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Colin Thornton, Head of Merchandising

I first joined Dee Set in 2001 as a Retail Merchandiser. What I enjoyed most was the flexibility, working with different people and retailers, learning different skills. I then stepped up to become a Team Leader in 2002, and since then I have held a range of positions within Dee Set, including Area, Regional and National Manager, before becoming Head of Merchandising in 2020. I am now responsible for over 1200 merchandisers, 12 Area Managers, 16 Area Support Managers working in multiple retailers including Asda, Wilkos, Coop, Tesco, Lidl, Poundland.

During my time at Dee Set the business has always offered me training, which has gone hand in hand with my development. There’s always been a clear path for my progression within the company, with regular development plans put in place to help me succeed. For anyone looking at joining Dee Set, my advice is to just do it, you'll learn new skills, enjoy your role, work with some great people and feel like you can really make a difference.

Lance Preston, Senior Business Unit Controller

I joined Tactical Solutions back in 2004 as a Territory Sales Manager and covered calls all over the South East. No one day was the same, which really appealed to me. My intention was always to progress in the business as I have always managed people in my previous roles, but joining Tactical was a change in direction and I needed to understand the role and all it entailed. It was not easy at first as I struggled to adapt, but with support from the team I found my feet and quickly moved up the league table and was proactive in my engagement with the Account team and the business.

After about 18 months I was given the opportunity to become a Regional Manager and look after my own team. This came with several challenges and I received support not only from my piers but several of the TSM’s who had management experience which helped drive results through good process and strong relationships between the team. I still think back to the support given at that time and how invaluable the sharing of past experiences can be to help move forward. After about five years working on T4G (top 4 Grocery), I got the call to work on Solus.

The world of Solus was a daunting place as I was entrenched in ISS (previously T4G) and I approached the role with some apprehension. However, there was a strong team already in place and this drew on my competitive side. The rest you could say is history!

Tactical Solutions has always supported me in my development through mentoring, coaching, and clear direction when needed, as a people business it is important we get that right and that we have that environment of when it goes wrong and it does! We can support, learn and move on.

Through all this experience of managing different brands in different categories, with different needs, it has allowed me to share my experiences with the team I have now which I am really proud of and rewards to see how they are all progressing on their own journeys.

Clair Worthington, Head of Nutmeg

From merchandising five hours a week to now being responsible for 1,250 Nutmeg Merchandisers, Clair Worthington’s journey to becoming Head of Nutmeg here at Dee Set is as inspirational as it is impressive!

Clair joined our team in 2003, working five hours per week as a Merchandiser looking after the Pick & Mix section in Asda. Clair had taken a career break to raise her children and picked up merchandising as the flexibility allowed her career to fit around her young family’s lifestyle.

Whilst Dee Set rapidly expanded as we moved into multiple retailers, Clair went from strength to strength taking on more hours, more responsibility and securing several promotions within the team. Clair relished the extra duties she was given and became hungry for even more.

Heather Dawe, Fulfilment & Warehouse Lead Manager

I started my Dee Set journey on wrap and tag and then got the Team Leader role in the rework area of the Warehouse. Following this I expanded my leadership experience to the picking team before becoming a supervisor for Stock Management. I reached the next level of my careers when I was promoted to be the manager of stock/goods in, before making it to my current role as Fulfilment & Warehouse Lead Manager.

I enjoy working at Dee Set and working with this fantastic team. My advice to anyone joining Dee Set would be to try all areas of the business as this gives you lots of experience across the warehouse, meaning you have lots of opportunities, like I have had here, in the future.

Anne Unsworth, Head of Group Operations

I joined the business as an account manager in 2002, spending the first 3 months in the field doing the role of a TSM before managing accounts across top 4 retailers. I then took a sideways move to become RSM NW to develop people management skills managing a team of 13 TSM’s. I then became Divisional Manager North for Heinz solus team managing 2 north regions (circa 30 people) and account manager responsibility working with Heinz Tesco and Asda Teams.

In 2010 I became Business Unit Controller with overall account and field responsibility for the Heinz solus team with 70+ including 2 divisional managers , 6 regions , 1 account manager. Managing the field / client relationship with Heinz head office contacts. In 2015 I became Business Unit Director responsible for managing several solus teams and head office relationships including Revlon, Duracell, Burtons Biscuits and Lidl. I then became Head of Field and Operations – Developing ISS team & strategic operational delivery.

Following this, I became Head of Group Operations, operating strategically to bring 2 businesses together operating as 1 entity to support circa £30m revenue with 3000+ strong field teams.

Emily Parry, Operations Administrator

I started my Journey at Tactical Solutions on an industrial placement, a great opportunity which threw me in to my chosen sector and allowed me to gain true experience in an ever-changing retail industry. As part of my placement, I was able to move around departments and get a real feel for the whole business whilst being able to expand my skill set. Working amongst multiple departments, owning my own projects, going on field visits, and having additional training (excel, social media, presenting etc). The fast-paced environment allowed me to learn quickly, and the amazing team made me feel very welcomed. I loved my placement year at Tactical Solutions and would encourage other students to have a placement year here.

After I completed my degree, I was lucky enough to gain a position in the operations team! This was very exciting as I really enjoyed my time previously and was interested in gaining more experience now graduated. I Firstly started as an admin assistant and most recently as an operations co-ordinator. Over the past year I have continued to advance my skill set and experience. Currently sitting in a central role, I work with all departments across the business, currently owning operations within our ISS, Solus and Convenience teams whilst also now expanding with my team into our flexible rep channel. I enjoy the fast-paced work environment, working across different projects which means no day is the same. Most importantly being part of a fun, positive and supportive team.