Kristina Kaminski is Operations Manager at Visy’s state-of-the-art Board site in Truganina, Victoria. We caught up with Kristina to chat about her career journey at Visy.
The first time I met Kristina I saw her head out to the floor of Visy’s state-of-the-art cardboard manufacturing operation at Truganina and have a quiet word to a staff member in her team. He nodded to what she said and put in the earplugs that had been dangling around his neck.
“I asked him if he had children,” Kristina said. “And if he likes the sound of their laughter. The safety of my team is one of my top priorities and it’s important we all understand that the rules aren’t just there for the sake of it. They are there to keep us safe and to make sure we can all do the things we like doing, like hearing our kids laughing.”
The approach is typical of Kristina. Direct and practical. Her passion for safety goes hand in hand with her commitment to the team’s development.
“One of the greatest challenges of my role at Truganina is to build a strong cohesive team that will ensure the sustainability of the business and who understand the history and ethos. We need to have the right people in the right roles, heading in the same direction. It’s important to me to help people find the right role for them, so their passion can help them drive results. Sometimes that means helping our best people to grow into their next role within the business.”
Kristina knows from personal experience the importance of driving your own career development. Since starting with Visy less than three years ago as State Technical Manager NSW for Visy Board, she moved into the Manufacturing Manager role at Smithfield and then, in May this year, into the Operations Manager role at Truganina.
“I knew I wanted to be in operational roles,” said Kristina. “I had that discussion with my manager, Fiona MacLeod, when I started and every time there was a task or a project that would take me in that direction, I put my hand up. When Fiona offered me the Manufacturing Manager role at Smithfield I just had to say yes. If you know what you want and you are presented with that opportunity you have to grasp it with both hands.”
The willingness to grasp opportunities extends to development, with Kristina participating in two of Visy’s key leadership programs – Women in Leadership and Operations (WILO) and Leadership Excellence Accelerated Program (LEAP).
“Both programs provide you with networking opportunities, which is essential in a large organisation like Visy. Through the WILO program in particular I was able to receive amazing support and insight from my mentor, Rohan Wiltshire, General Manager – Food Can. Rohan helped me fill in some gaps in my business acumen and strategic planning skills, all of which has been a great benefit in my new role. We continue to meet on a regular basis even though the official mentoring program is over. It’s just one example of the support that is available at Visy for your development. The LEAP program has also provided skills and practice to be able to sell a desired outcome and to bring my team along the journey with me.”
The business and strategic planning advice Kristina received as part of her participation in the development programs is coming to the fore, as she and her team work on the five-year plan for Truganina.
“Our aim is to make Truganina the best it can be. It’s Visy’s most modern corrugated operation, with all the bells and whistles, it’s an absolute pleasure to work here. I am working with the team now on our strategy to grow the operation sustainably, continuing our focus on our customers and growing our people so that we become the place to be at Visy.”
And beyond that aim, Kristina is open to opportunities.
“I just know I want to stay at Visy for the long term, wherever that journey takes me next. It is a fantastic business where you receive support, development opportunities and you can progress your career. Take your career in your own hands, be brave, speak to your manager and you will make your own success,” said Kristina.
Find out more about working at Visy, and explore current job opportunities.
