Jason Perrin, Operations Manager at RAF Waddington, shares with us what it is like to work at VIVO and what motivates him.

Can you tell us about your role as Operations Manager at VIVO?

I think it’s a rewarding but challenging role. The role requires a consistent and reliable interaction with the station staff and personnel to ensure the infrastructure remains compliant and that we can respond reactively to daily faults and issues. This also includes a number of low value projects we are tasked with to deliver.

I have a mechanical background which helps me to support and provide technical knowledge/advice on heating, industrial doors, cranes, lifting equipment and bulk fuel installation (BFI) equipment. This has expanded into maintaining the main runway taxiways and dispersal surfaces. I also have a responsibility to control working at height duties through an AP position.

What’s a typical day like at RAF Waddington?

The days can be quite varied from one day to another. It could be managing and scrutinising insurance certificates, being out on the airfield looking at surface repair works, signing off work orders, arranging access for upcoming works or even carrying out work in progress checks. It can also depend on the time of year as to what can be thrown at you. We have a varied number of buildings and infrastructure on station, so it is certainly never a dull moment when it comes to reactive and planned maintenance.

I do feel quite lucky to work within a supportive team and between us we manage to meet most targets set so it is always nice when we hear we are getting things right from management.

?What are you looking forward to in the future as a VIVO employee?

I’m looking forward to seeing how the new system evolves. It has been a challenging few months as I’m sure most people will agree but once the necessary changes are made will become quite a powerful platform that will help us move the business forward in the right direction. For me personally I am very driven and have always had a good work ethic, so progression has always been something I try to achieve and is something I will continue to aim for.

?How did you start working in the Defence sector?

I joined the defence sector as a Plumbing & Heating/Mechanical engineer at the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks (Grantham) in 2006 under the management organisation at the time. Shortly after we TUPE’d to Babcock where I carried on in the role until 2009 where I joined Specialist Service and Maintenance Team (SST). This involved working on various sites in the area as a gas engineer and occasionally assisting the team with industrial door, crane repairs and servicing. I joined the RAF Waddington site team in 2011 as a gas, plumbing and heating engineer where I continued in this role until 2015 where I TUPE’d again to Daubney the SME on the previous contract. In 2019 I took on a role as a Delivery Manager and ultimately transferred to VIVO in 2022

I have met some wonderful people in my defence sector career and formed some lasting friendships.

What motivates you outside of work?

It always sounds so cliché but I do like to try and keep active and have always been a keen footballer. Football has always been a huge part of my life for the last 30 something years, so helping with coaching my son’s Greenbank team in the mid-lincs league is very rewarding. I still try to keep my eye in playing, which I currently do for the British Heart Foundation football team. It’s a fantastic organisation where we get to play some great teams and some great venues. We recently played an ex-Imps team full of former Lincoln City players where we raised approx. ￡3000 for the associated charities. We also played a former Hull City team and are set to play at St George’s park the England training camp again in September against another charity organisation.

Apart from my love of football, I would say my biggest motivation is my children, setting a great example to them and giving them the best start I possibly can in life.