Pre-Construction Manager

What does your role involve?

My role involves managing and coordinating Pre-Construction activities, from tender to the construction stage, for all Elkins’ projects. I work collaboratively with others in the Pre-Construction team, including commercial, estimating, planning and design management, to ensure milestones are identified, monitored and achieved to successfully complete the Pre-Construction process.

Some of my other responsibilities include: attending site visits and engaging with stakeholders to inform design and pricing; reviewing tender documentation and proposing key initiatives to form a high quality submission; managing and supporting the commercial team and bid support.

What’s your background?

Prior to joining Elkins, I worked in proposals management for a highly reputable industrial and logistics company. I performed several roles, progressing through the ranks from Bid Coordination to Bid/Proposals Management. I managed a team of four other people, ensuring our bid library/management was concise and comprehensive, to produce winning solutions.

What are you enjoying most about your role?

I’m learning new things every day and have really enjoyed getting up to speed. It’s been particularly rewarding seeing the Pre-Construction team grow and develop and watching our ‘potential tenders’ list turn into ‘works won’. Overall, I am just enjoying this new chapter of my life and absorbing the knowledge and experience to be the best version of myself.

What appealed to you about the job?

The first, and most important, factor was the people. I work best in an environment where I feel appreciated and respected, and my thoughts, feelings and contributions are taken into consideration, which is what I have found at Elkins.

I like working for mid-scale SMEs because you aren’t just a number. At Elkins, I could see that the staff want to be there, are proud of their work, and enjoy working together towards the same goals.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Exploring the world with my family, resting and Pilates.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Optimistic, motivated, and grateful.

We’re off to the pub – what’s your order?

Rum and apple juice.

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Why did you choose an apprenticeship?

I had just left sixth form and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in terms of my career. The idea of an apprenticeship appealed to me as I could get straight into work and gain experience, whilst still studying.

How did you find out about Elkins?

I first heard about Elkins through a friend of my mum’s. She was working at the company at the time and advised that they had apprenticeship positions available, so I decided to apply.

Tell us about your apprenticeship.

My apprenticeship lasted two-to-three years. I studied customer service and business studies, whilst shadowing the company’s Resident Liaison Officers across various project sites. Once I’d completed my apprenticeship, I was made an RLO at Elkins and given my own sites to run.

What were the benefits of doing an apprenticeship?

My apprenticeship was great preparation for my role as an RLO. I was able to learn the job in real-time, whilst also gaining practical experience. Having support from more experienced colleagues also really helped to build my confidence while I was still learning.

How has your career progressed since and what are your future plans?

I first started with Elkins as an apprentice nearly 10 years ago and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot during my time working for the business. As well as my apprenticeship, I’ve gained my CSCS card and completed courses in first aid, asbestos, and various other subjects. Most recently, I gained a Site Management Safety Training Scheme qualification, and I’m hoping to progress into site management, when the opportunity arises.

What’s your favourite thing about working at Elkins?

I love working as part of the Elkins team. I also enjoy the fact that my role isn’t solely office-based, so I have the opportunity to go out on site, visit residents, and see the progression of our projects, from beginning to end.

What do you get up to outside of work?

When I’m not at work, I mostly enjoy spending time with my family.

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Admin Assistant in the Accounts department.

What does your role involve?

My job includes preparing subcontractor payments and general administrative duties.  I’m currently overseeing the renewals of the DBS checks and occasionally I also help out in our HR department.

What’s your background?

This is my first admin role, I graduated from performing arts college last year.

What are you enjoying most so far about your role?

I am enjoying learning all aspects of the day-to-day running of the accounts and finance office. I’m looking forward to developing my knowledge of the industry.

What appealed to you about the job?

It was a complete change of career for me, but, after enquiring with friends, I thought accounts would be interesting.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy visiting my family who live in Norfolk and meeting up with old friends from home.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Friendly, fun and caring.

We’re off to the pub – what’s your order?

A glass of prosecco 😊

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Resident Liaison Officer

What does your role involve?

My job involves supporting the site team in providing a first-class service to all stakeholders on our projects, to ensure we achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction. I’m the main point of contact for the residents, so I’m there to ensure they are kept fully informed about the progress of the works, and to answer any questions they may have, making sure they always feel valued and respected.

What’s your background?

I have previous experience working as a Resident Liaison Officer but, before that, I worked as a Site Administrator and Third-Party Interface Administrator.

What are you enjoying most so far or most looking forward to about your role?

I’m enjoying being on site and working with a really great team of nice people.

What appealed to you about the company?

Elkins has a great reputation in the construction industry as a well-known and respected family-run business. Its traditional values and modern approach were what particularly appealed to me.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I like keeping fit through swimming and walking, and I also enjoy cooking. .

How would you describe yourself in a few sentences?

I’m honest, dedicated and caring. I’m able to communicate with people from different backgrounds, which is an important aspect of my job, and have a good sense of humour.

We’re off to the pub – what’s your order?

Pimm’s and lemonade (with mint and cucumber) please.

Say hello to Barbara on our social media channels – you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Louise Mullarkey – Customer Services Manager

Customer Services Manager, Louise, has been at Elkins for three years. She is responsible for managing our Resident Liaison team, monitoring KPIs, performance management, complaints management and resource planning.

“I started out in the construction industry as a Resident Liaison Officer, after someone suggested that it would be a good fit for me. I applied, got the job and found that, not only did I really enjoy it, I was also good at it. I’m proud that my hard work and dedication has paid off, as I was able to work my way up from an RLO to Customer Services Manager in just five years.”

“Construction is still male-dominated and often women are not treated equally. That being said, I wouldn’t discourage women from getting into the industry – in fact, we need more women to influence change. You can be successful as a woman in construction, just don’t be afraid to ask questions and work hard.”

Marnie Greenwood – Assistant Contracts Manager

Marnie joined us as Assistants Contracts Manager nine months ago. She assists the Senior Managers in Elkins’ New Build division in managing our modular projects, from manufacturing to delivery, handover and post completion.

“I went straight into the construction industry from school. After my A-levels I got a Level 4 Project Management apprenticeship and worked full-time for a modular construction company whilst studying for my exams. Once I completed my apprenticeship I continued working in construction, and here I am nine years later!”

“I’ve not really experienced any specific challenges as a woman in the construction industry. I was very fortunate to have other strong women around me in the early stages of my career and I would say that they taught me how to hold myself, earn respect and really relish in my work. I feel lucky that the companies I’ve worked for have always offered equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of their background, gender, race etc. My experience has been really positive and I’d encourage other women thinking about working in the industry to do it! At times it can be high pressure, but it offers great variety – no two days are the same – and you get to be a part of the journey in seeing projects become a reality, which is really rewarding.

Sarah Silburn – HR Manager

Sarah has worked for Elkins for close to seven years, managing all the HR elements of the business, providing strategic support on people-matters, advising on risk, training and employee relations.

“I used to work on the operations team in logistics and manufacturing but I was told I needed to gain some ‘formal qualifications’ to move up the ranks and earn the same as my male counterparts – so I did. I was sponsored to study for an MBA and, after four years of hard work, juggling my studies with my full-time job and a busy home life with my seven-year-old son, I was awarded my MBA in Business and Organisational Design and an MA in Human Resources Management. The qualifications allowed me to change my direction to pursue a successful career in HR.”

“Although things have improved massively for women in construction over the last five years, there are still a lot of old-fashioned attitudes in the industry and getting past that can be a challenge. My advice would be to speak up, make yourself heard and get noticed. If you make a mistake, learn from it and move on – but be fearless, and show everyone that the contribution you, and other women, make is valuable. I’m really proud of my achievements and would encourage other women to go after what they want, because you can do anything!”

Nadine McCourt – Client Manager

Nadine has worked for Elkins since 2015. Her role involves assisting our team of Resident Liaison Officers with their processes, procedures and audits, to ensure the client is updated on project progress. She is currently heading up the rollout of our new digital construction toolkit software across the business.

“I didn’t necessarily expect to end up in the construction industry, but I was drawn to the customer-facing side of the role. I found I enjoyed the variety and being out and about in the community, so decided to pursue it as a career.”

“Being a woman in a male-dominated industry can be challenging and, in the past, there have been times when I feel like I’ve not been taken as seriously as my male colleagues, but I’ve not let it hold me back. It does feel like things are changing and I’d encourage any women who want to work in construction not to be put off. Over the course of my career, the number of women has been increasing, and the more we diversify the workforce, the more we can change the outdated opinion that construction is just for men.”

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I’m a Site Manager at Elkins Construction.

What does your role involve?

My role involves overseeing, monitoring, and managing the day-to-day operations on site. This includes ensuring all health and safety procedures are followed, liaising with clients, residents, and suppliers as necessary, and ensuring works are progressing to schedule.

What’s your background?

I started my construction career working as a Resident Liaison Officer, before moving up the ranks to an Assistant Site Manager role. I joined Elkins as a Site Manager in May 2022 to work on Neckinger Estate and the Southwark kitchens and bathrooms programme.

What are you looking forward to most about your role?

I’m looking forward to gaining more experience in a more senior role and expanding on my knowledge of the industry.

What appealed to you about the company?

Elkins has an excellent reputation, both in terms of the quality of its services, and for being a good place to work. The people and company culture seemed really friendly, and this has proven to be true, it is a very supportive environment.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I like spending time with my family.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Loyal, conscientious and friendly.

We’re off to the pub – what’s your order?

A vodka and cranberry juice.

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We sat down with Ayesha Wright to discuss her career at Elkins, from starting out as a Resident Liaison Officer working on site, to her current role as our Social Value Manager.

How did you come to work at Elkins?

Back in 2012, I was a resident of Southwark and attended one of Southwark Council’s careers fairs. There were a number of contractors in attendance on the day, including Elkins, and I had the opportunity to meet and chat with some of them about the career opportunities available.

Elkins was looking for an apprentice Resident Liaison Officer at the time, as part of their commitment to Southwark Council to employ local people in the borough. When I was told about the ethos of the business and its traditional family values, I knew that it was a place I’d like to work. Clearly my instinct was right, as I’m still here 10 years later! While the company has grown significantly in that time, it has remained true to the values that first drew me to work here.

What have you learnt during your time at Elkins?

I came to Elkins with no construction experience, in fact I had never even heard of a Resident Liaison Officer before! During my year as an apprentice RLO I learnt a lot about how the job works and also completed an NVQ level 3 in Customer Service.

I ended up working on site for four years, delivering a huge variety of different projects for Southwark and gaining a lot of technical knowledge. As an RLO, I was responsible for delivering community initiatives and, as a previous apprentice, I was often asked to accompany the Partnering and Apprenticeship Manager at school careers fairs and other events during this time. This is what first sparked my interest in delivering Social Value and made me keen to become more involved in this part of Elkins’ work.

In 2016, I was asked to join the estimating department at Elkins’ head office. I had no experience of procurement but was excited to learn about a different area of the business and keen to develop new skills. I soon discovered that much of what I’d learnt as an RLO was transferable to my new role, and I quickly progressed to become Bid-Coordinator, using the organisational skills I’d developed, which had been so essential in delivering projects successfully on site.

When did you start to get more involved in Elkins’ social value work?

In December 2018, the Partnering and Apprenticeship Manager left the business and, as I had accompanied her on many occasions, assisted in delivering community initiatives and had a good understanding of client KPI requirements, I was offered the opportunity to take on the position.

For some time, I carried out this role alongside my Bid-Coordinator role and this ended up evolving into a new position combining the two – Continuous Improvement Coordinator. As the company has grown and our capacity to take on more projects adding social value to our clients and local communities has increased, my role has expanded and evolved into my current position as Social Value Manager.

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

My current role as Social Value Manager is the one I’ve enjoyed the most, not only at Elkins, but since I started my career at 16. I am genuinely committed to delivering meaningful social value, as I’ve seen and experienced first-hand the difference it can make. Being able to play a key part in opening up opportunities to local people that they may not have had otherwise (in the same way it did for me), and changing communities for the better, by improving local spaces and bringing residents together, is incredibly rewarding.

*The House of Commons Library’s ‘Women and the Economy’ paper

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Assistant Contracts Manager

What does your role involve?

My role as an Assistant Contracts Manager at Elkins sees me involved in the day-to-day project delivery and administration of the new build schemes in Greenwich. I assist the Contract Managers in site meetings, monitoring progress, working with consultants and sub-contractors and reporting to the client. I ensure project specific paperwork is in place, such as the construction phase plans, site plans and risk assessments/method statements.

What’s your background?

My professional career has always been in construction. My first job after college was for a modular construction company as an Apprentice Project Manager until 2017. Since then, I have worked in the modular industry as a Project Manager, delivering modular builds for various clients around the country, including schools, offices, and large welfare accommodation blocks.

What have you enjoyed most so far about your role?

I’ve really enjoyed learning more about the residential sector.

What appealed to you about the company?

The thing that appealed to me the most about Elkins was the type of contracts they work on. The case studies of their previous projects, particularly the new build modular work, really interested me.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

In my spare time, I often have a project of my own to work on. Most recently, I have refurbished an old caravan to take on some adventures.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Organised, driven and a team player.

We’re off to the pub – what’s your order?

Florida orange.

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Resident Liaison Officer.

What does your role involve?

A key part of my position is liaising with residents on a daily basis and updating local authorities and site management with any concerns they might have to ensure they’re handled in an efficient manner. I also hold coffee mornings and evening meetings for residents to discuss works on the estate, as well as organising other community initiatives for them to participate in.

My role also involves a number of other day-to-day tasks, such as arranging appointments for contractors, sending monthly newsletters, and updating trackers to ensure we’re always up to date with the status of our projects, and all key parties are kept informed about work that has been completed and future work that is set to commence.

What’s your background?

I have plenty of experience working in the construction industry, and in this particular role, having worked as a Resident Liaison Officer for 20 years.

What are you looking forward to most about your role?

Meeting new people and making a positive contribution the local community.

What appealed to you about Elkins?

Elkins is a forward-thinking, growing company and one aspect which really stood out to me is their commitment to providing opportunities for women to progress within the business. There are still barriers to women in the construction industry and it is great to find a company actively working to overcome these.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I like to stay active by going to the gym and for long walks. I also enjoy shopping and the odd trip to the cinema.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Strong-minded, reliable and fun.

We’re off to the pub – what’s your order?

Definitely something from the cocktail menu.

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