Richard Rigby joined the Gripple graduate scheme in 2019. Over his 15 months on the programme, Richard spent time developing his skillset within the sales, marketing, finance and supply chain departments. Richard discovered a passion for analysing data, which lead to the development of a brand-new job role, Sales Operations Manager. This role involves using data to drive decisions within the sales team… something that Gripple had never seen before!

We caught up with Richard to ask him about his time at Gripple so far and how he moulded himself into a never-before-seen job role within our UK sales department.

What attracted you to the Gripple graduate scheme?

As I knew Gripple was an innovative and growing business, I thought joining the graduate scheme would be a great opportunity for me to grow alongside it! I was particularly attracted by the chance to learn about all core business functions and to take part in a Raleigh expedition.

In which departments did you spend time during the programme?

Over the course of 15 months, I did rotations in sales, marketing, finance and supply chain.

What do you think makes the Gripple graduate scheme different to others out there?

The fact that Gripple’s graduate intake is quite small means that you’re guaranteed a personalised and tailored experience compared with some larger companies. Gripple really values its graduates and places a lot of trust in them. This meant that I was able to make a difference and implement many of the ideas I had throughout my rotations.

What was your favourite project from your time in the graduate programme and why?

I particularly enjoyed working in finance, where I was tasked with creating a new sales report to be shared globally with each region. I really enjoyed this project because it enabled me both to develop my analytical skills and to learn more about our different sales regions.

How did Gripple support you as a graduate during the pandemic?

Gripple made sure that my rotations continued, even as we worked from home. My line manager and I had regular catch ups and the office rota meant I was still able to have some face-to-face interaction!

At the end of the scheme, how did you know which department you wanted to choose for a permanent role?

Throughout my various rotations, I identified my passion for analysing data and using this data to drive decisions. At the same time, my manager had identified the need for a data-driven role within the sales team – ‘Sales Operations Manager’ – which seemed a perfect fit. The rest is history!

How did the Gripple graduate scheme help prepare you for life in your new permanent role at Gripple?

The graduate scheme pushed me out of my comfort zone, which really helped to increase my confidence and develop my problem-solving skills.  Learning about all the key business functions has given me an excellent grounding in my new role because I have a much broader understanding of how all areas of the business work.

Check out our current graduate and placement opportunities here:

https://www.gripple.com/gripple-careers/graduates-placements/