Our People

It is very true that people are the real driving force behind any company - none more so than at Haymills.  So we thought the simplest way for you to appreciate what we try and do is to let the people explain it in their own words and highlight the very different career paths available.

Vilja Ndiwalana – Marketing Co-ordinator, Haymills (Contractors) Ltd

I had an opportunity to undertake an industrial placement at Haymills, whilst studying for my BA (Hons) Degree in Marketing and Management. After my graduation in July 2004 I re-joined the Company as Marketing Co-ordinator, a role that offers plenty of new challenges and excitement.   Some of my responsibilities include market research, identification and evaluation of new sector and business opportunities, supporting the Business Development Director and the Team with various marketing activities as well as networking at different industry functions. The decision to come back to Haymills and start my career in the construction industry was definitely the right choice for me.

Taff Farrell, Contracts Manager

Started with Haymills in 1998, fresh out of sixth form.
Worked as a Site Clerk at the Property Services Thetford Office, with Brian Watts as my boss.
Found that I really enjoyed my job and the Company and spoke to Brian about possibilities of progressing within the firm.
Had a meeting with Trevor Last (Contracts Manager) and Brian Thomas (Senior Contracts Manager) about my possible career path.

Decided to take the Site Management career path as opposed to the Surveying.
Started at West Suffolk College on an HNC Building Studies course in 1999.
Whilst at Thetford I was given the opportunity to work as “Tenant Liaison Officer” on a one-off project.
After this I progressed to the role of Assistant General Foreman, helping Brian in the day-to-day running of the Thetford, Peddars Way and Breckland Council Housing Contracts.

In 2000, was “posted” to RAF Lakenheath to help in my personal development.
Assisted in the running of several projects with the Agents - Colin Bullock, Trevor Gooch and Ivan Bonnett.
In time, I was given the opportunity to look after my own minor projects and maintenance orders - with Gary Nunn (Property Services Leader), Colin and Trevor on hand to help and guide. Completed my HNC and started my HND Building Studies. Carried on developing my “skills” and knowledge. Continued to work with Colin after Trevor was moved to Mildenhall. Colin ‘gave me’ RAF Feltwell (RAF Lakenheath’s satellite station) after Ivan was moved to Ipswich. It was like a training ground really. It’s only a small base and I was tasked with looking after all of the work with Colin as a ‘hands off’ mentor.

Completed my HND and was allowed to progress further and started my BSc (Hons) in Construction Management. I was also promoted to Trainee Contracts Manager in 2003. Started working more closely with Richard Smith (Managing Surveyor) and developing my Contracts Management skills. Promoted to Assistant Contracts Manager in 2004 and started to work on RAF Mildenhall as well as Lakenheath, acting as Assistant Contracts Manager and working closely with Richard Smith and the Site Teams.
In 2005 I finally passed my BSc (Hons) degree in Construction Management and am really enjoying the daily challenges of being a Contracts Manager. The key elements that make my job worthwhile? A good team on site and in the office, every day is different – and at Haymills, if you are willing to put in the hours they will always back you in whatever career path you choose.

 

Jamie Swift, ITC Co-ordinator

I started off at Haymills as a Trainee Accountant in August 2001 at the age of sixteen. My first ever role was in sub-contract accounts - answering calls, inputting certificates and sorting out the pay roll and I soon progressed on to the Purchase Ledger.

I worked my way round the Accounts Department in my first year concentrating on the Sales Ledger, Purchase Ledger and getting involved in tax issues. When Steve Farrant, the current Financial Director, joined the Company I was given the job of running the Treasury and given challenges such as bank reconciliations on a monthly basis, fixed assets, as well as all of our Gibraltar Business Unit accounts and VAT returns. By the end of my time in Accounts I had a good all round knowledge of the bigger financial picture but realised IT was where I really wanted to go in my career.

My move from Accounts into IT was made very simple for me by the way it was handled by management and my immediate mentors. A vacancy had opened up and I was given the opportunity of crossing over, since I already knew a lot of the basic processes through my training and development in the Accounts Department. As part of the IT Team, every day is different and I prefer the ad-hoc deadlines, urgent mobile phone calls and travelling to sites to solve problems on a reactive and preventative basis. Together with the support and training from HR I really enjoy the responsibility the job brings – and I don’t even mind working at weekends if it means getting the system updated in time for a Monday morning start!

Paul Rodwell – Senior Contracts Manager

I left school at 16 in 1978 and joined Haymills as an Apprentice Carpenter. Five years later I become a Trainee Foreman under the guidance of a Contracts Manager, working at B.T Martlesham on various projects.

I completed my first solo contract in 1986 at the John Player’s Cigar Factory in Ipswich. Promotion to Site Agent followed.  In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I worked on a series of social housing contracts throughout East Anglia. Following on from that I was involved in contracts at various NHS sites and during this period I was promoted to Site Manager.

For the last five years my contracts have been based in Cambridge and include working on the Business/Science Park, Magdalene College and currently St Edmunds College.

Most recently, I have been promoted to Senior Contracts Manager, with overall responsibility for a number of projects in East Anglia.