role profiles
Please scroll down to view profiles from Escrow Solutions, Consultancy and Penetration Testing.
Team Manager, Escrow Solutions
Name: Nick Frasse-Sombet
Role: Team Manager
Length of Service: 4 years
What does your job involve?
I manage a team of 15 people and provide support and advice to all the team. I help encourage each team member’s personal development as well as longer term career progression. I report directly to the CEO and the Sales Manager. I am also responsible for all team recruitment and manage the relationship with recruitment agencies to help drive recruitment.
How many accounts do you manage now?
Most of my time is spent managing my team so I only manage a handful of accounts.
How do you keep yourself motivated after a while doing the same job?
I keep myself motivated through not only my personal achievements but also my teams achievements. Developing a team member to be able to hit target is a significant motivating factor. Both small and large sales targets help my drive and the potential of high earnings are also factors.
How has your career progressed since joining NCC Group?
I joined NCC Group as an Account Manager and worked my way up to the role of Team Second followed by Team Leader. From this position I moved onto the role of Development Team Manger and more recently I moved to the position of Team Manager.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I feel that the people make a company, and NCC Group has lots of great people contributing to the friendly working environment we have on the sales floor. The services that NCC Group provides are also interesting, unusual and continually evolving, which help keep the job exciting.
What do you want going forward from NCC Group?
Having just moved into the role of Team Manager my next goal is to ensure that I have a successful team which delivers and has increased revenue. Once the team is more stable and integrated then I would consider opportunities including more responsibility.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining NCC Group?
NCC Group is a good company to work for. As you can see from my development here over the past 4 years, there are great progression opportunities for those who want them. The company is very good at rewarding committed individuals.
Senior Account Manager, Escrow Solutions
Name: Lee Brash
Role: Assistant Team Manager
Length of Service: Over 3 years
Is this your first job with NCC Group?
I initially joined NCC Group as an Internal Account Manager. As I developed and my sales figures became more consistent, I was promoted to the position I am in now as Assistant Team Manager.
What does your job involve?
My time at work is split between managing my own client base and mentoring and developing other members of the team. Fundamentally we are all here to sell escrow solutions to our clients, looking after some of our larger, "Blue Chip" clients means that I have to manage my time very carefully to ensure that there is no impact to the service level they have come to expect from NCC Group. Equally important is the development of the newer members of our team, to ensure that each individual team member is not only able to improve their own business level, but more importantly make a contribution towards team targets.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Within Escrow Solutions there is a great working environment and we are a close team. We are well rewarded for the effort we put in and if you are reasonably successful the financial rewards are not at all disappointing. I like the fact that the company regularly offer achievable incentive schemes which change from month to month, not only does this help to maintain your enthusiasm for the job, but there is always opportunity to earn extra cash.
What is your biggest achievement since joining NCC Group?
At the end of this financial year I finished as the top sales person on the escrow sales floor, a fact that was recognized by our CEO. This was largely due to some high profile deals coming to fruition that I had put a considerable amount of work into over the previous six months or so. It’s always nice to be recognized for your achievements I think.
How do you see your career with NCC Group progressing?
For the time being I am very happy doing what I am doing. However, I would certainly look at other opportunities for career development within NCC Group in the future.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining NCC Group?
Escrow Solutions can be a tough sales process at the beginning, patience is most definitely a virtue in this job, however if you put the effort in, you will soon begin to see the results. Once you have established yourself, and the opportunities are within your reach, you will start hitting target and have the potential to earn a very good salary. As you begin to develop your own accounts and build relations with clients you will find the work particularly rewarding.
Internal Account Manager, Escrow Solutions
Name: Caroline Sibley
Role: Internal Account Manager
Length of Service: 1 year
Is this your first job with NCC Group?
Since I graduated from university in 2005 I have worked at NCC Group. This is my first real job in the outside world.
What does your job involve?
The sole purpose of my position is to sell escrow protection to organisations. In order to effectively sell I must spend time building up strong relationships of trust and confidence with my clients. The turn around with escrow is rarely fast so it is important that you build up a trusting relationship with the client.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The best thing about working at NCC Group is that you are rewarded for the effort that you put into the job.
What is your biggest achievement since joining NCC Group?
Hopefully I will have a lot more achievements however; to date it would have to be meeting my first full target. Building a strong business pipeline takes time but it was a great feeling to finally meet my first full target
How do you see your career with NCC Group progressing?
Ideally I would love to have more responsibility, possibly at team leader status.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining NCC Group?
It’s not the typical sales cycle and is not easy at first but you need to be committed to the role. Not every day is a thrill but in the long run the benefits are great both financially and professionally. It is also a great place to work, with a great combination of having fun and bringing in the business.
Code Team Leader, Escrow Solutions
Name: Emma Southern
Role: Code Team Leader
Length of Service: 3 years & 9 months
Is this your first job with NCC Group?
Yes
What does your job involve?
I manage a team of 4 people. I am responsible for the day-to-day running and processing of all Software Escrow deposits. I ensure all Integrity reports are printed on a daily basis and kept up-to-date and deal with all client queries.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The staff at NCC Group make the job enjoyable. I also enjoy the sense of satisfaction when I help solve problems, and provide solutions for team members and clients.
What is your biggest achievement since joining NCC Group?
Being promoted to team leader position.
How do you see your career with NCC Group progressing?
I would like to maintain my current role as team leader and improve my management skills and then be confident and experienced enough to try for a management role.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining NCC Group?
NCC Group is a large organisation with the opportunity for promotion and it maintains a good work atmosphere and added benefits.
Verification Consultant, Verification Services
Name: Shereen Peeroo
Role: Verification Consultant
Length of Service: 1.5 years
Is this your first job with NCC Group?
Yes it is. After studying Biochemistry and Computer Science at University, I spent a year and half working at an IT Consultancy organisation in a Web Development and IT Support role before joining NCC Group as a Verification Consultant.
What does your job involve?
My role involves visiting UK and global client sites, to audit and document the process required to build and deploy software applications from their component source code. At the end of the process, the verified source code deposit is brought back to NCC Group to be stored in secure Escrow storage. A report detailing the processes carried out during the verification exercise is produced; which is subjected to various quality control processes before being issued to all parties and being stored in Escrow.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I mostly enjoy the global travel and client-facing aspect of the job, as we get to work directly with clients from various backgrounds and levels of expertise within a multitude of industries. I also like the responsibility that comes with representing and promoting NCC Group as an independent, unbiased advisor with our client’s interests paramount.
What is your biggest achievement since joining NCC Group?
Recently I provided my professional and impartial advice to help resolve a dispute between two clients with a known difficult relationship. This led to an amicable and successful conclusion for which I was commended.
How do you see your career with NCC Group progressing?
I would like more responsibility and more interaction with the business development side of NCC Group.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining NCC Group?
Upon joining the company I was immediately made to feel part of the team, my new ideas were welcomed and used to help streamline our internal processes. My colleagues went out of their way to help bring me up to speed with the specific skills required for my role for which I will always be grateful. Anyone joining our team can expect that level of support as standard.
Principal Consultant
Name: Ian Lever
Role: Principal Consultant
Length of Service: 6 years
What does your job involve?
I oversee a team of consultants who are responsible for both delivery and major client management functions. On the delivery side, we work with many clients assisting them in their exploitation of technology and processes to improve their business and service performance.
This is a very varied opportunity to help clients with a variety of services such as strategy definition, systems procurement, project and programme management, business process improvement, systems implementation, staffing competency reviews and a host of business/IT related services.
The client management function extends these opportunities to work with the senior management tiers of an organisation. As their strategic advisor, I am responsible for ensuring that all NCC Group resources are coordinated and that we respond quickly and proactively to the clients needs whilst providing clear and strategic advice on further business developments and opportunities.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The variety is the key for me. Working with a whole host or varied clients from public sector through to private sector, each project and client brings with it new challenges and demands. The ability to take those experiences and share them with my other key clients is a win win situation for everyone involved. This approach has helped NCC Group retain its respect as a truly independent consultancy and strategic advisor organisation.
Is this your first job with NCC Group?
Yes it is. Prior to joining NCC Group I spent many years in local government and given that a large proportion of our work is in this sector, it has been a key differentiator from our competitors. Understanding, through actual experience, the problems faced by our local authority clients means that my colleagues and I can deliver real and tangible benefits and not just theoretical solutions which have worked in other sectors. Local government is a unique sector and to provide quality consultancy to those clients, it is essential you understand the day to day issues of budget, political and business drivers and resource constraints that they operate under.
What is your biggest achievement since joining NCC Group?
Providing input into developing a business focussed consultancy model. At NCC Group, all staff have the ability to influence management decisions. Innovation is welcomed and all of the management team including the Chief Executive are very open to suggestions and changes which benefit the business. The changes that I put forward have been implemented and the benefit to our clients is clearly demonstrable.
How do you see your career with NCC Group progressing?
The career path here is what an individual wants to make it. There are clear opportunities to take on a more management focussed role or even to set up a new practice in the organisation which has a sound business basis. This has recently been done with our newly evolved security practice. As for me, I see myself as eventually managing a management focussed practice within the consultancy division but given that there are several opportunities, I will need to consider them further.
What is it like to work for NCC Group? What do you like most about NCC Group?
Excellent. The organisation is not too large for people to get lost within it. Therefore, everyone has a voice and access to senior management is very simple. The management team continue to provide excellent support whilst driving hard for excellence. For me, the ability to manage my time and that of my key clients is a key benefit. Trust is a big part of the company's management approach.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining NCC Group/your role?
I remember that when I joined, it was a hard decision. I was leaving behind a stable environment which I knew well and which was comfortable. However, since joining NCC Group, my opportunities have been massive, my rewards excellent and quality of life has improved significantly. NCC Group is an employer who truly understands the meaning of the phrase 'Work Life Balance'. They should, as we provide consultancy in this area as well!
How does working for NCC Group differ from other consultancy roles?
In many ways, we don't differ that much from other consultancy organisations. The size of our organisation makes us a much more cohesive company and our independence means that we don't have to sell more and more products to our clients. Many consultancy organisations who have grown out of, or are aligned to manufacturers often have to sell solutions which benefit the client and also the parent company. This must be a difficult scenario as those consultants may have to compromise their recommendations to meet their organisational requirements.
As NCC Group is totally independent, we have none of these conflicted demands. Our advice is clear, uninfluenced by manufacturer relationships and is wholly for the benefit of the client.
Team Manager - Senior Consultant, Penetration Testing
Name: Lloyd Brough
Role: Penetration Testing Team Manager - Senior Penetration Testing Consultant
Length of Service: 7 years
What does your job involve?
I am one of the CESG CHECK Team leaders within the NCC Group Penetration Testing department. I also manage one of the PenTest teams.
My role involves Penetration Testing of client networks, including external testing across the internet, internal and application based testing. During the testing we analyse the targets looking for design weaknesses, vulnerabilities and technical flaws. Essentially, we try to break into networks or applications before a malicious hacker, and then provide the client with a comprehensive report for both a management and technical audience.A reasonable amount of time is spent reviewing security vulnerabilities and new technologies to establish how they will affect clients and explaining their impact in terms of business risk.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Quite simply, the challenge of breaking into networks. Applying a security mindset to the different hardware and software we see on a day to day basis means that the work is very varied.
Is this your first job with NCC Group?
I initially started work at NCC Group as a student between my second and third year at university. Following graduation I was employed as part of a Telecom Testing software development team at NCC Group. Shortly after this position, and showing a keen interest in Networking and Security I was offered an opportunity to join the newly formed Penetration Testing Team.
What is your biggest achievement since jointing NCC Group?
I’m very pleased with the growth of the team over the last 7 years. I feel that I have been an integral part of building the Penetration team along with a number of other colleagues. We have a very strong team, both from a technical and consultancy perspective.
How do you see you career progressing with NCC Group progressing?
The Penetration Testing department has grown considerably since I started within the team, whilst operating within a competitive market. I have recently taken the opportunity to do a more management focused role, whilst still having a ‘hands on’ technical role.There are plenty of opportunities within the security field at NCC Group and opportunities to broaden the security area which you work.
What is it like to work for NCC group?
The atmosphere within the team is very relaxed, whilst each member has a responsibility to ensure that a thorough job is done, it is a fun, enjoyable experience and we work well together as a team. There is a large amount of responsibility with the role and the job can be very hard work at times and often a challenge – but ultimately I enjoy doing it.
Consultant, Penetration Testing
Name: Zia Rehman
Role: Penetration Testing Consultant
Length of Service: 2 years
What does your job involve?
My job involves testing the security of NCC Groups clients to confirm they are secure from intrusion attempts via the Internet as well as from internal attacks from malicious employees. The job encompasses the full breath of security testing including infrastructure and application testing, war dialling and social engineering. All of which provide valuable information to identify whether a network is susceptible to attack.
How has your career progressed since joining NCC Group?
Since working at NCC Group I have significantly improved my knowledge of network security and been exposed to an ever increasing number of high profile clients.
Describe your biggest achievement to date?
Identifying and helping to fix serious vulnerabilities in customer networks gives me a great sense of achievement.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The most enjoyable aspect of my job is the variety of the assignments and high profile NCC Group customers I get to work with. Additionally, the large Penetration Testing Team at NCC Group provides a great working atmosphere and environment in which knowledge sharing thrives.
What do you want going forward from NCC Group?
I am currently very happy within the Penetration Testing Team and I would like to continue to expand my knowledge in the area as well as continuing to assist in securing NCC Groups customer networks.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining NCC Group?
I would highly recommend NCC Group to anyone thinking of joining and have in the past done so. The Penetration Testing Team provides an excellent environment in which both experienced security professionals and those starting out in a network security career can learn and progress.