As part of a series, we are giving you the chance to meet the people behind Manepa Medical. The people that answer the phone when you call us, the people on the road looking after your equipment and the people behind the scene making everything happen. For our second employee spotlight, meet our General Operation Manager, Caroline O’Connor.

How long have you been working at Manepa?

A long time… 15 years now. I started as Purchasing Manager and became General Operation Manager.

How did you get into your area of work?

After school, I did part-time courses in the evening including interior design, desktop publishing, customer service, IT support and even a bit of Italian! I worked in accounts for a company selling white goods and appliances, after that thanks to my background in design I was offered a job in admin at a kitchen and wardrobe company. I worked there for 10 years eventually becoming a procurement manager but wanted a change of industry so interviewed at Manepa for a purchasing manager position.

What was your first paying job?

My first ever paying job was at the bingo hall, calling back the numbers to verify winners. I was paid £8 a night and I still love bingo to this day!

How would you sum up your work?

It is interesting and full of variety. In terms of what I do, I look after all the functions around purchasing, stock and invoicing. I also provide training on our Intact software (ERP software).

What’s your best accomplishment since you started at Manepa?

To create a stock system with bi-annual stock inventory and set up our Intact software. This was a lot of hard work to get up and running because it was custom-made for the company. It needed to meet the demands of each department and be as user-friendly as possible. It was a 6month project and was very much a team effort as each employee created their wish list, and I tried my best to grant it. It all paid off because we’ve been using it since then for all our day-to-day operations.

What do you like the most about working at Manepa?

Every day is different, it’s never boring. I like the relationships I have with customers, suppliers and co-workers. I work with a fantastic team of people that have a never-ending supply of knowledge in our industry and know I can call on them for help and support at any time. I’ve been very lucky to have had the freedom to manage my own work. This level of trust is a big part of why I am still working for Manepa.

What do you like to do in your own time?

I like to hang out with my daughter and my husband, watch movies, go to restaurants and travel whenever we can. We’ve been lucky this year and did two cruise trips, one around Italy at the summer and one last month in Greece.

What, if anything, are you currently binge-watching?

I think I am an old person at heart and love the likes of Colombo and murder stories. I binge-watched the Watcher on Netflix but I hate when the story leaves an open end with an unsolved case so this one was a disappointment for me.

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

I’d like to go to Bora Bora for an exotic destination. Like I say I love travelling but this would be outside of the usual destinations. That’s what bucket lists are for after all…

Thank you for your time Caroline! If you have any questions for Caroline, or any members of the team, get in touch here.