Meet the team: Vicky Barrow, Project Co-ordinator at Operational (UK) Ltd.

Vicky has a wealth of experience, a background in project management and chemical analysis, and is a regular point-of-contact for our customers.

Vicky has been with Operational for four years and said: “I work with our sales and engineering teams to coordinate and plan our service, spares and capital contracts. I regularly liaise with customers and engineers to plan their service visits.

“I also help with our engineering support for Operational’s continental European offices, if we are sending any UK-based engineers overseas to assist. The Benelux and German offices have been very busy lately, as has Operational in the UK. We’re receiving a lot of calls from new customers looking for assistance based across the UK and Ireland.”

Vicky’s work includes formatting and issuing service reports and advising and providing quotations for any actions or recommendations following visits. She also works with Operational’s account department with UK invoices, purchase orders and other financial matters. She is also an office first-aid volunteer.

Speaking about her job satisfaction, she said: “Operational is a great place to work. There is a good mix of people and we have a close-knit team.

Vicky lives in Widnes and attended the former Fisher More High School then Halton College, gaining ONC and HNC qualifications in chemistry. She became a chemical analyst for Honeywell electronics in Widnes, then worked as a project manager for a Merseyside environmental company (Environmental Waste Controls, Knowsley). Later she worked for EWC as a project manager, balancing work with bringing up a family.

Speaking about women’s profile in the industry, she said: “In the past, this was a male-dominated sector but the situation has changed over the years.  I enjoyed chemistry at school and originally wanted to become a crime scene analyst. However, it wouldn’t have suited my family life with young children.   When I became a young apprentice, I was the only girl in the laboratories. But more girls arrived over the years.”

In her leisure time, Vicky enjoys reading, especially crime novels by authors such as Patricia Cornwell and Jeffrey Deaver. She also writes poems and has a Facebook poetry page called Soul To Ashes. She supports Everton FC and has been a season ticket-holder at various periods.