Risk and Policy Manager at Wrekin, shares her story and discusses her role
Wrekin’s Emma Wells, Risk and Policy Manager at The Group, talks about the journey into her current role and the challenges she faces on a daily basis.
“Prior to joining Wrekin, I graduated with a Foundation History degree and completed my PGCE in preparation to become a teacher. Although being a teacher was something I always wanted to do, I realised that this role didn’t really suit me.
“After I completed my PGCE, I saw a job as a temporary receptionist advertised at Wrekin. I applied for the role knowing that if I was successful, I would enjoy it and because it was temporary, it would give me time to work out what I wanted to do longer term. Fortunately, I was successful and I have never looked back!
“From day one, I loved working at Wrekin and I soon realised that I wanted to stay and build my career here. I gained a deeper insight into the different aspects of housing, familiarised with customers and learned how the company operates. It was a great experience. When the temporary role finished, I became a Governance and Legal Assistant and did this role for three years. I was then promoted to Administration Manager in the Directors Office.
“In December 2020, I was offered the role of Risk and Policy Manager in a newly formed team. I’ve been in the role for over a year now and it’s been amazing to work so closely with all staff across the whole of the Group – I learn something new every day. My responsibilities are varied and no two days are the same. There is so much job satisfaction in all aspects of the role.
“Risk is part of everyday life - it’s about breaking down the stigma that it’s complicated and scary so that staff understand its importance. I enjoy supporting managers in understanding the risk process so that they get involved and don’t avoid it. There’s a developing mind set and attitude towards risk which I can see through the change in staff engagement. Managers are asking more questions and staff are asking us for training which is setting Wrekin up for continued success.
“A significant part of my role is monitoring and delivering the Group’s Policy Framework. I feel that without strong policies everything falls apart – complaints will increase, our reputation will be damaged and we would be doing a disservice to our customers.
“My day to day role involves working on presentations and reports, reviewing policies, providing advice and adapting to any new challenges - it is our teams’ responsibility to assess whether current risk arrangements and policies are fit for purpose or could be stronger. The aim of everything that our team does is to make risk and policy simple and straightforward and to make sure that we comply with regulations so that we can all work together to deliver high quality services.
“I feel really lucky to have found Wrekin and to have developed and progressed my career – I would recommend working here to anyone. I’m proud of the work that our team does and I genuinely love making a difference to people’s lives.”
For more staff stories, take a look at our recent news item all about the Specialist Housing Services Team, who discuss the crisis support service they offer and how it makes a difference.
9th August 2021