My First Few Weeks At Newtrality by Marie Andrew

Marie Andrew’s first few weeks at Newtrality

What attracted you to join Newtrality?

I have been lucky enough to work with a couple of people at Newtrality in the past and had heard through them about what they are building and the importance of culture amongst the team. I was excited to be part of that growth and to support the sector from a different angle, taking learning from across the system to enhance my own expertise and bring greater value to organisations.

What have you been working on so far?

Initially I am covering the maternity leave of our fabulous Business Manager, Zabs, so I have been getting stuck in learning the operations of the business so I can keep the cogs turning and help the delivery team do what they do best with clients. I have also been working on some internal comms things, as well as planning our recent summer staff party, which was the leadership team’s’ thank you for everybody’s hard work – it was a great night!

What’s surprised you about your first few weeks?

Things are pretty pacey, and it feels quite different working for an organisation that isn’t as big as a council, but with that comes closer relationships and a natural eb and flow of expertise as certain people need to be leaned on or need support to address whatever is in front of us. I suppose that’s a long way of saying “agile”!

How would you describe the team and culture?

I’ve never worked somewhere where culture has been talked about and feels as omnipresent as it is here – it really is so important to leaders and that’s refreshing. I was also fortunate to have a decent handover period with Zabs before she went on maternity and am endlessly thankful for her patience during this time! The rest of the team have been really welcoming and I know I can go to any of them for help without judgement – no silly questions!

What are you looking forward to next?

I’m feeling in the flow of things now, so I’m ready to start identifying opportunities to bring greater value to the team and be part of our growth. I recently launched a new intranet site which I’m proud of and want to keep growing it. It’s a busy time with lots of new opportunities coming up, and I’m looking forward to making my impact.

Quick-fire round

Three words to describe your first few weeks: Friendly, busy, learning

One thing you’ve learned already: The power of reputation and delivering meaningful, tangible work

Best part of your role so far: Being able to help the team with whatever they need so they can focus on delivering for clients

Tea or coffee: Neither – I’m one of those rare people who thinks both taste yucky!