JUMP TO CONTENT

International Women's Day

Posting date: 07/03/2023
In the week of International Women's Day, we are upholding, celebrating and sharing the wonderful stories of some of our inspiring colleagues here at Parkdean Resorts. We have some fantastic leading ladies who are proud of the space they occupy, and who are equally as passionate about creating opportunities in the workplace for the women who come next. Let's hear what they have to say this International Women's Day and why they #EmbraceEquity.


Helen Stuttard, Head of Talent Acquisition

Photo of Helen Stuttard

"I am extremely proud of myself for how my career has progressed.  I started work at 14 years old on a market stall and then went on to work as a waitress in a pub restaurant. I progressed my career in training within hospitality and then moved into recruitment 22 years ago (I know I don’t look that old).  When I reflect back on what got me to where I am today it’s been through drive, passion, surrounding myself with talented individuals, being resilient and networking. I’ve had a number of challenges throughout my career such as Imposter Syndrome (I now know that comes when I am outside my comfort zone but also realise that growth comes from being outside my comfort zone), and working in environments where there’s been male dominance in senior roles in the sectors I have worked in."  

                                               Claire Byles, General Manager at Kessingland Beach

                

Image of Claire Byles

"My professional background was from outside of the Holiday Park industry, but I have loved every minute of my career and most recent role as General Manager of Kessingland Beach Holiday Park. This role has allowed me autonomy to grow my Holiday Park and most importantly, to me, be a leader to my team. I am very proud of my team at Kessingland Beach. We are one team that has service standards at the heart of our being, and this is evident in the improvement of guest and owner satisfaction scores and our general feedback. I am always looking to improve my learning and ability and want my team to be better than me. Their performances are a total reflection of my leadership ability and style. I am proud to stand tall and say I have great communication and leadership skills that can bring the best out of my team. I am also impressed and pleased that I presented a session in front of my 650 peers at the Parkdean Resorts annual conference.  I thought I rocked the Purple Story Hoodie!"

Tilly Davies, General Manager at Withernsea Sands

Image of Tilly Davies


"I am audacious, I am brave, I am a risk-taker and I look for new opportunities.  I came to the UK in 2016 with no idea how to drive on the left-hand side of the road, how to spell colour (color) correctly or input tax returns in the correct date format (dd/mm/yyyy not mm/dd/yyyy… this can cause a whole world of confusion)!  But being proud of who I am, selling my strengths and finding ways to learn and educate myself on my weaknesses has moved me forward within both my career and my own daily life.  I love to network with those that are better than me, celebrate them and gain from them."

Jody Boxall, General Manager at St Margaret's Bay


"Well in the spirit of International Women’s day, here’s my story… 

21 years ago in 2002 with a 1 and a 3 year old in tow, I applied for a position at St Margaret’s Bay holiday park and got the job! Being a mum of little ones at the time I knew there would be some challenges! And there was ..In 2005, I was promoted to Holiday Sales Manager, a great progression step where the team were mostly female. In 2016, I became General Manager and stepped into a largely male dominated area of the business - that became quite clear at conferences when us ladies were sparse! Being in a region of 10 parks and being the only female GM however, was  fun - the band of brothers broken up by a sister! 

To be honest they opened doors for me and pulled my chair out to sit down. 7 years on and I’m still here leading St Margaret’s Bay team where we have well over 200 years of service between us! People ask me all the time “you’ve only ever been at St Margaret’s” and I answer YES because I love it. It’s our park, a family run holiday park operating under a great company umbrella that is Parkdean Resorts… I say family run not only because my now 3 adult children all work here but because the team is a family and I’m proud to have led and supported them with confidence!" 

The Leading Ladies Programme 

The 'Leading Ladies' programme at Parkdean Resorts brings together over 50 women in leadership positions to enable our current and aspiring female leaders to overcome gender barriers and reach their full potential as female professionals.  

Every month the group meet to discuss and share advice on how to overcome the barriers that women are often met with in the workplace, such as effective networking, imposter syndrome,  meeting participation and resilience. They are introduced to and speak with a number of motivational and inspiring guest speakers who help to not only teach on a number of important topics and inspire confidence, but to also provide great opportunities to network which is really important given the number of remote, field based and park based attendees. 

On International Women's Day the group members will be focusing on championing each other and their teams by highlighting the accomplishments of women in their teams, and championing, encouraging and celebrating each other. 

Jodie Smith our consultant managing the role
Posted by Jodie Smith
List #1

Articles you might like

Three women stood smiling at the camera in the linen storage room.
The roles available in accommodation at Parkdean

Teaser

Career Progression

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

09/06/2024

Summary

Working in our accommodation team brings with it a busy and exciting atmosphere, no two days are the same and the work you do directly contributes to the memories guests make at our parks! The locati

Teaser

We’ll break down the roles we recruit for and what you might find yourself doing when you hop on board the accommodation train!

Read more
Hayley  Solvey

by

Hayley Solvey

Hayley  Solvey

by

Hayley Solvey

two members of the Parkdean bar team standing behind the bar and smiling together.
What skills do bar staff need?

Teaser

Career Advice

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

09/03/2024

Summary

It’s no secret that the bar can be a pretty fast-paced place to work.  You’ve got orders coming in, drinks to serve, cocktails to mix, guests to chat with, and a bunch of other on-shift responsibilit

Teaser

There are a lot of skills you need to set you up for success when you're working on the bar!

Read more
Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Image of Michael with Narky
Embracing variety: Michael's path on the sales ladder at Parkdean

Teaser

Holiday Home Sales

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

08/30/2024

Summary

In today's ever-evolving job market, the traditional, cookie-cutter career path is quickly losing its charm.  Instead, picture your career as a thrilling journey filled with diverse experiences, uniq

Teaser

Having the opportunity to move across departments and areas at Parkdean leads to personal growth.

Read more
Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

A smiling bar tender with a red lanyard serving a pint of pepsi.
What do bar and waiting staff do?

Teaser

Career Advice

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

07/30/2024

Summary

You’ve found yourself researching food and beverage jobs, have you?  Maybe you’re looking for something a bit outside of the standard 9 - 5 desk-bound job and you fancy stepping into the buzzing

Teaser

We’ll dive into what bar and waiting roles have in store for you at Parkdean.

Read more
Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

A lady in a suit jacket and leopard print top leaning on a fence in front of a holiday home smiling.
How to become a Holiday Home Sales Manager at Parkdean

Teaser

Career Advice

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

07/24/2024

Summary

Looking for a career where you can create amazing memories every day? You can find that and more in our Holiday Home Sales Manager jobs at Parkdean. Day in, day out, you’ll be an ace at all asp

Teaser

We're here to give you a look into how you can become one of our Holiday Home Sales Managers.

Read more
Hayley  Solvey

by

Hayley Solvey

Hayley  Solvey

by

Hayley Solvey

Image of smiling team member writing 'do what you love' on a chalkboard
Find the Shoe that Fits: Hospitality Careers Offered at Parkdean

Teaser

Career Advice

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

07/22/2024

Summary

At Parkdean Resorts, we can offer you a hospitality career with a difference. Our holiday parks are located in some of the UK’s most stunning areas of natural beauty, where our nationwide presenc

Teaser

Parkdean offers a lot of employment opportunities, both on-site and in our head office - read on to find out more about all our different roles!

Read more
Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

A man in a smart shirt with a purple lanyard on standing on a pathway.
Your checklist for nailing a Complex Manager interview

Teaser

Career Advice

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

07/16/2024

Summary

So, you’re on the lookout for your next career opportunity, are you? Maybe you’ve got some hospitality and management experience, and you’re thinking “What next?”. Well, we think you should throw

Teaser

To smash any Complex Manager interview, you’ll want to have a checklist of the kind of questions that could pop up!

Read more
Holly Baldwin

by

Holly Baldwin

Holly Baldwin

by

Holly Baldwin

A man in a blue shirt smiling and pointing at the camera.
What is the best job to work in the summer?

Teaser

Career Advice

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

06/24/2024

Summary

Although the recent British weather might be suggesting otherwise, summer is right around the corner!  Now is a great time to start thinking about any summer gigs you might fancy when it comes to

Teaser

Whether you’re a student, retiree, teacher, or professional looking to fill an employment gap, summer jobs have a lot of pros.

Read more
Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Image of Richard Snow, Holiday home sales
Holiday Home Sales: a life-changing career

Teaser

Holiday Home Sales

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

06/21/2024

Summary

Do you dream of a career that combines the thrill of sales with the joy of holidaying?  Look no further than a career in holiday home sales! Joining Parkdean Resorts' Sales team might just be your t

Teaser

Do you dream of a career that combines the thrill of sales with the joy of holidaying? Look no further than a career in holiday home sales!

Read more
Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

3 people sit at computers in an office, each has a headset on.
10 reasons to bring your IT career to Parkdean

Teaser

Career Advice

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

06/18/2024

Summary

If hospitality is the stage, our IT professionals are the superstar backstage crew. Working behind the scenes to make sure every project and digital interaction runs smoothly for our teams and h

Teaser

Ready to reboot your career? Read on for 10 reasons to bring your IT career to Parkdean.

Read more
Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Jodie Smith

by

Jodie Smith

Browse Jobs