Demanding role
Kim Moran-Hogg isn’t a woman who does things by halves. Following a successful career in the Royal Air Force, she now juggles a demanding full-time job and motherhood – and still finds time to pursue her passion for sport, writes Susan Welsh
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KIM Moran-Hogg is used to bucking the trend in male-dominated fields.
Following a successful career in the Royal Air Force she entered the highly competitive world of telecoms sales, bagging a national industry accolade in the process.
Her full-time job as sales director for Highland-based company HIGHnet also coincides with being a busy mother-of-three.
But tackling a demanding full-time job and motherhood isn’t enough to satisfy Kim, who confessed she’d now like to become a football coach.
Her career started with the RAF. During her nine-year stint as an airfield radar technician she became the first female technical instructor based at the RAF’s electronics training school.
“My military background taught me lots of self-discipline and a strong work ethic which has been a great grounding for me and is useful in any job,” said Kim, 42.
As useful as these skills were, Kim never considered using them for a career in the sales industry. But a chance conversation four years ago between her husband, David Hogg, and a business acquaintance changed all that.
“Previously I had no intention of getting into the world of sales, it just didn’t appeal to me,” said Kim, a Glaswegian.
“Having never worked in sales it didn’t occur to me that, if sold properly, there is actually an advantage to the customer, like when they’re getting a superb deal for a really good, valuable product or service.”
Things changed when her husband’s acquaintances, the Siegel family, mentioned they were looking for someone to manage their sales team. The Siegel family run HIGHnet, which at that time, had been established for 10 years and was fast becoming known as one of Scotland’s leading business telecoms firm.
However their rapid expansion and the demand for services meant they needed someone to co-ordinate a national sales team.
“I’m sure they didn’t expect a graduate of Glasgow College of Nautical Studies to be running their sales team,” laughed Kim.
“In reality I think it was a mix of my experience in the telecoms industry plus my military career that got me the job.
“Previously I was head of data product management at Thus, now part of Cable & Wireless and prior to that I was a training team leader for Nortel Networks.
“In both these positions you need to have strong project management and people skills which are ideal for the job with HIGHnet.”
HIGHnet works with companies to provide them with bespoke telecoms support. The technical side of the business is run from the company’s Inverness headquarters and its products and services are sold via a national network of reputable partners, including telephone and IT specialists.
Kim initially joined the company as a channel account manager, but her career has mirrored the expansion and success of the company.
In 2008 she won a major industry accolade, becoming the UK’s Channel Salesperson of the Year and this year she was appointed to HIGHnet’s recently formed board of directors.
“My role is to grow our network of partners so we continue to increase our foothold in the market,” said Kim, who is based in Glasgow but works in Aberdeen and Inverness several days a month.
“I also manage our top client accounts once they are up and running and work with a team of four specialists. “
The firm is currently investing more than £100,000 in staff with the creation of three new roles, and is launching a company-wide incentive scheme which will result in salary increases.
“Longer term I always saw myself running my own business and being on the board means I really have an opportunity to shape the strategic direction of HIGHnet,” said Kim.
“I’ve got the best of both worlds as it’s a family-run company which is very staff-orientated.”
With three children, Adam, 16, Georgia, 12 and Cameron 6, to look after, and a job that takes her all over the country, you would be forgiven for thinking Kim never gets the chance to relax, but you would be wrong.
She burns off her excess energy with sport.
“In my RAF days I used to captain the basketball squad which led to me becoming a qualified basketball coach.
“I seem to have passed on the sports bug to my kids who do everything from horse-riding to football.
“In fact I think if I want to see more of them I will need to become a football coach so I’m currently in the process of looking into that.”
Kim also offers some advice to anyone interested in a career in telecoms sales.
“You have to be determined, reliable and have a strong work ethic. Most importantly you need to want the best for your clients.”
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