Meet the team: Jeff & Nick, Senior Managers - Market Engagement

27 Jul 2017

Jeff O and Nick A

The GBCA is home to a diverse collective of individuals passionate about the sustainable transformation of Australia’s built environment. 

How long have you been in your role? 

Jeff: I’ve been in my current role as Senior Manager – Market Engagement for around 12 months now, but I’ve been at the GBCA for almost six years.

Nick: 8.5 months - which is apparently the gestation period of a gorilla!

What does an average day at the GBCA look like for you?

Nick: It’s pretty diverse and there is always something new! It could involve presenting to senior staff at a development firm on the benefits of Green Star and how it can add value to their projects, to participating in a workshop on how to use Green Star in an urban renewal area. It could also involve assisting a consultant in registering their client’s portfolio for performance ratings, or working with the team to analyze a particular sector to better understand their trends and drivers and work out how GBCA membership and services may be of benefit to them. There’s a great mix of strategy and investigation, along with establishing relationships and converting opportunities into real projects.

What do you love most about your role?

Jeff: Working with such a wide variety of people, across multiple facets of our industry. You are also privy to some of the most sustainable projects being developed in the country and can see firsthand how they are going to influence the shape of our built environment which is pretty cool!

Nick: That there’s a steep learning curve. Every day I am challenged on something I don’t know as the sector is so diverse - and I love that. I also find that my background as a sustainability practitioner puts me in good stead to understand where my stakeholders are coming from and how to assist them. The job is primarily about relationships and commercial delivery, in the context of an agenda to transform the build environment to a more sustainable footing, which aligns with my personal values. The organization also supports flexible working which is important to me as a dad. Above all, our team has a strong culture of innovation, professionalism and fun.

How do you measure success?

Jeff: From a team point of view we are responsible for ensuring membership renewals, new member acquisitions, and Green Star registration targets are met. These are pretty black and white measures of success, however there’s a lot more to the role than the KPIs - we get to have big impact and make meaningful change on a daily basis. We’re at the frontline interacting with our industry, responding to members  and providing excellent customer service.

Nick: We have KPIs of membership uptake and Green Star registration, as the income from these services cover a lot of our operating budget. But I would also add that success is seeing a stakeholder work with my team to build their capacity and register a project, then have their project successfully certified by the Green Star solutions team, and finally seeing them reap the benefits when their project becomes a case study on leadership in sustainable property. There’s always personal journeys people go on and it’s great to see when people thrive and overcome the challenges.

What’s the most unique aspect of working for the GBCA?

Jeff: The people who I work with every day. A great team from across the globe all with unique skill sets. For a team of less than 50, our organisation is so diverse and because of the size, I get a chance to work with everyone from time to time. There’s never a dull moment at the GBCA.

Nick: It’s a unique position to be in, getting to work with established leaders in sustainable property, but also supporting the new emerging innovators who are pushing the boundaries in creative ways, or just those who want to take first steps. There are not many jobs where you get exposed to the full spectrum and contribute to an organization with such a positive reputation here at home and across the globe. We may be small in size, but I am constantly amazed at how much we achieve.