When Ross Earl joined Whitbread as an Operations Finance Manager, he brought several years of experience supporting hospitality businesses. But after around 18 months, he was ready to broaden his experience and explore a different side of the business. With encouragement from his manager, Ross applied for a 12-month secondment in the Location Commercial team. It was a move that would help prepare him for his next career step.
Moving into a Location & Strategy Manager role meant stepping away from familiar finance responsibilities and into a team focused on market analysis, potential new hotel locations and commercial planning.
“My boss at the time was brilliant at encouraging me to look at roles at the next level,” Ross says. “It wasn’t just about the immediate step; it was about thinking longer term.”
The secondment gave him the chance to develop new skills, work with different teams and understand the business from a broader perspective. “When you’re in Ops Finance, you naturally focus on your patch. In Location & Strategy, I suddenly saw the whole business from a new angle. It was such good experience.”
During his 12 months in the role, Ross gained experience of managing people, presenting to larger groups and working with stakeholders across the business. It also helped him build the confidence to take on greater responsibility. “Managing people, working with different personalities, presenting in bigger meetings, engaging with different stakeholder groups, that experience made me far more prepared for the senior role,” he reflects.
After completing his secondment, Ross returned to Operations Finance and subsequently progressed into his current role as Senior Operations Finance Manager. “It was a really good stepping stone. I was able to step up, try something new, step back for a short time, and then step forward again at a higher level. It all flowed really nicely.”
Looking back, Ross credits the support of his manager and the relationships he built across the business with helping him progress. But he also believes it's important to be open about your ambitions and willing to explore opportunities outside your existing role.
“Network. Work with others. Communicate your aspirations. And take opportunities when they appear.”