Hunta Lowe

• I am currently managing a rolling project replacing cladding on some large sites in London. I am responsible for the site teams, controlling budget and keeping everything on programme.
• I am the single point of contact for the client, and team of 12 direct employed tradesmen and sub-contractors on each site.
• Ensure Health and Safety on site is maintained, manage contractor's RAMS.

I was able to get this job immediately on my time with Creed Housing ending via a contact in the industry who was in need of a trusted project manager. I enjoy the work and the company has offered me a permanent role but the travel is a big issue for me having relocated to Cheltenham, and as a result, I am very keen to find work closer to my new home.

• The business procured sites suitable for conversion to specialist care facilities and I was responsible for managing all building works across the country. Projects ranged from refurbishment, with associated works to adapt buildings for the needs of the severely disadvantaged, to major construction with groundworks and full-scale building works such as extensions and major structural alterations.
• Briefed and obtained quotes from sub-contractors for all works.
• Appointed and managed sub-contractors across multiple sites.
• Ensured that major conversions were delivered on time and on budget.
• Conducted regular site meetings and signed off all works to company standards.
• Ensures Health and Safety was correctly managed by contractors across all sites.

Sadly, due to a change in the funding structure of this company, they are no longer developing new sites and shortly after relocating to Cheltenham, my role came to an end.

In 2014, I decided that I had finally had enough of the hospitality industry and was looking for new opportunities. I had always been keen on building work and DIY and had handled the refurbishment of our family home myself as well as working on sites as a schoolkid in the holidays. I was asked by a friend if I fancied using my building skills to carry out an extensive refurbishment of a townhouse in London. I gladly took the project on and undertook a six month top to bottom refurbishment involving damp course, rewire and replumb, replastering, a small extension, replacement windows, a new roof and complete redecoration. I managed the sub-specialist contractors as well doing a lot of the work myself. This lead to word of mouth recommendations and I undertook a number of similar jobs over a three year period on a self-employed basis.

It was one of these projects that lead to me being offered the post at Creed Housing where I stayed for the next 5 and a half years.

Through one of my contacts from Rhubarb Catering, I was offered a chance to move away from London to a full-time position running a very busy pub in Kingsbridge, South Devon. I reported directly to the owner and essentially ran the pub in conjunction with him. This included hiring and managing staff, liaising with suppliers, serving in the busy bar and restaurant, assisting with marketing, planning and running events. In the 3.5 years that I worked there we increased turnover by over 50%. By this stage, I felt that I needed a change from the unsociable hours of hospitality!

Arrived from Australia to travel and found work (and a wife) with Rhubarb Catering. We built up the business to become one of London's best known catering businesses and organised parties and events for an incredible range of clients. Most famously running Elton John's White Tie and Tiara parties.

In 2004, my wife and I split up and I continued to work in hospitality and event management for another 3 years before taking up a position as a pub manager.

Having finished my education to A-level standard, I went straight to work with Hilton in a trainee management role. I learned hospitality from the bottom up starting with the most basic roles like glass collecting and potwashing. By the time I left, I was bars manager at the hotel. In 1994, I decided to take a year off and do some travelling.

The travelling got me as far as London where I met my wife whilst working in event catering. The UK has become my home and I have two great kids here.