The Quick Colleague Catch-up
Each month we catch-up with a different colleague from within Birmingham Business School to ask them a number of questions; some related to their job and life at the Business School, the others quizzing them about their interests, memories and hobbies.
This month we have two colleagues to catch up with...Louise Rudge, Deputy Operations Manager and Sophie Sinclair, who recently joined us as CREME Centre Manager.
Louise Rudge, Deputy Operations Manager
Prior to working at Birmingham Business School… I worked at Sheffield Hallam University for 16 years, beginning as a temporary member of clerical staff in 1998. I held a series of progressively senior administration positions, including Course Administrator in Undergraduate and Postgraduate programme teams, Team Leader in Placements and School Postgraduate offices, Senior Officer for several Departments, and finally Student Administration Manager for one of the Faculties, ensuring effective service delivery relating to the student lifecycle from enrolment to graduation. This included line management responsibility for up to 35 staff across four locations. I was also involved in a number of cross-Faculty and University projects, largely linked to assessment and enrolment.
Prior to this I worked in a number of fixed term appointments, including Lichfield District Council, Sheffield Employment Service Head Office, and HSBC Head Office.
My role at Birmingham Business School… involves working with three teams – School Hub/Administration, Facilities, and School Services, and Accreditation and Rankings, Quality Assurance and Enhancement. Additionally, supporting and leading on cross-School and Professional Services strategies, projects and processes.
Since beginning in BBS just before Christmas I’ve been getting up to speed regarding key initiatives and priorities, particularly those relating to space/accommodation, and meeting colleagues in both BBS and the College. Also carrying out work relating to a Professional Services staff forum and a staff development framework.
The forum will be School-centric in focus and provide dedicated time outside of the usual work environment for colleagues to meet and reflect on current BBS PS practice and discuss issues, projects and initiatives affecting the service as a whole. Full information will be available in a forthcoming BBS Newsletter, with an inaugural meeting in the Spring. I’m looking forward to sharing further information with colleagues.
My proudest moment or achievement is…hopefully I’ve not had this yet!
My earliest memory is… and no sniggering at the back please …riding on a tricycle in the alley-way next to my house. Well, it was the '70’s.
In my spare time I… do nothing too exciting - gym, cinema, reading, meeting up with friends. I’ve spent the last 15 months renovating my new house and so hopefully I can add ‘relaxing’ to the list soon.
My favourite book or current read is…difficult to pick one and so I’ll offer two – ‘The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ (Douglas Adams) and ‘Catch 22’ (Joseph Heller).
If I could only ever watch three films ever again, they would be… again, difficult to choose three - and not particularly highbrow – ‘Goodfellas’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, and ‘Withnail and I’.
Sophie Sinclair, Creme Centre Manager
Best thing about working at Birmingham Business School…this is a bit of a tricky one as I don’t currently work there, but one of the things I am most excited about is being part of such an excellent school with a wealth of history, success and expertise.
Favourite thing or place on campus…one of my favourite things about working here is the beautiful campus, I never tire of walking around and enjoying all of the buildings. For me, Welcome is probably my favourite thing on campus, when all of the new students and parents arrive and watching many of them for the first time taking in the wonderful surroundings and starting their exciting journey here.
Where to go for the best food and drink on campus…I do like a nice costa latte but am equally partial to a spar jacket potato with prawns!
If I were to start a lunchtime club…it would have to be a TV nostalgia club with agendas for the first weeks to include Dynasty, Columbo and Monkey Magic.
In my spare time I...have just moved house after a lifetime in Birmingham to Hagley. So currently my spare time is split between doing lots of colouring in and playing hairdressers and shops with my four year old daughter, getting to know a new area, planning house renovations and scoping out new house décor and colour schemes.
My proudest moment or achievement is…I think as a parent it would most certainly have to be having my children and watching them develop into kind, loving and hard working individuals.
Favourite book or current read…I am currently reading Our Inner Ape: The Best and Worst of Human Nature by Frans de Waal. I am always interested in what makes people tick!
Earliest memory is…the boy next door throwing a football boot and knocking one of my teeth out.
If I could only ever watch three films ever again, they would be...Rosemary’s Baby, Anchorman and Once Upon a Time in America.