Meet the Team “’ Dan Oliver

Job title: Contracts ManagerDaily number of hot beverages consumed: If I’m in the office I’ll usually have a hot drink, but when I’m out on the road I’ll just stick to water. Filling up on tea or coffee when you’re a long way from the next service station is never advisable!Accompanying biscuit of choice: If you’re looking for a reliable biscuit to dunk, then look no further than a Milk Chocolate Hobnob. They’re the Navy Seals of the biscuit world. They’ll never let you down by falling in your tea.How long have you worked at Reconomy?I’ve been at Reconomy for two and a half years now. Having studied Business and Finance at college, I originally joined the company as a member of the accounts team. Though I enjoyed putting this area of my degree into practice, it had always been my intention to progress through the company.When I was offered the opportunity to become a Contracts Manager, it was too good to turn down. I really enjoy meeting with customers face-to-face, and it’s something I’m very comfortable doing. It’s hard work being on the road for so much of the week and requires a lot of discipline, but I love the freedom of managing my own diary.What are your core responsibilities?It’s my job to manage and build relationships with some of Reconomy’s most prestigious and high-profile clients across the construction and infrastructure sectors. I work with companies such as Kier, Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and Skanska throughout the midlands and northern regions of the UK.It’s my responsibility to ensure each of their sites is efficiently segregating its waste or to deliver training to trades and other personnel if improvements can be made. I’m also responsible for identifying any opportunities for additional recycling or reuse to help keep waste costs to a minimum. The site-level appraisals that I carry out are then discussed at regional-level to try and establish a consistent approach to waste management.How do you make a difference everyday?When I’m meeting with customers, I consider myself to be the face’ of Reconomy. The first impression I give can directly influence how they perceive the entire business, so it’s important I uphold Reconomy’s values and maintain our high standards of professionalism.Being a Contracts Manager is certainly a balancing act, because I’ll often have to tailor my approach depending on who I’m speaking with. I need to communicate effectively at a corporate level, but I must also make myself heard among trades and site personnel, which requires a more down-to-earth approach.How is the changing face of the waste industry directly impacting upon Reconomy and your job role?The waste industry is growing very quickly, and I believe it will continue to do so as businesses become ever more conscious of their waste management responsibilities. Even in the two and a half years since I’ve been with Reconomy, I’ve seen significantly developments to keep up with the demands for our services. There are always new innovations in the pipeline to more efficiently manage and minimise waste, so it’s an exciting time to be with the company.What did you do before you joined Reconomy?Before joining Reconomy I spent two years working as a Commercial Sales Executive for Volkswagen, helping businesses to source executive cars for their external employees. It was a similar role to my current job at Reconomy in that I spent a lot of time meeting with customers and building relationships. Before this I worked as an Account Co-ordinator for a window manufacturer. I think I’ve always wanted to work in customer-facing roles, I just never knew what industry I’d end up in.How do you wind-down at the weekend?I’m a big golf fan, so my ideal weekend would involve getting up early so I can get a game in first thing. I’d follow this up with a long walk in the countryside with my two dogs, a nice meal with my wife and then relaxing in front of some rubbish TV in the evening. Weekends like this are in short supply right now, as we seem to be going through that phase everyone has when all our friends are getting married, so it feels like there’s a stag or hen party happening every other weekend.What’s been your proudest achievement at Reconomy?I think my proudest achievement is the progression I’ve made and getting to where I am now. Being a Contracts Manager requires dedication as well as a lot of trust to be placed in me. I feel very grateful to have been given the opportunity to grow into the role. I see long-term career potential at Reconomy, particularly as the company has a track record of promoting from within, so I’m delighted to be here.