Image credit to The Manchester PA Awards.
Emma Thomas has been working with Huddersfield-based Hela Brands, formerly Focus Brands, for over five years now and has recently received the ‘PA of the Year’ award recognising her hard work after being nominated by CEO Ray Evans, with full support from the senior leadership team. Delighted to make the initial shortlist and beating nine other nominees at the Manchester PA Awards, Emma commented:
It was amazing to be nominated for the award and then to go on and win. It was such a lovely way to end 2024. It’s just so nice to be recognized for the demanding work and the dedication that I give to the role and the business.
I think PA and other support roles can often be overlooked within a business, so to be validated and recognised from that point of view is great. Sometimes we’re the unsung heroes within a business. Speaking to my colleagues who nominated me made me feel so appreciated.
Following Emma’s achievement, we sat down with her to reflect on her success and discuss Huddersfield’s growth as a business hub.
What do you think has been the key point to your success in your particular role?
I would say, being adaptable. Within the five years that I’ve been here, the company has changed so much, from management and senior management to the culture and the type of work that we do. I think being able to adapt has really helped – being proactive, spotting issues before they arise, can really help.
Building strong relationships with everyone from the senior leadership team to the other teams within the business is crucial in this role. I’m supporting a lot of different people right across the business. So, to have those trusted relationships, where I can push back if needed, and they can trust me to get the work done, that’s a huge help.
Your role involves diverse responsibilities, from supporting leadership to event planning and health and safety. How do you stay organised and balance it all?
Organisation is key. My to-do list is never-ending and constantly growing, but it’s also critical for what I do—everything gets put on there. I use tools such as shared calendars, notifications, etc., to help with staying organised, but managing my to-do list, knowing what can slip, knowing what needs prioritising is key, and that comes with experience. Again, that’s where those trusted relationships come in, knowing how to manage people’s expectations and not just blindly saying yes to everything. Everyone wants everything done immediately and it’s knowing how to set realistic expectations.
How would you say living in Huddersfield has shaped your success in your role?
Huddersfield is a northern working-class town and I think, within this company, and others I’ve worked with in Huddersfield, people are very professional, but also very down-to-earth. A good sense of humour is important, as everyone’s very busy and working hard, but the character of the local community always shines through!
What are your thoughts on Huddersfield as an emerging business hub, and what are its strengths from a business point of view?
I’m not surprised that our town is an emerging business hub, with its location being right in the middle of some of the big cities in the north, like Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Wakefield, and Bradford. It’s quite a desirable place to live and work, and the business setup costs here are favourable in comparison with our larger neighbours.
We’ve recently had quite a big recruitment drive here and some of the senior leadership team who are from the Manchester area were concerned about finding good candidates, but the opposite turned out to be the case, with Huddersfield’s location playing a significant role in that. A lot of my friends live in Huddersfield and commute out to the cities. So, for those job roles to be available within Huddersfield would be amazing—I imagine the roles would get snapped up!
What advice would you give to young people, or someone looking for a career change, getting into a job role similar to yours?
I would say take on as many different skills as you can. For me, success stemmed from doing a variety of other roles. Since returning to work after having children, I have been able to transfer those skills to my role as a PA.
What do you think businesses in Huddersfield can offer employees looking for local roles?
I used to commute to Bradford and Wakefield, but after having children, I wanted something local. I actually took a part-time role, and then as the kids have grown up a bit, I’ve taken on more hours. This is where I think businesses that offer a bit more flexibility to employees can succeed in finding great candidates, because there are a lot of working parents out there who don’t want to commute, who want something local.
What do you love about Huddersfield? And do you have any favourite places to visit?
I’ve lived in Huddersfield for 23 years now. I love the fact that it’s a very urban town, but you travel down the road 10 minutes and you’re in the middle of the countryside. You’ve got the Peak District on the doorstep and the Pennines. I also love the diversity of the town—the community spirit makes it feel like a small town, despite its size.
How do you see your role evolving in the next year? Do you have any trend predictions for your job sector for 2025?
In the last year, my role has evolved quite a bit. I’ve definitely taken on a lot more responsibility, managing a variety of projects. The senior leadership team in this business is very talented and ambitious, they’re constantly looking for new opportunities. So, who knows? I’m just happy to be here and to take on more challenges and more projects.
In terms of predicting trends, there are expansion plans for the business, and I think this could lead to more job opportunities over the next year or so.