Few have moved through the ranks of Boutique quite like the Executive General Manager of ABN Group Victoria, Rob Bird. From a tradie with a desire to run his own business, to leading one of Victoria’s most respected builders, Rob’s tale of career progression is one to learn from.
Career timeline with a difference
In 2012, Rob was ready to put down his tools and create his own start-up. In what would inevitably be a defining moment in his career, Rob was headhunted by ABN just before he took the plunge.
“The then Building Manager explained to me the ABN business; the forward-thinking it was doing and the things it was hoping to achieve. I knew I had to be part of it and decided to take the role,” recalls Rob.
“To this day, I remember the induction by our Managing Director, Aidan, and him telling me the endless opportunities that site management could provide if I worked hard and had the ambition.”
Within three years, Rob was promoted to Building Manager, overseeing $250 million in work, five construction managers and 30 site managers across Geelong, north-west and west Melbourne. In 2017 he was promoted again, this time to General Manager of Building.
“The Building Manager role gave me great insight into what my future roles would entail,” says Rob.
“While I had years of construction management experience, I had a lot to learn about the holistic business side, so listening and learning from more senior management was really important.”
In October 2019, after two years as General Manager of Building and almost eight years with the business, Rob was rewarded for his loyalty and dedication and appointed Executive General Manager of ABN Group in Victoria. Now responsible for strategy across all business units, from construction and retail, to marketing and warranties, it’s a far cry from his days holding the hammer.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to have a greater hand in the future direction of a business I’m so passionate about,” says Rob.
“It’s also fantastic timing, coming into an Executive leadership role when we were just about to offer the dream of home ownership to the regional areas of Ballarat, Bendigo and Traralgon.”
A day in the life
Despite the impressive title, Rob is eminent that strong leadership skills, strategic thinking and careful stakeholder management are still fundamental to his role – just to a greater scale.
“I love that the role still has a strong focus on people – both the staff and business units I manage, but also our customers.”
“I want to make sure our clients continue to have an unbelievable experience – from the day they make contact with our sales team to the day they are handed the keys, and beyond.”
Staff mentoring is still a daily task. Luckily for him, it’s also what he loves most about his work.
“There are plenty of examples at Boutique where employees have started at essentially an entry-level position and progressed through the ranks. Playing a part in those promotions is very rewarding,” he says.
“I also love working for a boutique builder because you have the support of a big business, without the red tape of larger corps. You have the opportunity to brainstorm, but you aren’t micromanaged and you have the ability to make decisions.”
While his passion for the job is obvious in his staying power, the Executive role isn’t without its challenges. Ability and willingness to adapt to a constantly changing environment is non-negotiable.
“You can come into the office with the best plans and things can change quite quickly,” says Rob.
“It’s a fantastic and rewarding job, but like anything it has its tests – you need to be relentless.”
Budding builder’s tool kit
Looking to pursue a career in construction management and beyond? Rob says you will need three key personality traits:
- Passion: Building a home is one of the biggest investments most people will make in their life, so you need to take it seriously and take pride in everything you do. I often ask potential employees in job interviews what ‘quality’ means to them. The best answer I hear is: “It’s when I build it like I would for my mother, or I build it like I would for myself.”
- People skills: Ability to build relationships is important – not just with those people you work with, but also trades, suppliers, marketers and others. You need to understand what is important to each person and be approachable yet direct. You also need to remember that you may have heard a question 1000 times, but it’s the first time for that person – so be patient.
- Resilience: Foster the ability to make decisions. Even when you’re under the pump, you need to be able to put situations into context for others and lead well.
How to find a quality builder
Looking to build a new home? Before signing on the dotted line, Rob says to look for three key qualities in your builder:
- Transparency: There shouldn’t be any red tape and nothing should be hidden. Write down a list of all your questions, from the construction process to pricing. If any can’t be answered, it’s time to move on.
- Commitment to customer service: Your builder should be committed to you throughout your journey. Get a clear understanding of the processes and plans in place for your build from start to finish and your key contacts for each stage.
- Proven history of quality builds: Do your research. Businesses can promise the world but have they got the evidence to back it up? Visit display homes, read testimonials, search social media and talk to people to make sure they always deliver.
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