WILLIAMS MEDIA talks with Amanda Tan a senior project manager at Turner and Townsend who are leading some of Australia’s biggest projects.

Amanda leads the charge on the company’s pro bono projects and is currently working with the Property Industry Foundation and Melbourne City Mission, where they recently completed construction of Hester Hornbrook Academy to support youth education, and are currently finalising the upcoming West Refuge project, a youth homeless shelter.

How did you get your start in project management and what do you enjoy most about your job?

I began my professional career in architecture, working in Kuala Lumpur and Abu Dhabi, before moving back to Melbourne in early 2015. Through a mutual contact, I met my current Director who encouraged me to pursue a career in client-side Project Management with Turner & Townsend. Challenged by the role, I accepted the position and I’m still here to this day!

As a client-side Project Manager, I enjoy the challenge of working with various clients to understand their project aspirations and then working closely with them to develop key strategies to meet their project objectives. Although my job can be demanding, I genuinely enjoy engaging with the stakeholders and project teams. I have a positive attitude and am passionate about building relationships and maintaining the team’s motivation, so everyone is equally driven to completing the works to a high quality outcome. I also strongly believe in maintaining open and clear communication with my clients, and gradually building up their trust in my abilities to deliver their projects successfully.

I’m fortunate to be given the opportunity to take on various roles within Turner & Townsend which includes leading complex program of works and being a part of a team that delivers significant high value projects. I have found partnering with an incredible organisation like Melbourne City Mission and the Property Industry Foundation to deliver life changing projects that will support communities to be most rewarding so far.

What advice would you give to anyone who is considering engaging a project management firm – what are the key things they should be looking for?

It is important to engage with a project management firm that understands the client’s aspirations and can develop a specific approach to suit the client’s needs. It is also essential that the project management firm has the right experience and skillset to identify opportunities for added value to their organisation. To me, the most important thing when considering the engagement of a project management firm is its people – making sure that they not only possess the right technical skills and experience to foresee and resolve complex and challenging issues but are also personally and deeply invested in the successful delivery of the client’s projects.

At Turner & Townsend, we are firm believers that using a collaborative approach with our clients will result in tangible benefits to all parties. It is great to be a part of a multi-disciplinary consultancy that is able to harness local knowledge and experience and have the benefit to reach out to our global offices to uncover best practice – yet still being able provide a personal touch to our clients to meet their desired outcomes.

As past Events Chair for the National Association of Women in Construction, you delivered events aimed at promoting and empowering women in the industry, why is that something that’s important to you?

NAWIC has opened my eyes to the gender disparity in the construction industry, and it has sparked an interest which slowly developed into a passion for inspiring change in the industry. During my time as Events Chair at NAWIC, I had a strong focus on delivering impactful events as I strongly believed this would empower attendees to NAWIC’s cause. The events allowed me to highlight strong female leaders and their achievements, and our workshops allowed for an open and transparent discussion of the challenges women face in the workplace.

I continue to passionately champion and advocate for female representation in construction and appreciate the opportunity to lead the Inclusion Charter to support diversity and inclusion at Turner & Townsend’s Melbourne office.

You’ve partnered with The Property Industry foundation to deliver Melbourne City Mission’s upcoming youth homeless shelter, West Refuge. What role do you think the property industry can play in increasing the availability of housing for the homeless?

The property and construction industry are integral to providing more housing for the homeless. To achieve this, we need to continue raising awareness that there is a critical need to increase the availability of both social housing and housing for the homeless.

This includes promoting more partnerships between the public and private sectors - including taking into consideration how social housing and housing for the homeless can be incorporated in any major development project.

We also need more people, especially within the property industry, to work on solutions and come up with strategies on temporary fixes, as well as the medium-long term sustainable and permanent solutions on supporting the homeless.  

We all have an opportunity to be involved at a philanthropic level and we need to change the perception that being involved in social housing projects is not ‘glamourous’ – but is critically essential in society and provides the greatest rewards.

What are some of the particular challenges and opportunities that come with working on a not-for-profit project such as West Refuge?

A key challenge with delivering the West Refuge project is making sure we are getting the most out of the current funding without impacting the functional requirements of the project. This involves an appreciation by the project team for clever design solutions that not only meet the project requirements but have considered cost efficiency in the selection of materials and finishes which are high quality and can stand the test of time.

It is also humbling to witness the incredible generosity and commitment from everyone involved throughout the delivery of this project – from the project team’s ongoing in-kind donations of their service and expertise, the financial contributions by our main contractor to help with the cost of variations, donations and discounts by sub-contractors and suppliers and even support received by the local government and authorities.  

What is it that motivates you to want to partner with the Property Industry Foundation and give back to the community in this way?

Turner & Townsend is a strong advocate for the Property Industry Foundation (PIF) and its mission to provide more opportunities for disadvantaged youth. We have been fortunate to be involved with PIF through volunteering efforts and contributing to its fundraising events over the years. It has been a great privilege for me personally to see firsthand the real impact PIF is making through the delivery of the West Refuge project.

Undertaking projects that make a tangible difference to the community has always been a great interest of mine, so to be given an opportunity to be in partnership with Melbourne City Mission and PIF – both who have been great to work with as we all share the same aspirations and goals – has allowed us to be set up for success from the get-go.

How would you suggest companies that want to explore supporting a similar cause go about getting started?

The Property Industry Foundation (PIF) is receptive to any individual or organisation who wants to get involved. PIF hosts numerous industry events to meet like-minded people and organisations looking to make a difference. Please reach out, get involved, and support our homeless youths!