Sheldon joined us as a Business Development and Support Analyst, but after spotting his potential, he was quickly promoted to Supply Chain Coordinator. “That means I manage supplier relationships, source the best quality parts and equipment, and negotiate costs and pricing,” he explains.
“This includes components for BESS containers, HVAC and fire systems, as well as parts for solar and gas peaking sites. I also manage our office IT procurement—essentially, everything that keeps the business operational.”
“We take a different approach to many O&M companies in our sector,” he notes. “We don’t wait for a fault to occur and rush around trying to order parts to fix it; we hold critical stock in our warehouse, ready for use when needed—everything from tiny fuses up to massive HVAC fans. We also equip our engineers with critical items to hold in their vans so that repairs can be completed quickly.”
Sheldon appreciates the variety of work that comes with his role: “I might spend a day at the warehouse, going through the inventory, booking in collections, and checking that collections go out. I also visit sites to see how things are going there—inspecting stock and inventory in person and seeing if we can do anything to further support our customers.”
“Then there’s the strategic side of things, such as supply chain data analysis and reviewing current processes to identify efficiency improvements. On other days, I’m meeting with new and existing suppliers.”
Sheldon’s work involves a lot of internal stakeholder engagement—keeping the rest of the business updated on how our supply chain continues to evolve and mature. He also spends time training our engineers on any new or updated procedures so that they become part of everyday operations.”
Since starting his new role, Sheldon has been working hard to build and maintain a robust supply chain: “The maths part of my degree and my interest in investment analysis means I’m good at evaluating company statements, assessing potential risks and making sure there’s plenty of redundancy in our supply chain. We source parts from all over the world, so I also have to think about global and macroeconomic factors—and anticipate potential risks and disruptions as best I can.”
Sheldon was born in South Africa but moved to the UK in 2009—ultimately returning to Sheffield, where his mum was born: “Moving to Yorkshire was a bit of a homecoming,” he admits. “It’s a beautiful county. I like to get out and explore the countryside and the moors.”
Looking to the future, Sheldon is excited about how our company and his role might develop: “SEO is an ambitious organisation with a lot of smart people and a lot of exciting projects going on. It’s interesting and dynamic, and there’s always something to learn. It’s very forward-thinking, not just in the technology it operates and maintains but also in the working culture.”
“There’s a lot of scope for self-direction and autonomy. It’s inspiring and motivating—it’s not just turning up every day and doing your job. You can find your own niche. Culturally, there’s a lot of diversity in thought and expression and an openness to work in different ways, which resonates very strongly with me,” he concludes.
