We caught up with Ailsa Pollard, a Buyer within the Central Procurement Team responsible for indirect procurement including facilities, travel, stationary and the management of functional procurement. Ailsa manages key framework suppliers within these categories and supports overhead purchasing for the group. She has a small team that she manages on a daily basis with responsibility for training, communications and teambuilding activities within the function.
As part of the hub of central procurement I get to support new starters, graduates and apprentices with introductions to Murphy processes and internal training. I get to mentor the future of procurement at Murphy and seeing the new talent flourish is very rewarding knowing that I may of helped them in their journey.
I have been working at Murphy for 21 years, I have been part of various departments, teams and functions. I have met and worked with some of the most friendly, knowledgeable experts in their respective fields as well as a whole array of characters. I have had the pleasure of watching Murphy change and evolve over the years. I have been part of a company that puts inclusivity and diversity as a core value, a company that has family at its heart. This is why I not only like but love working for Murphy, they are my second family and turning up to work every day is always a pleasure.
Family time is very important, and when you are a working mum, weekends are invaluable. Putting Covid aside I like to spend weekends visiting family, local attractions or going on adventures where possible.
My most memorable holidays have involved some sort of world event, it is now a joke in my family that they will not book to go abroad if they know I am going. Holidays to date have included flying just after September 11th and being grounded due to more terrorists threats. Almost being on board the Zeebrugge, being taken hostage by French farmers, numerous airlines going bust and a couple of bomb scares! Last one of course was trying to get to Florida, not only did the airline go bust, but that's when the Covid-19 pandemic also hit. I'll be sticking to Cornwall from now on!
At home its being married and raising an amazing girl into the wonderful young woman she is today. At work it has been finding procurement. I fell into procurement and I have not looked back. I found my place - it took 17 years, but I found a department that I knew was right for me. I have started my CIPS journey and so far I have completed level 4. I am now managing a team of people and looking forward to progressing my career.