A First For We Clean In Its Drive For Growth!
As an organisation we are continually evolving and growing, always striving to deliver service excellence to our wide and varied client portfolio and ensure we continue to meet our own industry leading standards!
From humble beginnings back in 2003 the we clean brand has grown organically in size and stature and we are now capable of servicing a number of high-profile entertainment / sporting venues, large blue chip professional and commercial facilities as well as expansive manufacturing and technology hubs!
However our ethos remains very much the same, to operate with the utmost integrity and place our staff and clients alike at the very heart of our business!
As the momentum of growth within we clean gathers pace and our geographical reach gets ever wider, it is vital that we have the correct operational management structure in place to manage all aspects of our contract cleaning portfolios, from staffing and their welfare to sub-contractor and asset management and of course, developing client relations.
With this in mind, we are delighted to announce that Contract Manager Richard Wharton has recently been promoted into the role of Operational Business Manager, a first for the organisation and reflects the strategic direction for the business as it moves into its 20th year of trading!
Richard joined we clean over 4 years ago and has carefully managed a broad range of contracts, servicing key clients such as Managing Agents Cushman & Wakefield, CEG, Colliers International and property developers St Modwen’s where he has actively developed our brand and forged some excellent working relationships.
His new role will be very much focussed on developing the business in all aspects across our Warwickshire, East Midlands and South East operating regions not only evolving the operational structure to deliver service excellence but also to generate additional sales revenues by actively pursuing new commercial cleaning opportunities in these areas.
Richard will be responsible for evolving the Contract Management structure to support this large geographical spread of contract locations with Chris Cooke being promoted into a Contract Manager role for the South East to complement our long-standing Contract Manager for the East Midlands, Charlene Bowen. A new Contract Manager is to be appointed imminently for our Warwickshire based business whilst Nick Jeywright will continue to provide a Contract Management Support role to Richard in our Milton Keynes contract hub.
Following the successful implementation of this first we clean Operational Business Manager (OBM), it is hoped that a template is in place to create an additional two OBM opportunities within the current structure that is designed to facilitate strategic organisational development between the Company Directors and the Operational Management Team!
To gain insight into Richards new role and discuss his aspirations for the future, we sat down for a Q&A with the man himself:
Firstly, congratulations on the new role Richard! Tell us about your prior experience and how you feel this will hold you in good stead?
I have vast operational experience from previous roles where I have been Operational Manager / Director and this passion for Operations has helped me develop and grow throughout my career. I see we clean as a fast growing and developing business and I fully buy into that.
Similarly to Directors Paul and David, I have high standards and therefore expect the best from both myself and my staff. I have always been ambitious and keen to progress my career. I am very fortunate to be in this position and appreciate the trust that Paul and David are placing in me to evolve the business and I am very much looking forward to my future with we clean.
What will your new role entail?
As Operational Business Manager (OBM) I will be looking to grow the brand in strategic geographical areas, develop Contract Support staff and try to bridge the gap between the Directors and Contract Management Operation. I have a wide and varied portfolio of clients so I will be looking to ensure that these continue to run smoothly whilst we drive for new business and further revenue streams. As Directors Paul and David are very much hands on so I will also be hoping to remove some of their day-to-day pressures so that they can continue to develop the longer term plans for the business!
This role is a new one for our organisation, what aspects of it are you most looking forward to?
I am excited to watch individuals reporting into me progress and hopefully I can pass on my knowledge and experience helping colleagues to develop and grow.
I am confident in my ability so believe that I can meet and exceed the expectations and objectives set and hopefully repay the faith that Paul and David have placed in me. We as a business have had a very strong start to the year and I am excited by this momentum and very much hopes it continues.
It is certainly an exciting time to be part of the we clean journey and I personally can’t wait to get stuck into this new role!
Director Paul wishes Richard every success in his new role:
“We are delighted to announce this appointment of Richard Wharton as our first ‘OBM’ who moves into this position having delivered diligently contract management to a broad spread of clients in an array of differing commercial, industrial and leisure sectors for a number of years. Richard has proved consistently over that time that he is ready to continue with his professional development having successfully completed an NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Strategic Operational Management and we believe he will flourish in this new role where his range of responsibilities will extend to developing an effective and motivated Contract Management Team delivering service excellence consistently whilst organically growing sales within his business unit. We wish Richard all the very best in this next phase of his career.”
