuring KPIs were achieved and often overachieved each month. Significantly prolonging the lifespan of equipment and maintaining full cost efficiency on repairs.
• Being responsible for main propulsion plant and auxiliary systems, ensuring they were kept fully operational and adhoc repairs were completed in a timely and to an exceptional standard.
• Monitored installation processes during contractor repair periods to ensure adherence to design specifications and safety standards.
• Managed and took on a training role for less experienced engineers or those going through their qualification stage, promoting a culture of continuous learning within the team.
• Becoming proficient in Wartsilla Power generation plant, maintaining a 3000Kw spinning reserve. Alongwith complete regular and unplanned maintenance on the plant, from cylinder head replacement, fragmented injectors to simple filter replacements.

In this role I am responsible for the servicing, repair, and installation of generator systems, supporting clients across multiple sectors. The position requires strong technical competence in both electrical and mechanical systems, with an emphasis on rapid response to urgent breakdowns. It has further developed my diagnostic and problem-solving skills while reinforcing safety awareness and compliance standards. Working on-call has honed my ability to work under pressure and adapt to evolving client needs, while also enhancing my communication and teamwork within a high-performing engineering team. Key points to mention are:

• Responsible for servicing and maintaining diesel and gas-powered generators, including preventative maintenance and urgent repairs.
• Filter replacement/service
• Charge and Main Alternator Repair/Replacement
• Timing Belt/Charge belt replacement
• Diesel Engine Diagnostics
• Fuel related fault finding and repair (Pumps, Lines, Injectors etc.)
• Relay and Main Circuit Breaker repairs.
• Rewiring of safety critical components such as bund switches, emergency stops and fuel rail cut offs.
• Performing electrical installations and generator synchronization.
• Responsible for the delivery, collection, installation and disconnection of all product types, from generators, to transformers
• Delivering on-call breakdown support, ensuring minimal downtime for clients.
• Key contributor to achieving the lowest breakdown rate and fastest repair turnaround across the engineering team.
• Being logistically aware of the depot at all times to ensure stock levels are maintained and it is kept in good order.
• Forklift level 1 Certification obtained and valid for another 5 years.

Having been a professional within the financial sector for several years, I had decided to take on a new challenge and refocus my energy and my goals into a passion I have had since I was a child. Having the experience of my previous employment, being able to bring an adaptable personality to this setting has seen me excel. My passion is unprecedented, and the results prove as such. This role has given me an understanding of how to deal with diverse cultures, diverse types of people and being able to manage intense situations under high pressure within extremely high-risk environments. This role has exposed me to circumstances and situations I would otherwise never of experienced. I have achieved a great deal in that time, things I can confidently adapt to any role I pick up. Skills and experience I have obtained are:

• Level 2 in Welding, pipefitting, machinery, electrics, and plant.
• Level 4 HNC Marine Engineering
• 24 months offshore experience working on Oil Tankers, LNG Carriers and Cruise Liners in the engineering department, managing all sorts of tasks, from HVAC, Sewage, Purifiers, Electrics, Refrigeration, Hydraulics and pneumatics to basic engine maintenance. Enabling me to have a multi-faceted insight to Mechanical Engineering and Maintenance.
• Proficient in Heavy machine Plant, Mechanics, and Technical Engineering.
• Working on Man, Doosan, Hyundai, Wartsilla and BMW Man Diesel Engines.
• Experience in working with Programmable Logic Controllers, HV and LV Systems
• Being on-board a vessel of a team of 3 engineers, in charge of maintaining the whole running of the vessel.
• Providing Troubleshooting and attending to urgent fixes within a tight timeframe.

A role that found me encompassing all my previous experience into one. Initially I was brought on to increase sales in the parking manufacturing industry however was quickly tasked with taking on several roles due to the business falling behind with employment. This allowed me to really hone my skills and granted me the opportunity to make the job my own. The role itself was heavily involved with account management, whilst also looking to bring in and win new business. I was lucky enough to be part of the business at a crucial time and am proud to say that I was at the spearhead of a lot of the technology and products we employ in our sales arsenal. To clarify some of the skills I can bring from this role are:

• Team Management: Having been brought into a team that quickly dispersed I was left as the only sales manager in the business for an extended period. I then coached and brought up to scratch new employees and gave them the guidance they needed to help both the business, and the person reach their full potential.
• Self-Reliance and an Innovative way of working: With my HQ being based in Swindon. I was tasked with looking after the North of England (North of the Humber), which meant I was mostly alone and trusted to bring in new clients and manage existing clients. All whilst being able to bring in new products such as DLL B2B leasing, contract report writing and a CRM push. I was able to quadruple the number of clients we were reaching and begin sale negotiations with twice the amount prior to my arrival at the business. Successfully hitting my targets every calendar month since starting this role.
• A dependable, constant, and constructive way of working: My existing network from being out in the field and from previous business has allowed me to successfully find and bring in new business. A proven acumen of excelling in a field I am unfamiliar with, supported by my constant and reliable way of a professional approach.
• Competent report/tender writer; With my history in financial markets and B2B financial management, it should come of no surprise that my acumen in this field is superb, regularly obtaining above 90 rated reports and writing bespoke contractual agreements for our clients when it comes to business leasing, has allowed me only to further advance this skill.
• A drive to succeed, working in this role has given me a unique insight into the operational side of an SME. For the business to succeed it relies on the people it employs to make that happen. From both a professional and fiscal point of view, this is something highly motivating to myself to ensure I can grow along with the business.

In my new role here at Transmit, I am tasked daily with managing client's hopeful at starting a new chapter of their lives by enabling them access to funding to start up their first business venture. This role encompasses a lot of personal and professional responsibilities. Being able to manage expectations whilst critically assessing every business, where no business or client is the same is a skill, I have learned to hone drastically whilst in this role. On top of the regular responsibilities of my role which include, planning and executing business strategies to improve efficiency in the operational and fiscal management of businesses. I routinely prepare budgets, advise on projects and marketing, and perform risk analysis. However, these responsibilities although may be the key factors of my role, I also achieve these daily:

• Analyse financial records and prepare budgets
• Improve processes by recommending operational changes.
• Evaluate and improve sales, marketing, and branding strategies.
• Prepare project and productivity reports and ensure compliance with quality and safety requirements.
• Identify opportunities for future business development and expansion.
• Develop and maintain internal and external communication channels.
• Analyse and advise on employee, labor, vendor, and supplier contracts.
• Perform risk analysis to mitigate and manage risks.
• Analyse consumer and competitor behaviour.

My role encompassed a lot of difficult challenges presented to that of anyone in the adult social care sector, with the added pressure of dealing with the most vulnerable in our communities' finances. I would be regularly tasked with independently working and managing my portfolio of client's funds whether that be from dealing with the everyday bills to reaching out for professional financial advice surrounding investments or pursuing the sale of my client's property following it through from viewing to handing over the keys. This role was all encompassing, it had all the key components that I strived to master, such as:

• Independent working/working from home whilst being able to manage clients' funds remotely and maximize their gains.
• Increasing my people skills, via both telephone and email.
• Becoming aware of the changing financial landscape and how to best predict changes to minimize impact.
• Having a need to understand the human psyche, including reading body language to understand when or if someone is in a high-risk situation potentially involving fraud or abuse.
• Being initiative-taking in dealing with clients.
• Becoming adept in the legal intricacies surrounding the financial sector, including but not limited to: Financial advice, Property Management and Probate.

My promotion within business, came with a new set of responsibilities furthermore to the set outlined above. The role itself encompassed a portfolio management of 150 business clients with a turnover from £400,000 to £5mil. This new adventure exposed me to a wide array of new daily challenges, whether this be from a simple case of servicing to complex lending or to an international networking of a client, this role was not a clear cut “Job Description” and instead I was encouraged to think on my feet and become flexible for clients and thus the solutions required. The job however is not just a financial/relationship management role, I actively must play a part in the community for networking and business growth opportunities, to which I have active roles in charities and run events for communities to really show the help that Barclays was able to provide to our clients. I have outlined below just some of the interchangeable skills I can bring from this role moving forward in my career:

• Portfolio management of exclusive clients that require specialist solutions including technical, financial and relationship management.
• Innovative solutions for business purposes, including AI, Big Data and VR.
• Award-winning financial manager, nominated for my extensive connections to the community and charitable outreach, my innovative strategies have seen Barclays bank for Cyber and new technical product integration.
• A proven history of relationship management banking, encompassing lending, acquisition, and networking.

As a Barclays Business Manager, I was exposed daily with having to handle both complex and often business critical tasks, this obviously requires me to have not only a high level of responsibility but also to have the capability to work effectively on my own as well as in a team and to be able to manage my client expectations with the purpose of getting the job done. Furthermore being in such a high stress Environment with the greatly increased possibility of, ‘If you don't get it done you're running a business and persons livelihood', I've learned to hone my abilities and skills gained from the military and comfortably handle this stress and risk, to really provide a service to my clients that can only be described as the pinnacle of client satisfaction. On top of all this I will again identify certain malleable and interchangeable skills that I can bring from this role:

• Portfolio management of high value clients that require upkeep and maintenance regularly and with accurate assistance.
• The ability to work both as an individual and as a team member to best utilize my role and get the most for the client.
• Regularly updating myself on the new and emerging technology and news to best keep my clients updated and in loop to enable them to stay ahead of the curve.
• Calm and collected in dealing with difficult, often complicated cases in which numerous clients have given me personal praise for.
• Being knowledgeable in all things business, with the intent of being able to educate and comfort my clients when they require assistance with anything financial/business related.

Working in a complex environment with different people from all over the world whilst sometimes performing life saving techniques often under intense pressure. Talking and teaching to people from the UK, Kenya, USA, Poland, and many other countries. As you can expect the job comes with a great deal of responsibility and tasks, notably, I oversaw up to twelve people at a time in commanding them what to do in terms of healthcare. Also, on a weekly basis I was tasked with creating lessons, incorporating PowerPoint and other software technology to provide the soldiers on camp with an up-to-date mandate of everything that was happening in our scope, this would often include things of my specific knowledge, such as trauma healthcare and first aid in the workplace. Alongside this I can singularly identify positive points I can bring forward from this previous employment:

• A clear head under intense pressure
• The capability of getting my message through to a hard audience
• Being well versed in the ability of providing lifesaving procedures
• Trained to provide and teach First Aid at Work
• Capable of working in a team.
• An understanding of the latest technology and how to use it.
• A Small understanding of languages, enough to get what I needed across.
• Quick at making important decisions incredibly fast.