The culture is open, and very representative of the values of the business. Everyone is friendly, and always willing to help.
What did you do before joining CTB?
Before I joined CTB, I was a Head of Product at a Car Finance company, focused on their B2C customer proposition.
What attracted you to working for CTB?
During the interview stage, I got a real feel for the culture and really appreciated the openness and how personable everyone was. Culture is such a huge part of my decision-making process, so CTB ticked the box. I have also been a strong advocate for DE&I in my previous roles, and I like company’s transparency around its data to demonstrate how they are tracking against their obligations against the Women in Finance Charter, as well as the fact that it is sponsored by a Male ExCo member, which in itself felt like it spoke a lot to the culture of the company.
What roles have you had since joining CTB?
I’ve been working as the Product Manager for Savings since I joined Castle Trust Bank.
What attracted you to the role that you are in today?
The role itself was slightly different to my previous experience and looked like an interesting challenge. I love a challenge, and it felt like a great opportunity to expand my skillset in a different environment.
What (and why) do you enjoy most about the role that you do?
Two things have drawn me closer to loving being a Product Manager: firstly I love interacting with and getting to know people. I am a sociable individual, and my previous career didn’t facilitate or utilise that side of me. Secondly, I love to problem solve – and can get quite geeky about it. The role requires you to really think and understand the problem, the why, the impact, and understand how we can create a solution.
What have you found challenging about your current role?
The stage at which the business is at, and the nature of the products we provide, means we work at pace. Whilst that is something that drives me, it means you have to spin multiple plates with the ability to change track at any point. It is tough to start off with, but once you find your pace and rhythm, it feels less so.
What training and development opportunities have you / are you receiving?
I have had the opportunity to really explore more of the leadership aspect of my role, with an opportunity to take part in internal first line manager training. We have also been discussing other training opportunities to help me with my development plan and career goals within the transformation space.
What are your future career aspirations?
Having always been an ambitious person, and working in leadership roles in the past, I am keen to get back to that pathway. My 5-year goal is to be a Product/Transformation Director – I really want to be able to inspire and lead other Product people, whilst leading change to drive a company’s vision.
How would you describe the culture here at CTB?
The culture is open, and very representative of the values of the business. Everyone is friendly, and always willing to help. Shifting from car finance to a Bank was an interesting step, and at every level (Executive to Apprentices) people have been willing to spend the time to help me get up to speed or even to just grab a coffee for a chat.
What makes CTB a unique place to work?
The culture and its mission! Whilst not aggressive, I think it’s clear about what we want to do and how we want to achieve it at a company level. We are open to challenge on how we do that, with the ability to really make a stamp and difference within the company.