Next up in our meet the team series we introduce Callum, our Operations Manager. We recently had a chat with him to find out a bit more about what he does within the Unite Group…
Growing up, what did you want to be?
Growing up, I always wanted to be an astronaut!
What is your role at The Unite Group and how did you end up where you are now?
My role here at The Unite Group is as the Operations Director. This role involves managing the help desk, coordinating the projects, employee well-being and technical support on all things telecommunications related. Being at Unite with Paul from the start, I came into this role as the company grew and we gained 2 more directors. This felt the best suitable role for me to really utilise my skillset and experience (I’ve been in this industry for 20 years!)
What does a typical day look like at The Unite Group?
My typical day consists of lots of coffee, emails, and coordinating the engineers and helpdesk guys as well as planning projects. So my days are often very busy!
What is your most and least favourite part of the job?
My favourite part of the job has got to be seeing projects complete smoothly, it’s always great to see when we are able to help our customers seamlessly. Also seeing customer issues being fixed and getting great feedback about our team is always great!
My least favourite part of the job however has to be delays due to unforeseen issues and the lack of available hardware to complete work as it is still an ongoing problem. These issues take matters out of our hands and can make it a bit harder for us to fix our customer’s problems. However, here at The Unite Group, we will always do our utmost to ensure our customers are back online and working without any problems as soon as possible.
What is your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement has got to be landing a plane for the first time when learning to fly. I was in the RAF from 1989 through to 2000, I wasn’t a pilot in the RAF I just fancied giving it a go, great fun taking off after getting the go-ahead from the tower, not much happens in the sky but landing is scary and a massive relief once you are down.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Never give up and stay positive.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
In 10 years time I’d like to hope I’ll be in the same role but with a reduced working week and more free time to enjoy life and chill out more, might even take up golf!
How do you unwind outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy socialising with my friends. You can also often find me playing random sports (badly) and listening to music. I love to attend concerts when I can. Currently, outside of work, you will find me training for the Great North Run. I am taking part alongside Paul & Ben raising money for a fantastic local charity Grace House! This will be my 10th time doing the run and I hope to beat Ben (A chat with Ben, one of our Senior Service Engineers) again this year 😊. If you’d like to sponsor us, it would definitely help us make it round, please find our fundraising page here. Cycling the Great North Bike Ride again and also cycling to Edinburgh later this year following the coast and castle and pubs route.
If you want to see how Callum and The Unite Group can help you with your business technology needs, contact us on, 0191 466 1050.