I quite liked a girl in my local store in Guildford, so I applied for a job there….I got the job but not the girl!

posted by Sara Metcalfe
28 October 2015

I think that the reason I joined Clarks is pretty unique! I quite liked a girl in my local store in Guildford, so I applied for a job there….I got the job but not the girl! In the end, I’m glad I got the job anyway. I like the variety of our business and because we’re always looking to grow or extend the brand, there are always opportunities to develop and work in new and exciting areas.

The culture here is open and honest, challenging and rewarding. There’s a rare blend of heritage and innovation that makes you feel that you’re part of something special. If you want to work for a progressive company that manages to strike this balance, then Clarks is perfect. Hard work is rewarded and there are some genuine and exciting challenges for everyone. There are lots of opportunities if you’re open to new ideas and able to challenge yourself to do even better. We’re expanding in areas such as Asia, Europe and the Americas, so it really is an exciting time to be here.

Currently, I work in our Europe region, which encompasses Wholesale, Franchise, Retail and Online across the continent. We have stores everywhere from Amsterdam to Moscow, Paris to Warsaw and everywhere in between. My role is to head up the Retail / Franchise operation across Benelux, Nordic and France. I have three main areas of accountability - to ensure the success and profit margins of our current estate, to enable the growth of the physical footprint of our brand through increasing the amount of stores, and finally to present the brand in a way that helps us meet our strategic goals.

The success of any function, region, country or business is always down to the people who work within it. Those I work with are integral to the on going success of Clarks in its territories. There’s only a few of us to cover a number of countries so we all have to trust one another to get the job done! Having this trust enables us to challenge and support in equal measures, drive towards the same goal and develop ourselves along the way!

I’ve held many different roles in my career with Clarks and am looking forward to even more!

Right now my plans are to ensure that our territories in Western Europe are enabled for sustainable growth and that our brand awareness is raised throughout the key countries of the region. I’m working on a ‘click ‘n’ collect’ project, aimed at lining up our online and offline experience throughout key countries in Europe.

It’s the culture and values that makes Clarks different. A global business managed and run as a family concern that makes you feel valued and unique and that you really are making a difference. There’s always something that someone does that makes you laugh or smile every day and because we spend so much of our lives at work, we might as well enjoy it. Having some fun along the way makes it all worth the while.

The work/life balance is good, too. I have a young family with two boys of 6 years and a 1 year old which gives me lots of fun and very little sleep! When I am not changing nappies, reading nursery rhymes or climbing trees in the park, I love playing sport with football and badminton top of the list. I am also trying to learn French, albeit very slowly!

Terry - Head of Retail – Western Europe

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