Technical Lead of a team of 6 developers, responsible for delivering and continually enhancing the Optifarm AI Service.

I worked in the Planning department for Reach Plc, a publisher of local newspapers across the UK. I coordinated closely with the Planning team in India to ensure deadlines were met without revenue loss. I built strong relationships with Editorial and Advertising teams, resolving issues and facilitating communication. I acted as a liaison between Management and Planning during regular meetings to address and prevent potential challenges. A key achievement was training the outsourcing team in India, which contributed to a successful transition and significant cost savings.

I supervised a team of 20 Planners who produced Newspaper plans across a portfolio 135 print products. I had extensive knowledge of each publication and the local teams involved with them, so was the focal point of most queries from within and outside the office. Alongside my Manager, I visited centres around the country, meeting with Editorial and Advertising Managers, discussing any concerns or issues that needed acting on.I was promoted to Planning Supervisor at a time when the department were taking on double the amount of work. As a result, I was heavily involved in the recruitment and training process for 9 new employees; I conducted interviews and was put in charge of their training. The success rate we had was much better than expected, with all 9 members remaining for at least 2 years and providing an excellent level of service throughout.

I planned various Newspapers, ensuring all adverts were planned where they had been paid to appear - any errors would cause credits and loss of revenue. I had strict deadlines to adhere to as each Newspaper has to achieve its Press time otherwise it won't be published, so time management and prioritising the correct tasks was extremely important.