Role: Director of Asset Management
Company: Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Track Record: Good communication skills are essential for Paul Isherwood’s role as a a director of asset management with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
HOW I BECAME A DIRECTOR OF ASSET MANAGEMENT
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
I have worked in property maintenance my entire career. My career started with Great Grimsby Borough Council in 1993 and I’ve held many different technical and managerial roles within the property maintenance/asset management environment. I moved over to Northern Ireland in 2004 and worked for Alpha Housing and later Helm Housing prior to taking up my post in June 2015 as the Director of Asset Management at the Housing Executive.
What was your favourite subject at school?
My favourite subject at school was CDT (Construction Design & Technology). I always enjoyed being in the workshop making things and understanding how things worked. I think developing this technical side from an early age helped my understanding of building pathology.
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so what did you study and where?
I completed an ONC and HNC in Building Studies at Grimsby College then moved on to complete a BSc Hons Degree in Building Surveying at Sheffield Hallam University and completed a postgraduate management course at the University of Lincoln.
How did you get into your area of work?
By accident really, I had left school to start a new job in a factory, however a week before I was due to begin, I was told there was potentially a YTS (Youth Training Scheme) job in the local Council’s Housing Department.
I went for the interview and the rest is history.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
I don’t think at a young age I ever really had a clear idea I wanted to do, however I have always enjoyed working in the technical side of housing and the current role as the Director of Asset Management is no different and I find this an exciting and diverse role where no two days are the same.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
The post required you to be chartered to one of the professional construction bodies, have diverse and extensive experience in a property maintenance/asset management environment and leadership qualities expected as a director in a large organisation.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
There are many alternative routes into the job and the majority will entail a construction/property maintenance/asset management background with the supporting qualifications and appropriate experience.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
By managing a large and diverse directorate it is essential to have good communications skills, understanding the needs of the business and be able to deliver large scale programmes of work within budget and to the highest quality. Ultimately it is all about delivering the best possible service to our tenants with the resources available.
What does a typical day entail?
As you can appreciate the Housing Executive is an organisation on a totally different scale, we manage circa 87,000 properties across Northern Ireland. I manage a budget of in excess of £100m pa and no two days are the same. A typical day for me would be to get into the office as early as I can and work through emails and review any documents that need my approval, the majority of my day will be booked out with strategic and operational meetings. I have a fantastic team around me which makes it easier; however I have a great PA who manages my day to day whereabouts with military precision.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The best part of the job is being able to see all the things the team have been working on coming to fruition, which is all for the benefit of our tenants. We undertake many different contracts on an annual basis which include the replacement of kitchens, bathrooms, windows, heating etc and to see our tenants happy with the work undertaken is very rewarding. I think the most challenging aspect of the job is using the financial resources that are available to the Housing Executive to its best use and that sometimes leads to having to make difficult choices on what work gets undertaken.
Why is what you do important?
With nearly 87,000 properties, we are the largest single landlord in the UK. Good housing is fundamental to people’s health and wellbeing, this means many people are dependent on the work we do and that it is of a high standard. Housing is a basic human right and if people do not have a safe, warm, and comfortable home it impacts on every other part of society.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
Take every opportunity that presents itself to you, as you never know where it might lead. Sir Richard Branson said: “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!”
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
I think I would like to be a handyman, I have always liked making and fixing things and who knows, if this job doesn’t work out.
If you could go back, what is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
I think it would be enjoy what you do, we spend that much time in the work place if you don’t enjoy it, it can be a lonely place, and fortunately I have always enjoyed the jobs and the places I have worked.
Describe your ideal day off.
Spending time with my two children and playing golf if I get the time, however, when I do get back home to Grimsby there is nothing better than going to see Grimsby Town play, with winning making it even better!!
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
Keep your search option as wide as possible, as not all job titles reflect the actual role required.