Meet Sophie Batchelor, Roadgrip’s Operations Business Assistant. Sophie has been with Roadgrip since 2021 and is sharing a few of her highlights from the job:
I was working for a construction firm which struggled during the pandemic. Someone mentioned an opening at Roadgrip for Operations Business Assistant, so I went for it as a stopgap until the industry picked up again. That was over four years ago! I love it here!
My role has evolved over that time. I’m not just Operations – I’m now also the official Roadgrip mum and sister no one asked for.
It’s all about the forward planning for upcoming projects, organising where our machines are needed around the world, and which wild and exotic locations I need to fly our lads out too.
I help to get the containers ready for shipping, and deal with them when they return from all parts of the world – often with the odd hitchhiking spider inside, which is not a highlight of my job!
The buzz. I love it. It’s busy and there are so many plates spinning, but I get a great sense of euphoria when it all comes together.
The people here really make the job. We’re like a big, dysfunctional family. As Roadgrip mum, I’m constantly asking what others are doing and checking things are done as they should be.
It can be stressful during particularly busy periods, so we always try to make time for a laugh and a joke to ease the tension. Whether we’re dancing to country music (my choice), shooting nerf guns or eating many, many biscuits, it all helps to create a great work atmosphere. The team work so well together and all muck in to deliver the jobs on time.
A large part of my job is about building relationships and establishing good contacts. We rely on our network for smooth logistics, and I have been known to use biscuits as bribes to make things happen.
I loved our recent project at Glastonbury. To be there overseeing the huge peace sign our team were applying on the ground in front of the Pyramid stage was amazing.
I also travelled to Kirkwall in the Scottish isles a few weeks ago which was beautiful.
Another highlight was accompanying the lads to our job for Formula E in London this year. It blows my mind watching them use the VR headsets to install the graphics.
Whilst much of my day-to-day is in the office and out in the yard, I love going out on site. It gives me a much greater appreciation for what our teams do and how they consider all aspects of the artwork: from how the drivers will see it to the spectators and TV crews.
Being involved with more festivals, hopefully!
Want to know what it’s like to work for Roadgrip? Watch a ‘day in the life’ of Sophie on our LinkedIn feed.