I started working for money.co.uk last year and can honestly say it’s the best place I’ve ever had the pleasure of working. I feel incredibly lucky to find this role in the Cotswolds – it’s a marriage made in heaven; the career I’ve always dreamt of in an area of the world I hold dearest to my heart.
The commute:
I cycle to work, it takes me about 15 minutes and puts me in a good frame of mind for the day. I used to have a hideous 90 minute commute down the M5, so in comparison my short bike ride is quite literally a breath of fresh air!
The castle:
Our office is based in The Castle at the top of Cecily Hill right in the heart of Cirencester. From the outside it’s a beautiful old barracks but thanks to our recent revamp the inside now competes with offices of some of the best tech companies in the world.
Chris Morling our MD got us all involved in designing our new office space and he’s truly spared no expense. It’s incredible, I’ve never seen an office like it; Chris really knows how to look after his team. The new layout maximises comfort and convenience and despite the fact the revamp is still on-going, it has already made such a difference to the way we work.
What I do:
I work in our busy press office as Campaigns Manager. I’m a real news junky and my job means I have to keep up to date with what’s going on in the world of finance at all times.
No two days are ever the same. The very nature of PR means a breaking story might pull my day in an entirely different direction as I had originally planned. I might be writing a blog one day and arranging for our Editor in Chief Hannah Maundrell to appear on BBC Breakfast the next.
I engage with key influencers when we launch campaigns and source opportunities in the national press. I also manage our social media channels and submit company award entries. So far this year we were named as one of the top 10 best small businesses to work for, recognised as one of the fastest growing companies in the UK and Chris our MD was selected as a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year.
Why money.co.uk?
The work we do at money.co.uk is massively rewarding. We help millions of people to make smart money decisions every day. I get a buzz from knowing all the effort we put into our website and the work we do with the national media helps people with potentially life changing decisions.
Money affects every aspect of our lives whether we like it or not and that’s what makes working here so interesting. The team are dedicated to looking after the financial welfare of our users.
I am so privileged to be working with like-minded experts and I genuinely look forward to coming into work every day.
Chris is an amazing boss and I am very fortunate to work with such a brilliant leader who genuinely values his team. He is an incredibly grounded entrepreneur and is ridiculously generous both with his time and his profits. I was bowled over when I found out he was committing to donating 10% of money.co.uk’s profits to charity each year. We have donated over £2 million so far this year, which makes me really proud.
Work life balance:
At lunchtimes I’ll either go for a run in Cirencester Park, which we are blessed to have quite literally on our doorstep, or I swim in Cirencester’s outdoor pool. The pool is a stone’s throw away from the Castle, we can actually see it from our offices – the bright blue water is really enticing on a hot day.
On a Thursday a group of us play basketball at Cirencester’s leisure centre. It’s a 5 minute walk from the Castle and it’s really good way to keep fit. I’ve got to know people in other departments really well by doing this each week. For a special treat I’ll wander into Cirencester for lunch with colleagues, our favourites include Soushi, Stacked and Jack’s Coffee Shop on Black Jack street.
We’re thoroughly spoilt having offices in the middle of Cirencester and are the envy of our commercial partners that visit from London. They always comment on how stunningly beautiful Cirencester is with its Cotswold stone houses and thriving market place town.
The Cotswolds:
Many associate the Cotswolds with tourism, rolling hills and chocolate box cottages. Few people realise that Cirencester is also a thriving business hub. We share the town with many award winning businesses including the head offices of St James Place Wealth Management and the mobile games studio Neon Play.
I still get my London fix every few weeks, we have a small office on Fleet Street and London is home to all the major media outlets so I have reason to visit often. I have to admit though; I’ll take cycling to work over the tube anytime.
