Hi Sam, hope you're ok. Can you paint a portrait for us of yourself and your role?

Hi, I’m Sam. I’ve been at Kraft Heinz for 18 years now. With a background in science, I have spent most of that time working in food safety and quality, focusing on packaging technology and supplier management. About four years ago, I made the move into procurement to gain a new perspective on the business and to challenge myself with new opportunities for growth. In my current role, I’m responsible for driving improvements through new technologies - enhancing our ingredients, packaging and processes to support both productivity and innovation.

What does a typical working day look like for you?

My role breaks down into three main areas: managing the development of business cases to demonstrate the value of new opportunities, managing strategic programmes and high impact projects and coaching and developing others. While no two days are the same, you’ll normally see me on Teams where much of my time is spent collaborating across departments, gathering critical information, tracking progress on initiatives and providing guidance and support to colleagues and my team wherever it’s needed.

What motivates you to do what you do?

I love seeing a project go from a very basic idea through to implementation where you see the benefits come to life but also see the development of people and the change in mindsets along the way.

What is/has been your favourite aspect of being part of the collaborative community through the Health Innovation Campus?

My office is based in Wigan but I mostly work from home to avoid the commute. That said, working from home with small children can definitely have its challenges. After returning from maternity leave last October, I started looking for a remote workspace in Lancaster and I was so impressed when I found the HIC. It’s made a huge difference to my work-life balance. The facilities and workspaces are perfect, but what I love most is the atmosphere. There’s such a positive energy that really helps keep you motivated throughout the day.

What future projects and collaborations are you excited about?

I’m really looking forward to joining more of the Collaboration Cafe events - they’re always so interesting. Even though people come from all kinds of industries, from healthcare to manufacturing and beyond, we often face similar challenges. It’s fascinating to hear how others are tackling some of these opportunities and what’s changing in their world. I’m also excited to keep meeting more co-workers -whether it’s for a coffee, lunch or just a quick chat to break up the day.