A titan of recruitment, and one of QCS Staffing's longest standing colleagues, Lauren has built a remarkable career within the company: from admin to directorship in Delivery. Now, she’s decided it is a time for a new challenge. Today, we welcome Lauren to her brand-new position of Associate Director of Operations. Here, we chat about the transition and discover what she is looking forward to most in her new role.
When did you join QCS Staffing?
I started at QCS Staffing back in 2009 and will be celebrating 13 years in October, would you believe! My QCS Staffing career began in the admin department, where I was part of a small team of two. My duties largely involved compiling and proofreading candidate CVs as well as other ad hoc duties. I was there for just under a year, and then I moved into a Delivery Executive position.
How did you start your career in delivery?
I owe my step into Delivery of QCS Staffing to none other than Chairman Stephen Trigg. He pulled me aside at a Christmas party and asked me when I would be applying for an open Delivery Executive role. I initially laughed him off as it seemed like a huge change of pace, the role was unknown to me and certainly didn’t hold the industry knowledge. But Stephen, as encouraging as always, turned to me and said, ‘prove yourself wrong’. And I did!
It was exactly what I needed to overcome my confidence issues to have someone like Stephen believe in me. Without his guidance and support, I wouldn’t have been able to see what I could achieve if I put my mind to it. He helped me realise my capabilities, and with his backing I thought ‘yes, I can do this’. And I haven’t looked back since.
After working my way up through the different levels of Delivery Executive that the development pathways at QCS Staffing set out, I became the very first Delivery Team Leader, then Delivery Manager. Since then, I was accepted onto the associate directorship pathway programme which is how I landed the role of Associate Director of Delivery.
What did your role look like as an Associate Director of Delivery?
I manage the Delivery Leadership team, providing support, coaching and development to the future leaders of the business. I ensure that the Delivery Leaders and Delivery Team are looked after, and that they are delivering to the business needs. As part of this role, I look after each individual’s personal growth and development. Some have eyes set on becoming a Sales Consultant, others to move into leadership, and some to continue improving as a Delivery Executive. Whatever their goal, I am there to help make it happen, alongside the incredible Learning and Development resources we have at QCS Staffing. We are serious about investing in our future and it is a huge part of my role making this happen.
As well, I form part of the QCS Staffing Leadership team. Together, the Associate Directors, CEOS and I implement management and business strategies to support our company’s continuous growth. My role is a bit of a mixed bag, but it is very people focused which is something I love.
Who will you be managing in your Associate Director of Operations role?
I will be taking responsibility for HR, Business Services, Talent Acquisition, IT and Marketing. This was a new opening as there hasn’t been an Associate Director of Operations previously, but as the team is constantly growing, we discovered a need to give direct daily support, coaching, guidance, and strategic planning to each of our Operations’ departments.
This is such an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to get stuck in. I will lead the growth of the Operations team and support them reaching their goals, and the team has already welcomed me so warmly. It feels like I am coming full circle, returning to the Operations side where my QCS Staffing journey began.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
I am really looking forward to working closely with the team. They are a great bunch and have done exceptionally well in their roles, and I’ll be there to support them as they grow.
Also, the fact that 13 years in and I am still given such amazing learning and growth opportunities at QCS Staffing is an incredible thing. This new role means another side of the business I can get a deeper insight in, and I am sure I will be learning something new every single day. I am excited for this new challenge and to see how it helps me grow in my career.
What will you miss about working in Delivery?
It has to be the people. They are an amazing group of individuals and I have been so lucky to work with them throughout my time at QCS Staffing. From the Delivery Management team to the Delivery Executives that I’ve worked with since the beginning and those who started earlier this year. They are all brilliant, hardworking, a pleasure to work with, and they’ve made my job easy.
It is going to be a different change of pace to working on the sales floor and the daily interactions I have with the Sales Consultants. But I am ready for a new challenge and I’m excited to see what being part of the Operations world will bring.
What makes QCS Staffing different from other recruitment agencies?
The genuine investment in our staff and the service that we give. Our focus has always been the needs of the candidate or client, rather than number of placements, or money generated. We take pride in the genuine customer care that we give to everyone. We believe that by delivering a good service, and investing in this, success is a by-product of a job well done.
The environment and culture that we have built puts our staff at the centre of what we do. Our training in the team doesn’t simply consist of a programme that delivers the basics. We give ongoing investment to each employee, regardless of their department, and I think that speaks volumes against other recruitment company.
A message to Lauren from the board:
