Depot Manager (Scotland)

• May 2022 - Present

Customs coordination officer

• Apr 2021 - May 2022

Available and looking for inspiration!

• Nov 2019 - Mar 2021

After living and working abroad for many years, and jointly deciding on taking a sabbatical...extended rather longer than anticipated due to the pandemic and largely spent in the garden drinking gin & tonic or walking the dog, I am working in a Customs coordination role but looking for a more interesting and challenging position... After living and working abroad for many years, and jointly deciding on taking a sabbatical...extended rather longer than anticipated due to the pandemic and largely spent in the garden drinking gin & tonic or walking the dog, I am working in a Customs coordination role but looking for a more interesting and challenging position...

Technical Officer - Engineering.

• Jan 2017 - Nov 2019

Technical Officer (Engineering & Logistics) working on the development and acquisition of 'NATO Capability Packages', in essence large fully equipped and self sustaining military camps. Logistics officer and hard/soft facilities manager. Based in Luxembourg as a Technical Officer with responsibility for the development of requirements for ‘NATO Capability Packages’ (CP’s). This including engineering design, acquisition activities (chairing bid evaluations), procurement of materiel and ‘whole-life’ management of warranty/dealer support contracts. NATO CP’s are fully equipped camps designed to support deployed troops in the field, often for prolonged periods in harsh conditions. In essence, facility management services which include the provision of furnished living/working accommodation in both soft structures (tents) and containers, force protection (security) aspects, ablutions, power generation/distribution, heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC), potable water production/distribution, waste water collection/treatment and disposal, waste collection/treatment/disposal (by incineration) and fuel storage/distribution. Additionally, provision of field hospitals, kitchens/dining facilities, controlled food storage, warehousing, workshops, helicopter landing pads, security systems, secure detention facilities, military working dog facilities, base support vehicles, earth moving plant, cranes and forklifts, roads and surfaces/sub-surface management and ISO container management and certification.

Branch Chief - Operational Support and Maintenance Branch

• Jul 2011 - Dec 2016

Deployable Operations Branch Chief, responsible for the ‘whole life’ management of NATO/Allied Command Operations (ACO) deployable assets and based at the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) Southern Operational Centre (SOC), in Taranto, Italy. Responsible for the following management functions on behalf of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE):  Managing all staff assigned to the Branch, ensuring that personnel were adequately trained and prepared for the execution of any assigned tasks including organising, supervising and delivering training on all assets for external, usually military but increasingly contractor personnel.  Managing the materiel readiness all NATO expeditionary assets and ensuring the cost effective delivery of a capability package to the customer including planning and budget preparation, transport, construction, reception, storage, maintenance, and return of all materiel, in coordination with relevant departments, industry and agencies.  Preparing for, and participating in, SHAPE and ACO certification activities, ensuring that the execution of customs formalities has been properly performed, managing disposal activities in liaison with the relevant authorities of the Host Nation during deployments, be that exercises or operations.  Preparing programmes of work within established financial parameters and maintaining the required readiness levels for SHAPE/ACO expeditionary equipment.  Organizing international transportation/shipping and customs requirements, deployment, set up, operation, maintenance and redeployment of all deployable expeditionary material in theatre.  Undertaking deployments, including duty travel, in direct support of North Atlantic Council approved operations/missions.  Additionally; representing the Agency at conferences, meetings and other forum’s and providing updates, briefings and preparing accurate and timely reports as required.

Technical Officer at NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA)

• Jun 2005 - Jun 2011

Technical Officer with the NAMSA Operational Logistics Support Programme and based in Luxembourg whilst working in direct support of NATO forces operating throughout the World. During this period I spent some 22 months working in Kandahar (Afghanistan) with responsibility for technical oversight of contractors delivering engineering and infrastructure projects and the provision of all utility services for a population of some 30,000 + multi-national military and civilian support personnel. Awarded:  The NATO Medal for Non-Article 5 Operations in support of the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan (September 2007).  Numerous certificates of appreciation and citations.

Manager, Material Management Unit (MMU) and Pan-Balkan Bridge Park

• May 1996 - May 2005

Employed by NATO in the former Yugoslavia in the engineering and operational logistic fields. Primarily as the manager of a Material Management Unit (MMU) and also the NATO Bridge Park (Pan-Balkan), based in Split (1996–2001) and Ploce (2001-2005), both locations being Croatian sea-ports. Acting as the principal project and training officer for all military bridging operations in the Balkan region, this on behalf of Engineer Branch, NATO Headquarters, Sarajevo. Awarded  The NATO Medal for campaign service in the Former Yugoslavia in December 2000.  The Commanding Generals (SFOR HQ, Sarajevo) Commendation in February 2001.  The NATO medal for campaign service in Kosovo in September 2001.  Certificates of Appreciation from SHAPE and ISAF in February 2004.  The NATO Medal for ‘Non-Article 5 Operations’ (former Yugoslavia) in December 2004.  The Commanding Generals (NATO HQ, Sarajevo) Commendation in June 2005.

Plant and Transport Manager

• Mar 1993 - Apr 1996

Contracted to the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) during the Balkans conflict, initially a Plant and Transport supervisor but consequently promoted to Manager for Plant and Transport Operations for the Engineering Support Service (ESS) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based largely in Sarajevo but travelling throughout the region with responsible for the management of all UNPROFOR Regional Engineer Unit (REU) assets, personnel and budget management. Additional responsibility including the development of a comprehensive asset management system and training package/programme, the recruitment, selection and technical training of locally hired staff and fiscal responsibility of such.

Maintenance (Mechanical Engineering) Supervisor

• Sep 1992 - Mar 1993

Employed as a maintenance engineering supervisor with a medium/heavy engineering company and directly responsible to the Managing Director for the drafting and implementation of a maintenance schedule (to comply with BS 5750) to cover the whole of the factory manufacturing equipment/plant and replicating this system at a sister engineering facility at another location. Directly responsible for facility management, dealing with contract repair companies and agencies and the procurement and stock management of tools, welding and shot-blast/painting plants, spare parts, oils/ lubricants and consumables, including budget control.

UK Army - Royal Engineers - Mechanical Engineer, Military Engineer & Engineer Resources Specialist

• Sep 1974 - Sep 1992

Joined the Army in September 1974 as an apprentice tradesman (artisan mechanical engineer) in the Corps of Royal Engineers and honourably discharged from the Army in September 1992 under the Governments ‘Options for Change’ Programme (voluntary redundancy) as a senior non-commissioned officer, with four years seniority in rank. Having spent the vast majority of my service career employed at trade, gaining considerable experience of a wide range of construction plant, domestic vehicles and associated engineering equipment and minor project management. Experience in airfield construction, lighting and damage repair techniques, full military combat engineering skills, including minefield clearance operations, explosive demolitions, wide ranging construction projects and in particular improvised and pre-fabricated bridging systems. Seen as a military bridging ‘subject matter expert’ whilst serving in the Balkans, (former Yugoslavia) in 1996-2005 (detailed previously). As an engineer resources and logistics specialist was the senior non-commissioned officer in charge of the engineer resources yard in Al-Jubail (Saudi Arabia) and tasked with the back loading to UK (reverse logistics) of all engineer equipment and materials deployed during the Gulf War of 1990/1991. I have served in Germany, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia (Antarctic), Northern Ireland and the Gulf. Qualified at the highest military level as a Mechanical Engineer (with HNC in mechanical engineering), Military Combat/Construction Engineer and Engineering Resources Specialist. My military conduct was declared as exemplary, culminating in the award of the prestigious Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1990 as well as applicable campaign medals bestowed during my military service.