firmus Energy is a local natural gas supplier providing safe, practical and environmentally-friendly natural gas to more than 80,000 homes and businesses across Northern Ireland.
The company meanwhile has ambitious plans to invest around £120 million in Northern Ireland over the next six years, developing its network and making natural gas available to more than 170,000 homes and businesses.
Sue Robinson, HR manager for firmus Energy outlines their vision and future plans, and explains what makes the company one of the leading employers in Northern Ireland today.
What do you do?
firmus Energy is responsible for the construction and operation of a natural gas network of over 1,100km in over 30 cities, towns and villages across Northern Ireland. As well as connecting over 30,000 customers across its own licensed area, firmus Energy also supplies natural gas to over 50,000 customers in greater Belfast.
What type of roles do you have available?
We have exciting and challenging roles such as network engineers, accountants, energy/sales advisors, customer services and customer billing assistants and graduate placements. Due to recent promotions, we are currently recruiting for business analysts, customer services, billing and reception roles on a permanent and specific purpose basis.
Why should a jobseeker apply for a job with your company?
We offer competitive salaries, plus fantastic benefits packages including Performance Related Awards, 25 days annual leave (plus statutory and company days), stakeholder pension scheme, life assurance, permanent health insurance, free parking, a childcare voucher scheme and great training and development opportunities.
We have an employee led Corporate Social Responsibility Team, with members from all roles and departments within the organisation. They play a key role in developing our fundraising and CSR strategies.
We also offer internal career development for our employees with over 50 per cent of our team progressing to new roles within the organisation. Our team are dedicated to what they do. Almost half of our team having been with us for five years or more.
Our people are our future, would you like to be part of it?
What application advice would you give jobseekers?
Always research the company and have a good knowledge of their background, operations and future plans. Give specific examples of what you have done in previous roles, rather than what you would do. Above all, be yourself – we want to hire the person we meet at the interview.
Chris McKeown and Lynda Millar are both employees of firmus Energy.
Chris first came to firmus Energy in 2008 during his placement year. He spent a year with the Engineering Team, before going back to Queen’s University, Belfast where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering. After graduating, Chris then applied for a graduate engineer role and joined us on a permanent basis in 2012, and in 2015 was successful in his application to become a network engineer.
Chris is now a key member of our Engineering Team. Chris said: “Not only is firmus Energy a great place to work, but they have also helped me progress in my career and personal development. I came here as a shy, but determined placement student, and nine years later, I am now a qualified Network Engineer with a young family of my own.”
Lynda joined firmus Energy in 2007 after graduating with a degree in European Studies and Spanish. She was initially employed as central services assistant, and was promoted to business analyst in 2010. In 2014 Lynda was promoted to pricing and risk manager, a role she currently holds today.
Lynda explains: “Little did I think when I first started here in 2007, that 10 years later, I would be managing a key team within the company. I have spent almost a third of my life with firmus Energy, they have given me the opportunity to grow and develop both personally and professionally. Through firmus Energy I was able to visit Guatemala with Habitat for Humanity to help with their build project. The company has provided me with fantastic training programmes and support, which has enabled me to progress into a management role.”
Visit NIJobs.com to view current opportunities at firmus Energy
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