Tim Hayhoe

• Military records related to both Genealogy and general historical interest.

A unique and highly specialised role for subsidiary company owned by Ancestry UK (Clever Digit Media).

• Reported directly to directors after company takeover.
• Built and maintained links to various museums across UK, specifically private and governmental archives.
• Was directly responsible for licensing records, both directly for data already in digital format as well as projects that used bespoke digitisation and transcription services - in house.
• Working closely with in house digitisation and transcription team ( only one of its kind in UK) ensured data considered could be monetised effectively. i.e amount of data that could be processed and what specific details were most useful to customers
• Gained detailed working knowledge of Data protection act/GDPR both for living and pre deceased record keeping.
• During employment in this role also created detailed step by step guides for all processes involved from initial search visits up to final checking of data before web publishing and later error checking and correction.

Made redundant in December 2022 after entire historical research and transcription department work was moved to sister company in USA leaving no scope for reassignment.

Day to day management of rapidly expanding workforce (started with 8 and grew to 82 at one point) including

• Customer care department of 5
• Largest UK specific historical records transcription team
• Media and marketing office
• Internal historical records researcher plus 4 genealogist freelancers working externally.

Liaising daily with our technical department for website creation and maintenance and development of bespoke customer facing messaging systems.

A board level position reporting directly to shareholders, CEO and CFO.

I was responsible for creation and implementation of data protection policies, customer retention strategies, research goals and related reports as well as line management of customer care team, and being overall manager of all other departments.

In these roles I

• Supervised budgets and timelines, ensuring progress met project scope targets.
• Directed staffing requirements, managed priorities and coordinated workflows to uphold productivity objectives.
• Managed team performance, celebrating successes and identifying areas to improve.
• Dealt with redundancies as company streamlined in 2016-7, finally ending with team of 24.

During this time I managed our exhibition stands and staff at several high profile events, meeting customers face to face to solve their genealogical 'brick walls' and enjoyed this immensely.

I resigned my board role and moved to concentrate solely on records research in the Spring of 2018.

I assisted the entire work force in working from home during the pandemic, setting up virtual meetings and extensive planning for a return to normal working life and re-engaging with my archival contacts as the effects and restrictions of the pandemic eased.

This released the line management responsibilities in house and increased liaison with genealogist freelancers building to a team of 10, expanded visits to archives in the UK and liaised with Ancestry colleagues in similar projects worldwide after their takeover in the summer of 2020.

A small company at this time (6 employees), running various British military related websites and an online military surplus and camping store.

• Responsible for day to day running of a 2 man team to process and despatch goods, direct communication with customers for both the shop and various websites.

Forces reunited had around 300,000 members at this time and so direct communication via email/telephone was busy, this was later changed to a custom made messaging system only to cope with demand.

The online shop - The Ups largest online military surplus retailer at this time with £1m+ turnover.

• As this small companies senior manager I was involved in everything from purchasing decisions, buying trips, legal challenges (trademark infringement) and data protection of both customer data and historical data we had started to process for our new website launch (Forces War Records).

This company changed names to 'Clever Digit Media' Ltd as it expanded in following years.

• I started with Intercity Great Western region as steward working on restaurant trains, buffets and on train trolley catering services.
• I was promoted within the first year to senior steward which meant I was qualified to work alone on buffet services and as cashier to restaurants.
• In 1997 I successfully applied for a senior conductor role, being one of the very first to make this significant step up and worked all over the great western region from Plymouth to London to Hereford and Worcester and all possible routes this involved, around the clock on several types of trains.

The senior conductor (job title changed to train manager during privatisation although the role and responsibilities were identical) and the role was far reaching and very wide in scope.

• I was responsible for the overall safe running of the passenger stock of the train and responsibility for all passengers and staff aboard.
• A great deal of safety training and regular re-training and tests were always involved to ensure I had the skills and knowledge to carry out emergency safety procedures in all situations.
• I gained a very detailed knowledge of routes, traction, train types, tickets, rules, bylaws and railway regulations.

I sold tickets, gave (often quite tricky) connections advice, dealt with frequent delays and the daily onboard supply and maintenance issues were all part and parcel of my on board career, but despite these challenges I very much enjoyed this time, working solo and as part of a team with sometimes in excess of 2,000 customers every single day.

I later took a middle managers position as a 'revenue manager' based at Reading and dealing with legal aspects of fare evasion including drawing up court papers and managing the introduction of the ticketing gates at London Paddington and Reading stations, including dealing with agencies, but returned back to my previous role as a Train Manager at Bristol Temple Meads in preference in 2006 - although it meant varying shift patterns, it did give me more daily interaction with customers, which whilst frequently challenging it was always rewarding.

In 2009, the train operation company having changed immeasurably from Intercity, introduced new trains without the catering staff teams and were very intent on reducing costs within my grade.

I was fortunately offered a similar starting salary at Forces Reunited, in an area I had some interest (Military History) and with the bonus of not then working weekends or unsociable shifts or having the considerable commute to Bristol, so I accepted it and resigned from my railway career.

Various roles for Various employers:

2a Electrical store manager:

Busy electrical/lighting retailer -all aspects of sales/stock work.

Shop is a store front to a busy electrical contractor and sells all manner of wiring, accessories and domestic appliances -portable and fixed.

1990-1994

Took Railway career offer.

Kode computers Ltd:

Calne then Swindon

Building Personal computer equipment to customer specifications.

Studied ONC in Electrical/Electronic engineering at this time and passed 1st certificate (this provides a basic knowledge of all domestic and some industrial wiring practices, safety and related equipment).

1985-1990

Made redundant -entire company dissolved.