Celebrating Alison’s Sandpiper Story

Alison’s journey with SandpiperCI began back in 1993. Alison first joined Le Riche (Sandpiper’s former company name) as weekend staff working in food retail brand Tradesaver. Once completing school, Alison join Sandpiper full-time. A few years later, Alison took step up into the Cash Office within Tradesaver and subsequently moved into the Cash Office within food retail convenience brand Checkers Xpress.

Fast forward to 2001, Alison moved to the Product Maintenance department before being promoted to Manager just a few years later in 2005. Alison comments; “I very much enjoyed the work involved in creating new products and promotions. With changeovers and price changes every day this role was non-stop.” Alison worked closely alongside the Buying team and Store Managers, allowing her to make new connections and further showcase her dedication to the business. When it was announced that the Product Maintenance function was relocating to the UK, Alison was then responsible for training the new team.

In 2006 Alison transferred to our Payroll department as an Administrator, and since 2008 has held the Payroll Manager position – responsible for running payroll for our 1,000+ work force across multiple jurisdictions!

When we asked her about her current role, Alison said “I love my job. I still get a buzz every month on BACS day when the payroll is complete and it’s time to push that button that closes the payroll for the month.”

With that we will leave you with Alison’s closing thoughts on her time over the last three decades with the company.

“In 2013, SandpiperCI encouraged me to take my Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualification – nearly 20 years after I left school! This allowed me to work closely with the HR team. Throughout my 30 years at SandpiperCI, formerly known as Le Riche and CI Traders, I have found the business to always have been a leader in colleague welfare. After my first child, I returned to full-time hours after a while and three years later took maternity leave for a second time. I returned to work full-time when my second son was six weeks old and had the full support of the business.

I have progressed through the business at a steady rate until finding my forever role in the Payroll department. I enjoyed the shop floor work and the customer interaction and am fondly reminded of this when we are called upon to assist our colleagues at Christmas and busy times.

I am grateful to SandpiperCI for the career I have had and the roles that I have learned from.”

We are so lucky to have a colleague like you Alison, you are a true asset to the company!