I was part of the Operational Excellence team who were responsible for the optimisation of operational performance. During the interview process, I was told that APG were about to go through a period of transformation across all areas of the business and the team were excited by the opportunity to learn, problem solve and create positive change. However, within a few weeks, after attending a few project meetings and being assigned superfluous tasks, we realised that there was no real need for an Operational Excellence team, as most of the work had already been completed by business analysts, SMEs and project/product managers. Disappointingly, the entire function was being mocked by some of the company, deemed unnecessary, with no-one (including HR) knowing what the purpose of Operational Excellence was. It was extremely disappointing given that I had left a financially stable company and secure role, to what I can only describe now as a sinking ship of a company (I advise you to read the reviews on google too).
I reported into the Head of Operational Excellence, someone who lacked leadership, communication, time management and general people skills. Most tasks were assigned at the last minute with unclear briefs and unrealistic deadlines - continuously confusing the team and putting them under pressure. I was penalised for asking questions and suggesting ideas, despite the job advert looking for an inquisitive and analytical person. She always said she had time for the team, but she was rarely available or seen in the office, my first 1-2-1 was six weeks into the role. When I voiced mine and the teams’ concerns to her, I was met with “why didn’t you tell me sooner?” …again just highlighting the lack of leadership, communication and accountability you would expect from someone in a leadership role.
It’s interesting to see that the role has now been advertised as a "process engineer" and also that other members of this team have moved on to better things. The reason I wrote this review is because I don’t want anyone to be fooled by this role, company, or the Head of OpEx, and to go through the same terrible experience as I did.
