Introducing our lovely team member Jannette, who has been at the company for over 30 years. Around the office, Jannette is affectionately known as JJ, and has made a big impact on the company during her time here. JJ’s life at Shiels has been exciting, dynamic and full of change that has led her to where she is today.
JJ started her journey at Shiels in May 1992, working as a casual employee doing ticketing a few days a week. When an opportunity arose to manage the wedding ring department, she jumped at the opportunity to learn new skills. It was clear that JJ had a natural knack for identifying beautiful jewellery and quickly went on to become a gold and silver jewellery buyer.
Buying is an exciting and unique department with many aspects to the role that really suited JJ’s style of organisation and fuelled her passions. A highlight for her in this role was working collaboratively with suppliers to select the perfect pieces, predicting what was going to sell and the sense of achievement when a product did well. As part of this, JJ assisted in the production of catalogues, planning and selecting items to be featured. Working in buying taught JJ that she had a real love for beautiful things, and a solidified confidence that she was in the right workplace.
As anyone does, over time we grow and discover new things about ourselves giving us the ability to hone in on our strengths. After many years as a buyer, an opportunity within the company arose to lead the planning and inventory department. Throughout her time, JJ showed a recognised strength in her ability to manage stock, so naturally, she was the perfect fit for the role. While she has all of the organisational and professional skills needed to keep the department running smoothly, she also has a caring and compassionate nature that helped her to manage a younger team.
Over the last 5-10 years, Shiels has continued to grow and expand - opening countless stores and introducing a rapidly growing online department. JJ has evolved right alongside Shiels and has taken every new challenge in her stride such as taking on a larger team and assisting with the stock management for new store openings. She is always looking for new and innovative ways to ensure that our internal stock management systems are up to date and operating effectively and efficiently. In saying that, JJ is a driving force in her department, and is open to changes that will better the company and our team.
We are so lucky to have had JJ at Shiels for over 30 years now, and she reiterates that this company is family. Over the last three decades, JJ has made lifelong friends that have become family to her. Now, JJ’s own daughter works part-time at our support office, which is a sweet sentiment that really shows how family is ingrained in everything that we do.
JJ is a beloved and cherished member of the Shiels team who has helped the company to develop into where it is today. Her career at Shiels has taken many exciting turns, allowing her life at work to stay dynamic and engaging. We are so grateful for JJ and everything that she has achieved during her time with us.
If you're interested in a role at Shiels Jewellers, please visit our careers page.
