Kirstie Mactaggart - Relationships and Partnerships Specialist, NEPO
Can you tell us about your role at NEPO?
I’m very new to my role here at NEPO, as a relationships and partnerships specialist on our construction team.
So far, I’ve been linking up with our associate members to find out how they use the NEPO solutions and what more we can do to benefit their business in the future. I’ve absolutely loved meeting people from such a range of backgrounds and finding new and innovative ways to partner.
Why did you want to work at NEPO?
I’ve spent the last 16 years working for a North East charity and, in recent years, predominantly working within engagement roles. I had heard of NEPO but wasn’t aware of just how easily accessible it was to smaller charities or how wide the range of frameworks were. Procurement was never an area I’d considered but when I saw the role advertised, I realised the transferable skills I’d learnt, were exactly what were needed for this role. I was excited for a new challenge and to see how I could mould my knowledge and experience to support the aims of NEPO. Now that I’m in the role, I’m even more keen to link with charities and smaller businesses to show them that NEPO is for everyone.
Who is in your team?
The construction team at NEPO is expertly lead by Jane Turner (construction lead) and we have two fabulous procurement coordinators, Andrea Cellini and Claire Darling Cooper, as well as Callum Thompson, our solutions performance coordinator and go-to for all contract management queries. Together, there doesn’t seem to be anything they don’t have an answer to and they all excel in driving the culture of NEPO within all they do.
What do you think are the opportunities going forward?
We are one of the leading construction framework providers in the North East and we have a fantastic opportunity to develop outside of the region. Our wide range of frameworks have the very best suppliers and our route to market is quick, easy and reliable. We are building our excellent reputation every single day and we have a huge opportunity to push this further through networking, events and social media to reach a wider market.
There is a huge gap in the market for smaller VCSEs to access our solutions and I see this as an opportunity to create a better partnership with all our existing, as well as potential, member associates, to bridge the gap and support them. There are relationships to be made, money to be saved and work to be given to our North East suppliers and I’m looking forward to taking the opportunity to make that happen.
How do you like to unwind outside of work?
I’m a believer in a well-balanced lifestyle, so I love taking part in all types of exercise (as much as possible) but I also have a love of food (again, as much as possible) – see, balanced! I love boxing and running and I’m currently organising a Coast-2-Coast bike ride with the NEPO team next year. I love to motivate others to become more active as I know the huge benefit this has both mentally and physically. On the flip side of that, I’m an absolute feeder and enjoy nothing more than baking an ‘artery-clogging’ (as the most recent staff review described it) cornflake tart!
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