Leena Lipponen, Service Manager

Leena thinks the best thing about work is the people

What is your job title and what are your responsibilities?

I work as a service manager in Haapaniemi School’s food service. My duties include taking care of this site, including all matters related to invoicing for the school kitchen and meal orders. I also act as a contact person between the production kitchen, suppliers, warehouse and the customer. In addition to my duties as a service manager, I take care of all the other tasks related to basic everyday food service, such as washing up and serving food.

How did you come to work for Servica?

I worked in wholesale for seven years and when I was on maternity leave in between for a couple of years, I started to think about getting back to my roots, working in the kitchen. Working from Monday to Friday with regular working hours and a regular salary seemed appealing. The working hours are tied to everyday school life, so you also have the same holidays as the school children do. That’s a big advantage. It’s also a pleasant environment to work around young children. Servica is a large and stable company. This provided a lot of security after the years of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have now worked as a service manager at Servica for about two and a half years.

What did you study?

After school, I went to a vocational college and obtained a vocational qualification in restaurant and catering services along with a service manager course. I also obtained a vocational degree in first-level management alongside this job and graduated last autumn.

What’s the best thing about your job and Servica?

The best thing is the people: managers, colleagues and customers. I have had two managers who were both real professionals, each with a big heart. I also love my colleagues and customers. My job is varied and challenging enough, with a good balance between practical work and paperwork that requires concentration.

Servica is a company with a wide range of services, which provides support services in many different areas, so it is possible to apply for a change of job or location within the company if you wish to change to your current job. In my current life situation, I enjoy these tasks and this school, but it’s nice to know that change is possible.

What would you like to say to someone who is considering Servica as an employer?

Servica is a large, stable and good employer with lots of opportunities. People have the impression that Servica is a big and faceless company, but I don’t feel that way. We work in places where the work really matters. We work in hospitals and schools, for example. With us, you get to do work that has value.