As Operations Manager for Goodwood racecourse, Sarah Bullen is responsible for the day-to-day running of the racecourse. She tells us a bit about her day and what she loves about her job, from the passionate team she works with, to the highs and lows of working a live event.
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A Day in The Life Of Sarah Bullen
How did you get your first job at Goodwood and what did it involve?
During my first job after university, I attended a meeting at Goodwood and was blown away by the people I met and the buzz of an event build and I knew I had to work here! I kept an eye on the vacancies page of the website and made sure I volunteered for lots of local events to get experience and build my CV. I got a second interview for the original role I applied for which ended up going to an internal candidate. I was so disappointed not to get it but 3 months later received a call from the P&D Team who told me about a different role that had become available. A further 2 interviews later and I was in!
Tell us about how you worked your way up to your current role?
I started at Goodwood 5 years ago as an Event Planner in the Motorsport Division, where I worked for two years on Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival and the first Members’ Meeting. I have since moved to the Sport Division, working as the Assistant Operations Manager and subsequently Operations Manager for The Racecourse.
My alarm goes off at…
…5.30am (but that’s only because I am super keen and try and do exercise before work)
I’m responsible for…
The day-to-day operations of the racecourse, both on and off event. I look after the buildings and facilities and lead a team that operationally delivers every race day and event effectively, efficiently and to a first-rate standard. We are always looking to continually improve and enhance the venue in a profitable, experiential and sustainable manner.
I got my job…
By working my way up through the business and getting involved with as much as possible.
My typical day involves…
A little bit of everything and no two days are ever the same. One moment I could be planning and delivering new event content, then managing budgets, or writing risk assessments, implementing new crowd safety measures, be out directing contractors, the list is pretty endless. On a race day I am in the Control Room ensuring all parts of the event are running smoothly, talking to customers, looking at how the event is functioning and where we could improve, as well as dealing with any issues that may arise during the day.
My most memorable work moment…
The 2017 Qatar Goodwood Festival. The rain was unseasonal and unprecedented and it caused some major operational challenges for myself and my team which, if we didn’t resolve them, would have had a very negative impact on other aspects of the event. Everyone worked so hard that week to keep the event open and running effectively. I learnt a great deal and had a real sense of achievement once it was over.
The worst part of my job…
When we don’t get it right. There is so much that goes into delivering 19 days of racing and when you have over 200,000 people coming to the racecourse you can’t always get it right for every single customer, no matter how hard you try. I always take it very personally if someone hasn’t had a great experience, and while it’s the worst part of the job to hear that I didn’t get it right, it really does help me strive to do better next time.
The best part of my job…
The opportunity to be creative and put my own spin on something. It’s great to see a project through from start to finish, and ultimately watching the customers enjoy something which you helped deliver.
After work…
I socialise with friends or cook dinner and chill out at home.
The best thing about working at Goodwood…
The team I work with. We are all very likeminded and passionate about what we do, which makes coming to work an absolute pleasure, and I think this is quite unique to Goodwood.
What have you discovered (about working at Goodwood) that you never would have known before?
That we make our own cheese and beer.
Who (at Goodwood) would you most like to swap places with for a day and why?
Darren (Noz) Norris The Forestry Manager. His role is so different from my own and it would be amazing to learn something completely new.