The latest in our Player Profiles series introduces you to Materials Controller Stephen Hicks. Stephen joined the team in 2020, bringing with him a wealth of experience from the automotive sector.
Read more in our latest Repair and Maintenance player profile below.
Tell us about yourself
My Name is Stephen Hicks, I joined Wes in August 2020 after previously working within the automotive sector. I live near Basingstoke which is ideal for getting to WES every day. Away from work, I like to spend time walking the family dog Lexi who is a Caliver King Charles Spaniel and who is quite mad. I also like to spend (probably too much) time socialising with friends in the local pub. I also enjoy music & films and spend a fair amount of time online gaming or going racing (much to the annoyance of my wife!).
What is your role in the WES R&M team?
My role with WES is varied, involving procurement & materials management across all the business streams. I strive to ensure that prices are competitive, and that lead times suit our demand where possible. Another key function of my role is to convert estimates & materials schedules into job specific information which allows us to track the cost associated with the projects.
I also look after the stores function within WES, ensuring the smooth running of the stores facility, making sure the stock re-order levels reflect current usage patterns, keeping the stock accurate by managing cycle counts, and correcting any anomalies found.
I can be found in amongst the operations & projects teams in the WES office which allows close collaboration & engagement with the teams – so I’m always available to offer guidance and assistance on part selection/queries.
What do you enjoy most about working at WES?
I very much enjoy the variations of my role – particularly being involved in as many aspects of the WES business as I can. I enjoy learning new processes & enhancing my skills which enables me to continually improve the service I provide.
Everyone here at WES is flexible and as a team, we get everything done. There is a wealth of knowledge that people are only too happy to share. I am fortunate to be given the freedom to develop my role & responsibilities in my own way without too much interference.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Whilst there are numerous “tasks” that I undertake each week, every day is different. This can vary from creating jobs on our SharePoint system, communicating with our suppliers, updating our stock requisition app which we have to enable our teams to request stocked items whilst on the job, and sometimes some “old school” hands-on in the stores. In a nutshell, I make sure we have what we need when we need it.
What are your most & least favourite parts of working for WES?
Every day is a change to learn something new which is great, I’m constantly looking for ways to improve our systems both with logistics and purchasing to make us ready to react to any emergency in the field or internally.
My least favourite, well I do think we missed an opportunity to have installed a jacuzzi, ball pit & soft play area in the office during the building of the new premises.
