Topaz is Ireland’s largest convenience and fuel retailer with over 330 stations around the country.
The company is recruiting at the moment and has recently announced the creation of 110 new jobs in Dublin and Laois.
Gillian Coonan is the Site Manager for Topaz Energy in Cashel and she told us about her job and what a career with Topaz can offer.
Describe your typical working day?
My typical working day starts with walking in every morning with a positive attitude that will create an atmosphere of success for that day. Then next on my list is to brief my team on what we will be working to achieve on that day. Excellent customer service is always our number priority and we work to achieve this every day by creating a warm and sincere atmosphere for our customers to shop in.
Our Play or Park loyalty game is a great opportunity for us to reward our customers for their continued support and we work hard to offer premium levels of customer service so that there will be no question in the minds of our customers as to where they want to call in to on where ever their journey may be taking them.
I am responsible for the safe and productive running of my site through an array of activities such as people management, driving sales through a mix of attention to detail, full stock availability and sharp merchandising and also a clear understanding of my individual site figures so that I can set goals and targets for each day and give the feedback to my team when we are either reaching our goals or if there is something different we could be doing or working on if we are not achieving our goals.
I believe that keeping the basics right and having tight controls in place makes the overall running of the shop much smoother and easier for everyone.
What is your background?
I studied for my BA of Busines in Management in Carlow Institute of Technology between the years of 2005-2008. I first started with Topaz (Statoil at the time) when I was 17 years old. I worked my way through school and college and decided after some travelling that Topaz was the company I wanted to progress with.
I applied for an Assistant Manager position in one of our Wexford stations in 2008 and after a few years of gaining experience in different stations I was made Manager of Tullow Road in Carlow in 2012. I then went on to manage our Athy Store in 2013 and I am now managing our Cashel store while I wait for my new site Ballacolla to open.
What is the best thing about your job?
Every day is different. No two days are the same and this keeps me fresh and driven and never allows me to get complacent in what I am doing which in turn allows me to strive for excellence every day I walk into work.
What is the biggest challenge?
Managing people is probably the biggest challenge. I firmly believe that the team I surround myself with need to be fully trained, committed and as driven as I am so they are equipped to deal with whatever challenges that may arise on a daily basis.
This can take time and dealing with different personalities and different styles can be challenging but once the balance is found the rewards are endless.
What other skills do you need in your job?
The ability to flex my style is key to developing a balanced and successful team. This takes patience, dedication and a genuine ambition to get the best out of each and every team member.
Every manager has different qualities which make them unique in how they approach the running of their business but I believe the basic qualities that should be there are patience, dedication, efficiency, enthusiasm, an ability to flex their management style, great communication skills, self awareness, goal orientated, positivity, an ability to cultivate and motivate a team that drive the highest of standards consistently, the list could go on and on.
A really great manager will be exhibiting these qualities and more on a daily basis without even knowing it.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I would see myself either as part of the HR Team or an Area Manager. I have always thought that HR would have been the area best suited to me but over the last few months I have also started to see myself in an Area Manager role. Only time will tell!
What advice would you give someone considering a career in your profession?
It is not for the faint hearted but without a shadow of a doubt, it is very rewarding. There will be days when you will feel like you want to run away pulling your hair out but stick with it and I promise that the feeling of achievement when you achieve the results you want is priceless
What advice would you give someone considering applying for a job with Topaz?
Give it your all with Topaz and you will most certainly reap the rewards. I am a very loyal employee to a company that has allowed me to achieve a lot in the years I have spent with them.
The past two years in particular have been a bit of a whirlwind for me with my progression as a Site Manager, being accepted onto our Better Leaders Course in 2013, my Athy site being a finalist for the Shelflife Forecourt of the Year Award 2013 and also being a finalist for the Shelflife Forecourt Manager of the Year 2014.
I am hoping to add to this list in 2015 and I have always felt that the opportunities are endless with Topaz. If you are looking for a job with real career opportunities and avenues to achieve endless rewards, then Topaz is the place for you.
Click here to see current vacancies with Topaz
IrishJobs.ie has been helping people find the job they want for over 20 years. Our team is delighted to share our job hunting tips and advice with you.