1. 47NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 | www.ExECutiVEPA.COM46 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 | www.ExECutiVEPA.COM
What are the positives and negatives of working in
the retail/manufacturing sector?
As far as Bettys & Taylors is concerned, people are proud to work
here. We’re provided with learning and personal development
opportunities to support our collaborative and peer-based work-
ing, with people encouraged to take responsibility for them-
selves. The negatives – with all those gorgeous cakes and
chocolates around you have to keep an eye on the waistline!
What have you done today?
The morning started with emails and a cup of Yorkshire Gold
then it was straight into a Taylors Leadership Team meeting.
I’ve had the most indulgent afternoon at Bettys, enjoying after-
noon tea with other members of staff celebrating more than ten
years with the business. The day ended preparing papers for
our management meeting.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a PA
and how did you handle it?
At one of our internal leadership events, I was asked to collate
the output of the day, and prepare and deliver a 10-minute pres-
entation with just 45 minutes in which to do it! I had to draw on
all my resources as a PA. Afterwards I received amazing feed-
back and no-one was more surprised than me! It’s essential to
push yourself out of your comfort zone if you’re to learn and grow.
What is the next challenge on your horizon?
I’m also a one-to-one developer within the business so am keen
to continue to develop my skills. It would be great to coach some-
one externally, maybe a PA.
Do you get an opportunity to travel or attend
company events?
Yorkshire Tea is the official brew of England Cricket so I went
to the Oval Test Match this summer. I’d love to visit some of
the communities where we source our teas and coffees. I’ve heard
that Darjeeling is beautiful and it’s also one of my favourite teas
so that would do for starters!
Which skills have you relied upon the most
throughout your career and are essential to being a
great PA?
Good listening and questioning skills. A crucial element of all
the senior roles I’ve had has been to act as a sounding board
to those individuals I’ve worked with and I believe this has
helped them tremendously in their roles.
What advice would you give to PAs seeking
employment within the manufacturing/retail
sector?
Be passionate about what your company stands for. Find some-
thing that makes your heart sing and if it doesn’t then find it
somewhere else!
How did you land your current role?
Already a PA at the RFL, the role became available as part of
a departmental restructure earlier this year and my skill sets
gained over several years fit the criteria perfectly.
What is the approx. number of employees in your
organisation, and what proportion are PAs?
The RFL currently employs 155 people, seven of whom are Per-
sonal Assistants or Executive Assistants.
Describe your journey into the PA profession.
I started my career in sport in 1984 taking on wide and varied
roles at Leeds United culminating in Assistant Club Secretary
and PA to the Chairman. After joining the RFL in 2000 work-
ing for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup I was appointed PA
to the RFL Technical Director and Great Britain Head Coach,
before taking up my current position.
Do you have any industry related qualifications and
how important are they for PAs?
I have RSA, Clait, plus Project Management and Business
Administration. However, I do feel that the role of PA can be
so varied that the office skills that were once required are not
the most important to excel in the role.
What are the positives and negatives of working in
the sports/leisure sector?
I love the wide variety of roles and functions that allow for career
and personal development, together with many opportunities
to meet individuals from an eclectic mix of backgrounds. The
performance environment is particularly invigorating: I work
with some incredible athletes and coaches who are world lead-
ers in their field. Working in sport also means that no two days
are the same: unfortunately this often means that days are long
and demanding, which can put a strain on the work-life balance.
What have you done today?
We are at a particularly busy stage of the year with England get-
ting ready to fly to Brisbane for an international tournament
involving Australia, New Zealand and Samoa. Coordinating travel
plans for a group of 40 players, coaches and support staff is a fun
process! So far today I‘ve attended a meeting with the England
media manager, joined a conference call with our travel provider
and contacted all the travelling party with their flight informa-
tion; I have also checked visas, spent time with new member of
my business support team, and spoken at length to my line man-
ager to ensure he is up to speed with the latest team information.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a PA
and how did you handle it?
My biggest challenge came last autumn when I was England’s
Team Liaison Officer during the 2013 World Cup. I spent a
month in camp with the team at Loughborough University, con-
tinuing my day job whilst juggling team runs, media and com-
munity events and logistics of the team travel and
accommodation. Being able to exchange banter and adapt to
different situations helped.
What is the next challenge on your horizon?
Making sure everything is in place to allow England to be suc-
cessful in the Four Nations Down Under: I may not pass the ball,
kick a goal or make a tackle but I’m very much part of the team.
Do you get an opportunity to travel or attend
company events?
Yes: various events, training camps, civic receptions, interna-
tionals tournaments.
Which skills have you relied upon the most
throughout your career and are essential to being a
great PA?
The ability to adapt and overcome any challenges. Integrity and
tenacity with a blend of humour and compassion for others.
What advice would you give to PAs seeking
employment within the sports/leisure industry?
Don’t be deterred from applying for jobs because you don’t know
the sport. Like football strikers and rugby scrum-halves, PAs
are very transferable because of the skill sets they possess. E
This issue it’s tea versus rugby as we find out more about the working
lives of two readers by Maria Fuller
INTERVIEW
MELANIE RICHARDSON
Executive Assistant to MD,
Bettys & Taylors, Harrogate
JANE PHILLIPS
England Programmes Operations Manager &
Executive Assistant to Director of Performance and
Coaching, Rugby Football League (RFL), Leeds
How did you land your current role?
I was returning to my native Yorkshire and was attracted by the
business’s reputation. I was appointed as PA to the MD of the
Group 12 years ago, but we now have separate MDs for Bettys
and Taylors. I’ve worked as EA to the MD of Taylors for five years.
What is the approx. number of employees in your
organisation, and what proportion are PAs?
1,400 staff across eight sites. We currently have 11 PAs.
Describe your journey into the PA profession
After A-Levels, I enrolled on a two year bi-lingual secretarial
course thinking this would enable me to use my languages and
could be a stepping stone to other things if I didn’t like it! As
it happened, I loved being a PA and, more than 30 years later,
I still do, although I never did get to use those languages!
Do you have any industry related qualifications and
how important are they for PAs?
I have a Diploma for Foreign Correspondents and advanced RSA
Typing and Shorthand qualifications. It’s vital there are qual-
ifications for the profession, particularly if it’s to be taken seri-
ously as a career. I’m passionate about the senior PA position
being acknowledged as a key business management role and
am delighted this has been recognised in our business where
I’m a member of the Taylors Leadership Team.