What's your job about?
My employer is a private property developer mainly based in Melbourne but with a large project underway in Adelaide. I am responsible for day to day tasks that assist in the coordination of planning and construction processes, as well as collaborating with sales, marketing and finance teams to achieve this. As several projects are currently approaching practical completion, I am often on site a few days a week conducting inspections or showing various stakeholders through. I spend the remaining time in the office working with Development Managers and Project Managers on other projects that may need feasibilities analysed, drawings reviewed, or tender packages prepared depending on what phase we are at. I work very closely with numerous team members and communicate with external consultants most days to work towards those outcomes. I am fortunate enough to have rotated through most property sectors whilst at MAB including residential, commercial, industrial and land. This means there is great variation in the kinds of environments and people I work with.
What's your background?
I have always lived in Melbourne and went to an all-girls school, then studied at RMIT University in Melbourne’s CBD. I started with an Architecture degree and found I suited something more practical, so changed to Property and Valuations after the first year. I started working at MAB part time in the Graduate Program when I had a year left of study which I found to be a really good balance. I just applied online and had a phone call chat initially, followed by two rounds of interviews. The program was 2 years long, spending 6 months in each division, now having committed to the Project Management Team long term. This may vary given the Graduate program leans more towards the Development Manager side, but there is flexibility within the business to move as needed.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
GIRLS WEAR HARD HATS TOO!! Key skills a person needs to be successful in this industry include good time management, organisation and communication. Being a good judge of character will go a long way too. Project management, property, valuations and construction management backgrounds are all relevant and suit this role. There are even people in the business that have come from engineering or law, everyone’s pathway is different.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
My favourite part of the job is being able to see a project progress from planning to completion. Although I am early in my career, it is exciting to be able to see very literally how the decisions of my team change the final build.
What are the limitations of your job?
This is a pretty comfortable job that doesn’t require weekend work and won’t limit many except for maybe those without a driver’s license. You will likely need a car and to be able to drive as there are frequent site visits for meetings with contractors or to do your own progress inspections. This can also lead to long days on your feet but more so only as completion approaches. Overall, the job is not physically demanding… that’s what the builders are for!
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