CELEBRATING CYNTHIA
A Q&A with Factory Manager Cynthia Aziiba
Q: Tell us about your journey to Royal Crown, and why you decided to join the company.
A: Before joining in Dec 2015 as Supply Chain Manager, I worked with DHL Supply Chain for about three years as the Contract Manager in charge of Diageo’s contract for Ghana, but prior to that I had worked with Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd for 14 years.
Back in 2015, Royal Crown was starting its business operations and looking for a Supply Chain Manager to head the department. I was honoured as the ideal candidate to hold the position, after my interaction with the interview panel. I had to form my team, develop policies, SOPs, and trainings for the department. With the challenges and heavy workloads that come with new business operations, I had to work for long hours under constant pressure (while nursing a five-month-old baby) for the first year.
After a year and a half, there was an opening for the role of a Factory Manager. I applied, went through the interview process, excelled and took up the position with a lot of enthusiasm.
If I am not mistaken, it is uncommon in our part of the world for a woman to be in charge of such a position in a plant operation in the corrugating industry and this makes me very proud and challenges me more. My decision to join Royal Crown was greatly influenced by the fact that it was a solely Ghanaian-owned business. I had an urge to work for a company that was fully Ghanaian, and so this opportunity presented itself at the perfect time, and I was honoured to join the winning team.
Q: What roles and responsibilities do you have as Factory Manager?
A: As the Factory Manager, I oversee the operations of the organisation. I am in charge of the production, maintenance and facilities, and research and development. These departments are predominantly male dominated – close to 100 males. One of our strategies going forward is to encourage females to take up roles in these fields through our career fairs.
My daily operational routine starts with meetings across all functions of the company to discuss plans such as safety, production, dispatches and maintenance for the past 24 hours, and what is expected (resources and materials needed for the day’s operations) for the next 24 hours and beyond. This is followed by my gemba walk to see exactly what we have available and what needs to be done. Every day has its own tasks and challenges to be tackled, and that is what makes it exciting for me.
Q: What advice would you give to other women looking to pursue a career in the industry?
A: One thing I feel is very important is the need for a better gender balance in the packaging and manufacturing industry, especially in the operations section. I would encourage more females to challenge themselves by pursuing careers in the industry.