Careers & working with us

The prospect of completing projects and providing exceptional service while knowing I will be well rewarded for my efforts provides my motivation. Knowing the harder I work the more my family will benefit ensures I work to the best of my abilities every day.

In the summer, a great deal of extra works are undertaken which can mean early starts and working over the weekend. This extra work is not only positive in terms of financial rewards but also in terms of my personal health. I have spent more time outdoors, in the countryside and exploring various parts of the UK than I would have in any other profession.

I am often involved in planting shrubs and trees while also providing follow up maintenance works. I recently supervised a planting and maintenance project and was blessed with an incredible feeling of accomplishment to see my team’s work blossom into a beautiful planting scheme on a previously bare location.

One of the most exciting prospects of my job is that every day is different from the last. One day I could be spending a day mowing a lawn on the side of a river bank on a warm summer’s day and the next I will be working on tree maintenance projects in the middle of a forest. This job is far from monotonous and it is this aspect that keeps me looking forward to every new challenge.

I know I get out what I put in, so the harder I work alongside my teams the more able I am to provide for my family.

The anticipation of not knowing what each day is going to bring is what keeps me excited and looking forward to each day at work. In the rail industry you are often dealing with a 24 hour service meaning you never know what is lying around the corner, so my most valuable quality is being able to react to each job as it arises.

Each challenge is different from the last meaning you can never be standing still or you will fail to overcome the next obstacle. To be available for each client at any hour of the day is an exceptional thrill, while nothing can beat the feeling of knowing you have been able to complete a job safely and efficiently.

The reality of my job is that it is 24 hours a day. You need to be available for multiple clients, especially within the transport industry where a single incident can lead to a backlog of delays across a whole network. The role is extremely reactive and very much the opposite of planned grounds maintenance work. Clients here expect instantaneous responses with fast results to ensure minimal disruption to track lines.

Despite it being an endless task to ensure the smooth operation of multiple client tracks and access routes, I know I am making a difference for thousands of people commuting each day. Additionally, you can complete multiple jobs for a single client and each one is as satisfying as the last because you are able to build a lasting and trusting relationship indicating that they not only believe in your service but also rely on it.

Despite being able to organise yourself, your work and managing large-scale projects, there is little consistency in terms of daily hours; however, this is something I love! Some days you could spend 8-9 hours travelling in the car. Yet on the flip side you are also able to work in the comfort of your home on other days which can be priceless. Time management, organisation, self-discipline and communication are essential when working as a Regional Operations Manager.

I love the fact that I am able to go to work and know exactly what I am doing and when. One of the key aspects of this job is the ability to manage your time effectively.

Knowing that I am the hub of a large amount of the work is extremely rewarding. I spend large amounts of time liaising with clients and our Key Account Managers, which makes me an essential component to keep the company ticking over.

We won an extension to our Thames Water contract in 2013 and we were rewarded for our great work on the initial contract with a much larger area to manage. Upon entering the contract we were given the job of clearing 22 miles of concrete with vegetation built up over 10-12 years situated on the banks of large expanses of water with a 12 month target to complete a project.

We were able to attain the right teams and equipment to manage the job efficiently, safely and to a high standard. This is just one example of the varying challenges that I face on a daily basis.

There is nothing more motivational than knowing you are working in a company that is continuously growing, highlighted by us being well on the way to producing £100m turnover by the year 2020.

In my role, no two days are the same and that variety keeps things fresh and interesting. The mix of meeting various members of my team, contractors, clients and managing my own workload, whether in the office or attending pre start contract meetings, progress site visits or surveying sites and producing tenders, is a real challenge at times but also hugely rewarding. The vast range of landscape works we are involved with now and the amazing transformations we are able to deliver for our clients is a real motivation for me. I like nothing better than revisiting a project site that we are nearing completion on and seeing the progress made by our team from a harsh barren building site to a beautiful outdoor space that will soon be enjoyed by the intended end users.

I also really enjoy seeing my team develop both individually and working together as a strong construction team so that each person, and the company, benefit as we grow together. Each member of the team brings something different to the table and taking their best aspects and ideas forward motivates me to continuously press for improvement and innovation within my role and for the team collectively.

One of the main challenges I face as a senior manager is managing our workload and ensuring we have a sufficient strength and depth in our field teams and specialist contractors. In operations we usually don’t have any control over the contracts we win or when our clients wish them to be delivered. This can be a real challenge at times, keeping all the plates spinning simultaneously but we have great commitment and flexibility in our team which always allows us to get the job done even if we end up with a few more grey hairs along the way! The most important thing for me is that we concentrate on delivering great quality and service for our clients using a competitive base of teams and contractors. Secondly, it is important that we always keep one eye on the control of cost and minimising our risk on projects so we deliver financially too.

This leads nicely onto the other satisfying part of my role, which is reviewing the weekly figures and attending the monthly senior meetings to check our financial performance amongst other things. This is where I get to see the positive impact all the teams’ hard work has had on the profitability of the business.

I am passionate about creating and designing new spaces and what really excites me is being able to see my designs come to life throughout the construction process. Knowing that I am able to come to work and develop my ideas into real creations is what I love most about my job.

My most powerful motivation is my passion for landscape design, I love being able to implement my imagination into my work through the projects we create. Secondly, I am able to work alongside a fantastic set of people who I not only refer to as co-workers but also as friends. Working together on projects over extended periods of time brings us together, especially when we are combining our most creative characteristics. Lastly, there is no better feeling in the workplace than to know that your work is being appreciated and the management are fantastic at offering positive feedback.

Although I thoroughly enjoy my work, it is a high pressure position particularly when working on multiple projects with varied deadlines. Effective time management and communication skills are critical in this role as in spite of how creative you may be, every project must be delivered on time and to the highest standard.

The biggest challenge has to be being able to apply my creative skills, while meeting client requirements alongside those of the landscape design profession. This is a challenge I thrive to surpass with each project.

To be able to see an end product after months of designing and planning which involves incredible amounts of attention to detail, endurance and dedication is a fantastic feeling that I take home each day.

Knowing I am able to deliver an exceptional service that ensures the safety of our clients, public and workers is what really motivates me. I love the work that I do, specifically through being able to directly meet and help those people who are in need of vegetation management to prevent loss of power who would otherwise be unaware.

However, there are a number of challenging aspects to my work such as starting the day at 6am and often not returning home until 8pm. Although the days are long and the work is relentless, there is a real feeling of satisfaction at the end of every day.

There are situations that do not pan out as smoothly as hoped; this is often the case when landowners do not want their vegetation to be cut despite the detrimental effects they may be causing to essential power lines. This is a major issue as we do our utmost to respect our customer wishes but also need to abide by health and safety regulations. Therefore, in order to persuade those less inclined to permit works I draw on my considerable tree management knowledge and experience to highlight the damaging consequences, while delivering this information using the highest standards of customer service.

There is no better feeling than knowing you have been able to complete a job on time, on budget and in a safe manner. Being able to actively make a difference in the lives of our clients allows me to sleep soundly at night and wake up in anticipation the next day.