Hi Karen, thank you for taking the time to talk to us about you and your role. You recently took on this new position which plays a key part in delivering objectives for both our customer and tenant engagement strategies. Could you tell us a bit more?
I joined the Customer Experience team in June of last year, having been a PA at Havebury for 3 years. My role is split between different strands of tenant engagement, which includes working with the Tenants’ Forum, managing the logistics of our community investment grants and handling complaints. It is a new role, and I am still learning as I go, but it gives me the opportunity to shape it.
What excites you most about your role?
I love knowing that what I do, whether it is processing a community investment grant application or reviewing a complaint, is making a difference to someone. I thrive on being busy, and being able to help people, after being a PA for so long, it is great to now be in a more tenant-focused role.
Tell us a bit more about you
I moved to Bury from Ely about 4 and a half years ago, and I joined the organisation just over 3 years ago.
Before joining Havebury, I spent 25 years at Marks & Spencer head office in London. I had a variety of roles there including working as PA to the Chairman Lord Sieff, as well to Sir Richard Greenbury. My final role there was as a technical officer within foods.
I worked in Celebrations and was involved in all the tasting and selecting of the Christmas, Easter and Valentines chocolates, snacks, and biscuits! The only issue was all the work for Christmas was carried out in July, Valentines in September and Easter started just after Christmas, so my years were always topsy turvey!
I took voluntary redundancy as I wanted to be at home more with my children and worked as a PA to Directors in a factory producing M&S packaging near Ely.
I love my family and friends, my dog, walking and gardening – I have just got an allotment, so I am very excited about that!
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
Organised, caring and devoted
What three words would you use to describe Havebury?
Flexible, inclusive, busy!
What is your favourite line from a song or movie?
Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it – Ferris Bueller
And finally, which 3 celebrities (living or not) would make your ideal dinner party?
Freddie Mercury, Al Capone, Barbara Windsor
Thank you, Karen, it’s been a real pleasure getting to know you. If you are a tenant and you feel you want to get involved in a range of things throughout the business, please email residentinvolvement@havebury.com or you can sign up to The Place here.
