Our people - Skipton Building Society Branch

Together we all get on

Branch Manager Case Study

"Having worked with other financial service providers, the biggest difference I found with Skipton is that they treat you as an individual, as opposed to just another cog in a big corporate machine. This means that even the board and chief executive are approachable, and we regularly get calls from the senior management team to congratulate us personally on a job well done.

"So you certainly get the feeling you're somebody who really matters. And there's always someone willing to listen to your ideas and, just as importantly, quickly take them on board. It's all part of being in what is a very supportive environment.

"So, what makes a good branch manager? Well, with so much going on, strong organisational and time management skills are very important, as are great interpersonal skills. Obviously, you need to be a fantastic manager of people too, with some solid sales experience.

"Yes, it can be quite hard work at times, but we also have a lot of fun. After all, you can't be successful at what you do if you don't enjoy doing it. And having an enthusiastic and motivated team behind me definitely helps.

"It's a team that helped Huddersfield become Skipton 'Branch of the Year' - great recognition for all our hard work, and something that made us all so proud. The prize, a luxury holiday to Iceland for everyone here, was just the icing on the cake really."

Julia Barrow, Branch Manager, Huddersfield Branch