LET'S TALK ABOUT TOM

The place to come to learn a little bit more about where I have been, what I have achieved and who I am.

A NOTE TO EMPLOYERS:

Be sure to check out my 'Interview Frequently Asked Questions' and 'Skill Set' pages to find out a bit more about what I could bring to your company.

Home: Welcome

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME..

I’m a professional, based in the UK, but with experience of travelling extensively and working in a variety of teams. My work is focused on high quality and I strive to make a significant positive impact in everything that I do.

Having grown up in a military household, commitment and discipline have been instilled in me from a young age and are attributes on which I have prided myself throughout my life. My background has made me very adaptable and I am happy applying the experience and skills that I have developed to continue to be innovative and analytical to overcome challenges. I possess a strong eye for detail and can thrive independently as well as in a team environment.

Outside of work, I relish challenges, keeping active through training at the gym and hiking. I am a rugby enthusiast, I read widely and express my creative side through sketching. More recently, whilst on furlough, I have enjoyed taking the opportunity to develop new skills in Digital Marketing, HTML and CSS webdesign.

Learn More

Home: Bio

RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS

I work hard to develop new skills wherever possible and here are a few of my most recent achievements.

Home: Selected Work

CAREER PROSPECTS

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."
—Steve Jobs

After being furloughed in April, I decided to take the opportunity to up-skill myself and begin to explore a new career direction away from the travel industry. I wanted something that played to my strengths and natural creative interests. I have always had a strong interest in marketing and technology and, consequently, I have spent the past months completing various courses to develop skills in both digital marketing and website management/software development.

I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about these industries and have also explored the concepts of ‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ software development methodologies, whose principles can be applied in a wide range of industries for a more efficient and adaptable workforce.

I am now seeking to follow what I have learnt and build a career within a company that has room for progression and continued personal development.

If you work for such a company then please get in touch!

Contact Me Now

Home: Bio

PAST EXPERIENCE

Past Roles

My experience thus far has spanned multiple industries and environments, and though I endeavour to keep growing and developing, I know that I have what it takes to make a real contribution to any company I join.

Below is a small selection of my work experience, however, a full list can be found on the Experience page or my LinkedIn profile.

Furthermore, a more detailed account of my travels in New Zealand can be found on my travel blog: The Wanderings of a Sheepless Shephard.

Experience

RIVER CRUISE OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATOR,
RIVIERA TRAVEL, UK

Sep 2018 – Present

- Successfully managed 3 river cruise ships and their itineraries across Europe throughout 2019.
- Collaborated with our suppliers to establish the operational procedures and paperwork for the brand new Russian Odyssey cruise aboard the MS Rossia.
- Entrusted to be proactive in sourcing and negotiating the rates with new and existing suppliers for the future season's services.
- Commended for using my initiative, whilst on-call, to establish a clear plan during operational issues; this involved careful management and excellent communication with suppliers and staff on board the ship.
- Demonstrated my adaptability, when flown out to cover for a Cruise Director on one of our 1 week Portuguese river cruises with no prior experience, resulting in a 96% passenger approval rating.
- Received excellent feedback for the content and delivery of my presentation, on the correct way to handle and resolve common client issues, to approximately 50 employees at our annual cruise training in Düsseldorf.
- Selected to promote Riviera Travel in the Olympia Times Destination Show in London 2019.
- Independently contacted and worked with other departments to develop new and more efficient ways of managing our team's daily paperwork.

TRAVEL CONSULTANT,
RIVIERA TRAVEL, UK

Feb 2018 – Sep 2018

- Successfully secured this employment within 3 weeks of returning to the country from independent travel.
- Personal Progress meetings identified my ability to establish positive customer relations quickly and consistently, evidenced by clients calling back, asking for me personally and sending postcards from their subsequent holiday to thank me.
- Excellent attention to detail enabled me to complete bookings and client requests efficiently and accurately, whilst also building a positive rapport with colleagues in other departments.
- In addition to my normal duties, I was praised for taking the initiative to create a reference sheet on how to go about booking one of our more complex holidays. This was gratefully received by my instructor for use in future training.

BIRD-NETTING CREW MEMBER,
SOUTH PACIFIC SEEDS, NZ

Feb 2017 – Mar 2017

- After demonstrating my endurance and reliability in the Roguing and Row-dividing teams I was successful in my application for a role in the Bird-Netting crews applying nets to the crops to prevent the birds from eating the seed crop.
- This was a more independent role in which myself and a colleague would lead a team to collect and apply nets to the fields across Canterbury Planes and ensure this was done as swiftly and efficiently as possible.
- I was given responsibility of my own company truck and enjoyed taking the opportunity to further my skill set by learning how to operate the crane attachment used to lay the heavy nets on the crops.
- At the end of the season we then led the team out to remove the nets for the harvest and return them to the storage yard for cleaning and maintenance.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE TEAM MEMBER,
HILTON AT ST GEORGE'S PARK HOTEL, UK

January 2023 - June 2025

- Awarded Team Member of the month after a customer approached my manager to praise my service throughout their stay at the hotel.
- Trusted to set up the bar in the morning independently, including completing a stock check, replenishing the bar of missing items and serving any clients that might arrive.
- Responsible for training and supervising 3 new staff members on the bar as a senior member of the team.
- Actively sought to further my skill-set by attending a wine tasting of the stock that we offered and learning how to change the barrels of beer correctly.
- Commended by my manager for working a significant amount of overtime in order to cover shifts when we were short staffed and for my versatility working room service, private functions, the restaurant and the bar.

Home: Experience

Home: Image

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

They say a good education is a well-rounded one. When it comes to learning, I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to learn in a wide variety of fields and take advantage of numerous extra curricular opportunities. All of these have helped me to become the person I am today, which is why I hold them in such high regard.

Below is a snapshot of some of my formal qualifications and achievements, however, much of my most significant learning has occurred since leaving formal education to travel and work.

Sept 2012 - June 2016

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BSC), BIOLOGY,
UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS,
1ST CLASS

Named in the Dean's List for Academic Achievement.
Achieved a 1st Class grade for my dissertation project involving the design, implementation, analysis and report.
Faculty of Biological Sciences Society (FobSoc) Publicity Officer.
FobSoc Secretary of Sport and Rugby Vice Captain.