Gemma joined CookiesHQ as junior project manager 6 years ago. She has played a key role in our team in the past few years, building lasting relationships with all our clients. Today we are promoting her to Client Partner.
Gemma is a self-confessed gin aficionado and pompom maker. She joined CookiesHQ in April 2014 at a time when we were a mere team of four.
Nic had met her when she was working for another company that we were contracting for. When they closed, we jumped at the opportunity to interview her. We knew we would need to hire a project manager a few months later to cover my role as I was due to go on maternity leave. Although we didn’t need to hire someone so early and she didn’t have specific Project Management experience, we recognised that she knew the industry and had been curious enough at her previous job to learn how a digital agency works and how digital projects are run. She was the right fit. It goes to show that, when you find the right person to join your team, being flexible with your expectations and timings does go a long way.
Since joining us, Gemma has built relationships with all our clients and managed most of the projects. She has gained knowledge and trust from our clients and has become an essential team member of CookiesHQ. An all-round good egg, we don’t know where we would be without her!
Her new role will see her stepping away from the day to day management of the projects and taking on a more strategic role, where she will work with the clients on their long-term goals. It’s all about building partnerships with our clients and working with them on the improvement and expansion of their digital products.
This new role also fits perfectly around her working hours as she has returned part-time from maternity leave last year, so she can enjoy time with her daughter.
In her words
How did you first get involved with Cookies?
I worked at a previous company back in 2014 who had hired CookiesHQ for some external development help on a project. The company sadly closed its doors, but Nic and I met during that period of time. Nathalie was about to go on maternity leave and they were looking for a new project manager – perfect timing! The rest, they say is history….
Is there a standout moment in your time with Cookies so far?
Every month, there’s always a new standout moment that replaces the previous! I think every time a client thanks us for our hard work and great results – that really puts what we do into perspective. I love the fact I’ve been managing projects for the same clients since I joined.
What’s the part of the CookiesHQ culture that you have helped develop?
Although I came from a previous creative agency, I started at CookiesHQ with quite a basic level of knowledge on the tech used. I think I’ve made it my mantra that there are ‘no stupid questions’ at CookiesHQ. Whether one of the development team is stuck on a problem, or a new member of the team doesn’t quite understand some of the terminology, we should not be afraid to ask rather than pretend we already know. In many cases, it’s something faced by other people in the office, so it’s best to ask to share the knowledge!
How is your new role different from your last?
I’ll be handing over my project management cap and jumping into a more client relationship role. Instead of managing the day-to-day projects, I’ll be liaising with clients on their overall business goals, and how CookiesHQ can help achieve them.
What are your aims for 2020?
My main aim for 2020 is to develop my new role – doing the best for our clients by developing our already strong relationships into something greater and more powerful. That and getting to bed earlier – it’s a difficult thing to do with a 1-year-old!
Favourite flavoured cookie?
Standard choc chip – what else?!
