Rouages: “Managing the procurement and setup of equipment at events”
Pascale Hugonnet-Susini is the logistics and events team leader within the Logistics Department. Conferences, exhibitions, ceremonies, as well as vehicle loans and lost and found items… Discover all of her responsibilities in the “Rouages” video series produced by the University of Montpellier.
“We always have people stopping by,” says Pascale Hugonnet-Susini happily, “whether it’s the managers dropping by to say hello or our coworkers. “We’ll talk about what we’re working on right now, and then we’ll have a laugh—we’re always laughing here.” The Logistics and Events Support Department is located on the ground floor of Building 7, just before the coffee machines on the right at the end of the hallway. Behind the doors, everyone is busy with their tasks in a cheerful atmosphere.“There are 27 of us in this department, but the logistics division has three departments spread across several sites. In total, that’s more than 60 employees,” explains the logistics and events team leader.
Highlights of the Year
At the top of the list of her many responsibilities is the coordination and management of events. The president’s New Year’s address in January, the open house in February, Staff Appreciation Day in June, the two-day orientation for new students held at the Jardin des Plantes in September, and the children’s Christmas celebration in December… Throughout the year, Pascale Hugonnet-Susini and her team work tirelessly behind the scenes to make these major, friendly gatherings possible—events that foster a sense of belonging for everyone at the University of Montpellier.“An event like the president’s New Year’s address, which is held between noon and 2:00 p.m., means a full day of work for us on-site, from setting up to taking down the equipment,” she explains.
In addition to these major events, the Logistics and Event Support Department is also involved on a daily basis in organizing seminars, exhibitions, conferences, and more. “In most cases, this involves managing the procurement and setup of equipment—such as tables, chairs, and barriers—as well as tents, a stage, signage, and so on, for events organized by theUM. We work with all departments, whether it’s HR or the accounting office for small supplies, and more frequently with the Office of Campus Life and the Communications Department.”
Found Vehicles and Items
For many University staff members who are accustomed to traveling by car, Pascale Hugonnet-Susini is also the custodian of the keys to the dozen or so loaner vehicles that the “UM ” makes available to the various departments.“I manage the reservations and handle appointments with auto repair shops for vehicle maintenance and follow-up,” explains the team leader.
To find out about her latest assignment, we follow her into a small room next to the logistics and events department.“This is Ali Baba’s cave,” she says as she opens the doors of a closet filled with lost and found items from the university: glasses, headphones, gloves, pouches, bags, as well as clothing and even a few bicycles…“I’ve never found anything particularly unusual, except for a few pieces of forgotten underwear,” adds Pascale Hugonnet-Susini.
From Housekeeping to Logistics
She started at the university 16 years ago as a janitor at the IUT; it was“the great atmosphere in logistics” that convinced her to take the plunge and trade in her cleaning cart for a hand truck and a pallet jack. While she readily acknowledges that the job can sometimes be physically demanding and requires flexibility—"since you might have to work late at night and on weekends"—the team leader insists, "It’s a job I enjoy! We do a little bit of everything; we never get bored." On the other hand, you have to know how to be diplomatic to try to keep everyone happy, but you really feel like you’re making a difference. ” And the best reward for Pascale Hugonnet-Susini comes every year at the end of the year:“It’s Christmas for the children of theUM ’s staff! It’s a busy, tiring day, but seeing all those little kids running around, shouting, and playing—it’s absolutely fantastic!”
