At Amici, we know that our business is only as good as our people. That is why we pride ourselves on hiring and retaining the best talent. We have over 50 passionate employees who are dedicated to providing an exceptional customer experience to our clients. Amici is a great place to work where we encourage everyone to be themselves. We collaborate and strive to make each day a success. Don’t take our word for it, though, discover more from some our talented team members below!
Name: Fiona Young
Role: Product Manager
Joined Amici: July 2009
Fiona Young
How did you end up at Amici and what is your role?
I joined the Amici team way back in 2010, following a PhD and postdoc in microbiology. I had loved working on the commercialisation of my research and was keen to explore a career out of the lab. I’m glad I did, and I’ve been lucky enough to work in multiple areas of the business from the Sourcing Team to my role now as Product Manager. My role is a broad one, and focuses on ensuring the success of our software, from concept to commercialisation. As part of my role, I also manage our top data team.
What does a typical day look like at Amici?
Almost every day at Amici is different! A large part of my job at the moment is to manage our new Integration Hub, and to build the workflows and LEAN processes that come with rolling out a new product. I spend part of each day speaking to clients and project-managing their software integrations. I also work closely with several Amici teams, spending time working on projects. I’m working with the Data and Sourcing teams just now to optimise data for products which are impacted by the COVID pandemic.
What is your most memorable experience with Amici?
We have a great culture at Amici so having been part of the team for so long, there are too many memorable experiences to count. Most recently, some of us got roped into a virtual “Turkey Trot” to celebrate Thanksgiving. This involved getting dressed up in a ridiculous costume to run 5K. I did question the things I do for my job when running past WH Smith in a chicken outfit, but it was all great fun and everybody was buzzing afterwards.
What makes Amici different to anywhere that you have worked before?
Amici is faster-paced than anywhere I have worked before. We evolve quickly as we grow, adapting to the needs of our clients. What really stands out is the genuine commitment from everyone to drive improvements and deliver an outstanding service to our customers.
What does it take to be successful at Amici?
Three key things I find are essential for success at Amici. Be impactful – identify and prioritise projects which will deliver the most value. Be curious – challenge yourself to keep learning and improving. Be conscientious – focus on making a real difference to our clients and colleagues.
What career development have you experienced with Amici?
Amici is very supportive when it comes to training and development. Having worked across multiple departments, I have experienced career development in many areas from excellent internal training courses taking advantage of Amici expertise, to external training in new areas which help us to grow as a company. There is no limit to learning at Amici!
If you’d like to find out more about my role at Amici, please get in touch.
Name: Louise McIntosh
Role: Tech Team Leader
Joined Amici: July 2015
Louise McIntosh
Tell us about your role at Amici?
I am the Tech Team Leader. We are a team of Buyers who source and negotiate any items that customers need which aren’t already on the MyAmici platform. That includes anything from pipette tips to proteins, rare chemicals to foetal bovine serum! We handle the day to day reactive sourcing needs as well as supporting customers using the system, working with suppliers and just about anything else they need!
What does a typical day look like at Amici?
We start each day with a team call – it’s important for us all to keep in touch as well as discussing important work-related issues or projects for customers. I then will check in with my team for 1:1s as required and work on customer requests. We also manage some pricing that is hosted on the MyAmici system and might address some supply issues with suppliers and customers. I host training for the team in areas that need improvement and development. Sometimes I attend customer review calls for general reviews or specific projects and support my team in supplier meetings or negotiations. It’s a very varied job and no two days are the same!
How has your career developed since working at Amici?
I came to Amici from Hospitality as an Equipment Buyer. It was a big change for me but with a lot of surprising transferable skills. I had a very steep learning curve right away – familiarising myself with our customers, suppliers and the industry in general. I had some tough tasks and projects to work on and I learned really to be tenacious and always strive for improvement. I was made Senior Buyer and then I was the Team Leader for the Equipment Team. When I came back from maternity leave I was given the opportunity to work in the Category Team where I was Senior Buyer for consumables. This gave me a chance to plug some skills gaps and gain experience in areas of sourcing I never had before. Next up, in February this year, I was asked to move for yet another experience as Tech Team Leader which is my favourite and in a lot of ways, most challenging role so far. 2020 has been quite a year! I feel like I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else but in this industry, working with customers to help with some of the most challenging supply issues we have ever had to face. We’ve worked remotely and the team spirit has taken us seamlessly to working at home and able to maintain our culture and amazing results for our customers.
What do you love about Amici?
The thing I love the most is the people. We have been through a lot together! We have grown the business a lot and that comes with challenges. Challenges are great and mean that every day is different and we are never bored! It is very rewarding to contribute to a business and see its growth and success but especially the growth and success of our customers. To be part of such important work is really amazing.
How would you describe the culture at Amici?
The main thing is how supportive the environment is. We are really a team – in the immediate teams as well as company wide. People are encouraging and supportive. The company cares about its employees and the employees care about the company. Everyone plays their part in maintaining the culture. It’s rare and I haven’t experienced anything like it before.
What advice would you give someone thinking of applying to Amici?
Do it! You won’t regret it! Show off your strengths but appreciate your weaknesses – we all have them – what’s important is that we work hard to improve and to always learn. Think about what you enjoy about a challenge and what you really want in the company you will work for.
If you’d like to find out more about my role at Amici, please get in touch.
Name: Iain Shepherd
Role: Technical Buyer
Joined Amici: May 2018
Iain Shepherd
How did you end up at Amici and what is your role?
I came to Amici moving from one of our major suppliers. I had always liked the friendliness and professionalism of the staff when I had dealings with them. I also already knew someone who worked within Amici and they were able to tell me how great the culture was. As soon as I saw an opening I applied and fortunately I got the job.
My current role is as a Technical Buyer at Amici helping our clients to source vitally-needed items at competitive prices.
What does a typical day look like for your team?
A typical day for my team will involve lots of fast-paced and challenging work alongside a healthy dose of friendly banter. We are on the frontline helping clients get their hands on items which are often under constrained supply. Working with them to ensure we understand their needs and find an ideal solution. Timelines tend to be tight and we spend most of our day speaking to people on the phone and by email to ensure we are getting the job done. Of course, it’s not all work and no play, we have a team call every couple of days to keep us all connected and we often exceed our 30 minutes with some hilarious chat.
What is your most memorable experience with Amici?
One of my most memorable experiences has to be the rapid reaction to COVID-19. I remember that the company took the time to ensure employees where informed about extra measures and the situation. As soon as it became clear that infection rates where spiking, and before it was government mandated, the company had everyone working from home and they ensured that everyone had an effective setup at home. It really showed me that the company cared about its employees and was putting our safety first.
What makes Amici different to anywhere you have worked before?
Many places claim to have an open-minded and blame-free culture but at Amici it is not only said but also practiced and is as clear as day. It’s a place where ideas are listened to, mistakes used to learn, and every opinion is valued. If you have an idea, problem or question the senior leadership and IT team are only ever a few desks (when in the office!) or phone call away. This encouraging atmosphere and easy friendly access to key staff means Amici can be dynamic and truly onboard the ideas and thoughts of all its employees.
What does it take to be successful at Amici?
Many of the same things it takes anywhere else. Hard work, ambition, a bit of innovation but above all else a good attitude is what makes you thrive at Amici. We are a positive bunch and always approach things with an optimistic mindset. If you can take on challenges believing you will succeed and keep a smile under pressure, then you will fit in perfectly!
What career development have you experienced with Amici?
I started off my career in Amici as part of our Order Management Team in a customer service management styled role. This was very similar to what I had done previously, and I really enjoyed my time working in this role but after a couple of years I decided I wanted to try something new. The company was very supportive in helping to assess if the procurement role I had become interested in would be a good fit for me and once I had moved over the support to help me learn and grow was excellent. Amici is very good at aligning the business and employee needs so that the staff and company can grow together.
If you’d like to find out more about my role at Amici, please get in touch.
Name: Lauren Strachan
Role: Assistant Buyer
Joined Amici: July 2019
Lauren Strachan
How did you end up at Amici and what is your role?
A friend of mine worked at Amici and knew I was looking for a job that had more opportunity for progression. So when a vacancy came up, she recommended me for the job! My degree was in Health and Social Care and my background was in hospitality so that mix of science and customer service has served me well as an Assistant Buyer.
What does a typical day look like for your team?
The Buyers and Assistant Buyers are part of the Sourcing Team. Customers submit requests for items they’d like us to source and detail any pricing or product specifications they have. If more information is required, we’ll get in touch with the customer to ensure we understand exactly what they need and how we can best help. After that, it’s a case of using our expertise to reach out to suppliers, determine appropriate options based on the discussions with the customer and negotiate the best price we can.
What is your funniest experience with Amici?
No matter how serious things get or how difficult a day you’re having, you’ve always got the rest of the team to make you laugh. Amici has lots of social events; I’ve hosted a few quizzes myself and we all end up in stitches because everyone’s up for throwing themselves head first into fun. A firm favourite was Iain ‘attempting’ to hum ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ by Slade to the rest of the company and no-one having a clue what it was supposed to be. I had one of those laugh-so-hard-that-you-cry moments!
Describe the culture at Amici and how it’s different from your previous job. What is unique?
I’ve never worked anywhere like Amici. I didn’t think jobs existed where starting at 10am was acceptable, a mistake was seen as a learning experience and everyone in the company gets along. But they exist here and I’m grateful every day to be part of a company that values its employees like Amici does.
What does it take to be successful at Amici?
Confidence, good communication and always putting the customer first. As we’re working on behalf of our customers, you’ve got to always act in their best interests and have the confidence to do so. Effective communication is critical for liaising with suppliers and for ensuring customers are kept up to date on how you’re working to help them.
What advice would you give someone thinking of applying to Amici?
Do it! The only difference between you today and a year from now are the people you know and what you’ve learned and there are so many wonderful, clever people to learn so much from at Amici.
If you’d like to find out more about my role at Amici, please get in touch.
Update: Lauren has since been promoted to Technical Buyer at Amici.
Name: Emma Large
Role: Global Asset Operations Manager
Joined Amici: March 2018
Emma Large
Tell us about your role at Amici?
I have the pleasure of leading the Asset Suite Team which covers the complete end-to-end lifecycle of equipment for all our UK based clients. I’m responsible for the overall strategy and vision for the team, through to operational management and people performance.
How does your team contribute to the success of Amici?
My team provide an invaluable service to our clients in the procurement of laboratory equipment and on-going maintenance of their equipment. We offer a broad range of support to our clients from sourcing small individual pieces of benchtop equipment through to the management of large and complex equipment lists for lab expansions and relocations. We also have responsibility for our Asset Management solution, giving our clients full visibility, and operational control over their assets, service contracts and maintenance.
My team take the time to understand our client’s needs, before liaising with suppliers to source the most suitable options. The team are constantly working hard to ensure the smooth delivery of goods to meet our client’s expectations.
Over the years, the team has gained and built invaluable relationships with suppliers and clients, to ensure a successful business within Amici.
What is the funniest experience you have had with Amici?
During 2020 lockdown, the whole company took part in a huge variety of events from yoga to virtual magician shows, to help keep morale high and reward everyone for their hard work and dedication during a very challenging time. Our 2020 Christmas party will definitely go down in Amici history as one of the funniest company-wide zoom sessions, with a few members of the company challenged to hum well known Christmas tunes at the virtual quiz. Let’s just say, Britain’s got Talent isn’t missing out!
What makes Amici different to anywhere you have worked before?
Amici is constantly driving innovation, challenging all staff to critically evaluate what we do on a daily basis to identify areas where improvements can be made.
How would you describe the culture at Amici?
Amici has very positive workplace culture, where the employee’s welfare, success and reward are always considered.
What advice would you give someone thinking of applying to Amici?
If you’re looking for an equally challenging and rewarding role, then Amici might be the right company for you.
If you’d like to find out more about my role at Amici, please get in touch.
Name: Ryan Morrison
Role: Logistics Suite Operations Manager
Joined Amici: April 2016
Ryan Morrison
How did you end up at Amici and what is your role?
After completing a PhD I considered remaining in Academia but decided that working in Industry was for me. Immediately after University I worked for an early stage start up based in London for 1 year before joining Amici in 2016. I’ve had a number of roles in my time at Amici and am now the Logistics Suite Operations Manager, looking after our customers who use our Inventory Management and Incoming Inspection solutions.
What does a typical day look like at Amici?
My role is quite varied so there really isn’t a typical day. On any given day I could be doing a number of things, ranging from demonstrating our solutions to prospective customers, working on an implementation plan for a new customer or even supporting our existing customers with the day to day use of our solutions. It’s a fast paced role with a lot of responsibility but that’s what I enjoy.
What is your most memorable experience with Amici?
When I look back on my time at Amici I can’t believe I’ve been here almost 5 years, and there’s been a lot of memorable experiences in that time. On my first work trip to the US, being made to pose with a surfboard in the Pacific Ocean for a photo op has to be up there – and no the photo will not make the public domain. But seriously that whole trip was very memorable – myself, our CEO Caroline and Laura from the US sourcing team went out there to support one of our first US customers through their implementation with Amici. It was a big project with a lot of up front preparation and lots to pack in during the week we were there but also very satisfying when we signed it off.
What makes Amici different to anywhere that you have worked before?
In past roles I’ve witnessed first hand how easy it can be to lose sight of what really makes a company a good place to work, especially in fast paced environments. But the culture at Amici makes sure that doesn’t happen. All our staff get the support they need, whether that’s from Management or colleagues and the work you do every day is recognised and rewarded. On top of that – every day we are supporting some of the most exciting and important work in the Biotech industry, whether that’s customers who are developing new Cancer treatments or manufacturing vaccines for COVID-19 – it’s easy to see how meaningful and important our work is. What’s also important for me are the people – everyone is so friendly and we are all in it together.
What does it take to be successful at Amici?
The main thing for me is always be willing to grow, whether that’s in a technical skill, improving your communication skills or growing as a leader. The opportunities are there for you at Amici and if you’re willing to grab them, have the drive and determination to develop yourself and others around you then you will do well at Amici.
What career development have you experienced so far?
There have been a number of things that have supported my career development at Amici, including access to excellent training in house or from external providers and having the opportunity to learn from more experienced colleagues. I’ve been given a lot of opportunities but without the support from the whole team it wouldn’t have been possible to progress the way I have.