In 2010, Mark co-founded Optimo Care Group with Richard Walker. Over the past 10 years Optimo has gone from strength to strength, becoming a market leading regional care provider delivering over 25,000 visits every week to service users in the community.
At Optimo, I help lead the Business Development aspect of the business. Focusing on acquisitions, marketing, highlighting and reducing inefficiencies in existing business processes, and mobilising new technologies into the business to drive Optimo forward.
From 1997 to 2015 I worked for 3 other Recruitment Agencies within different sectors of the market, from Commercial, Driving, Logistic, and Manufacturing and latterly within the Retail sector. I worked with Blue chip retailers to recruit and supply National Merchandising Managers and Team Installation Staff.
Although I still loved the all-encompassing role in 2015 I decided to look for a career within a Company rather than a Recruitment Agency. I was delighted to be offered the position as Group Recruitment Manager for the Optimocare Group of Companies.
Having no previous experience working within the Care sector I found the role a real challenge for the first few months however, the other Senior Managers, Registered Managers, Operations and wider Teams were so supportive. I soon settled in and now five years later I feel like I have been part of the Group forever. My current role includes the delivery of a first class recruitment service to all areas of the business, working with Care Service Managers to ensure that we have healthy pipelines of quality candidates for each area. Also that all recruitment activity is conducted in line with best practice and regulatory requirement including sector specific CQC.
In addition to my role at Optimo Care Group, I am a trustee of two local charities whose aims are to build a stronger community and enrich lives by supporting individuals and organisations in need. This work complements my role at Optimo Care Group and enables me to make a real and tangible difference to my local community.
As a qualified bookkeeper and having worked for large international companies and smaller SMEs and charities, I have a broad range of experience in finance as well as customer service and facilities management. Outside work, I am a volunteer with the local community support group.
I joined Optimo Care in 2014 once I’d completed my studies and felt ready for a new challenge within one of the most rewarding sectors, Health & Social Care.
The HR Team has a department of 4, supporting all employees based across our Group and we aim to uphold the Company vision, to deliver a service that we’re proud of.