2:40 min read
When newly appointed Humpty Doo store manager, Belinda Whitefield, speaks about her 27-year tenure at Woolworths Group, her eyes fill with tears.
“It is everything to me,” says Belinda, who met the love of her life, Ross, at work at Woolworths Leanyer in the Northern Territory back in 1998.
“Woolworths [Group] has given me every opportunity I've had. It has given me stability in my life, I met my husband, it has given me a great friendship circle and the opportunities to learn from a lot of great people and mentors,” she says. “Woolworths has given me interesting people to meet and, importantly, the opportunity to give back to the community.
“I can honestly say, I've never been bored a day in my life working for this company.”
The proud Darwin local started her tenure at the age of 22 at the Leanyer store on September 15, 1997, packing bread rolls in the bakery.
She moved to a management position within the bakery while doing her baking and pastry chef apprenticeship at trade school.
After having her children, Tyson and Sammie, Belinda moved into several leadership positions including assistant store manager roles at the Coolalinga and Gateway stores.
She names her driven and inspiring former store managers, Carly Jones and Simone Pietrasik, as her mentors during those postings, who uplifted and encouraged her personally and professionally.
“Simone was the person who really built me up and backed me,” says Belinda. “She saw my potential and always put me forward for opportunities.
“Carly and Simone really helped me on my journey, as well as so many others – too many to name – at Woolworths Group.”
The highlight of her career, though, is undoubtedly her recent appointment as store manager at Humpty Doo – a popular town for tourists travelling between Darwin and Kakadu National Park. She will lead 80 team members and serve the tight-knit community through a myriad of fundraising initiatives.
“I started crying,” she says of her appointment. “All l wanted to do was rush home and tell my husband. It was pretty special.
“I am really excited. The team is really passionate, really kind and there’s a solid sense of community here.”
Group Manager Daniel Palumbo says Belinda’s unwavering dedication and ability to listen to her team and serve the community made it an easy decision following an eight-week relief period.
“During her relief period, she immediately took ownership of the store as if it were her own,” says Daniel. “Belinda was passionate about her team and the community. She made it her priority to ensure that the team was heard. This translated to her customers and the community, and she became a valuable asset to the store.
“Seeing her face when I appointed her told me how much it meant to her. It was a real highlight for me, too.”
