Team Spotlight on….. Martin Allen, Building Surveyor
This month our Staff Blog series meets returning team member, Martin Allen. Martin has recently re-joined us after a number of years, to take up a new role as contract manager for an insurance company client. He loved working for us so much the first time, that when the right position came up, he just couldn’t keep away!
Hi Martin. We are very pleased to have you back on the team. Why did you want to return to Jones Battye?
“I never wanted to leave Jones Battye in the first place, but the particular contract I was working on finished and the work dried up. I wanted to come back because the professional environment here has always suited me. I am allowed a lot of autonomy; I have control and flexibility over my own work. I am good at being ‘dropped in things’ and enjoy the ‘something’s happened, please figure it out and sort it’ nature of the work. But if I hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have been able to progress so far in my career.”
What have you been doing whilst you were away?
“I moved into the Social Housing sector and worked for a number of housing organisations as a building surveyor, mainly in project management. I was eventually promoted to Senior Building Surveyor, managing a small team. I also finished my degree, achieving first-class honours in Construction Project Management, and studied and trained for a number of other construction industry recognised qualifications. It is these skills and experiences that I am able to bring back to Jones Battye. It was the right job at the right time.”
Describe your typical day.
“I have a young child so I usually wake up perched on the edge of the bed with small elbows and knees digging in my back! I then check my emails at home so I can prioritise my workload. Emails from loss adjusters can come in at sporadic hours depending on what might have happened overnight. I then either commute to the Aberdare or Cardiff offices or out to site visits. I am dyslexic and have learnt that I work best by breaking it up a bit, so enjoy the different work environments. Early evenings are always family time, but I work well once my son has gone to bed.”
What do you like most about your job?
“I like the people I work with and the hybrid working environment. The insurance industry is very professional and I enjoy the legal side of things. It is also very ‘process-y’ and you must be very organised. To a project manager your systems are your tools and I like managing, planning and controlling my work environment.”
Are you a control freak?
“Yes, probably! I am very competitive with myself and always think, “How can I improve that?”.”
What do you find the most challenging about your job?
“Although I enjoy the independence, I have moved from working in a big organisation with large teams and lots of meetings. It has been strange getting used to working more-or-less on my own, albeit with the support of the other surveyors and staff at Jones Battye.”
Away from work, what do you like doing?
“I am very outdoorsy and I surf, hike, camp and canoe. Living in Wales gives you instant access to different kinds of environment, which I love. The sea, the mountains and great cities are all very close together. I also love history and architecture.”
Thank you, Martin. It’s great to have you back on the team. Any plans for the future?
“To keep learning and improving. Perhaps to study for a Masters and maybe expand and take on a bigger patch!”
To find out more about Martin, please see his staff profile.
