The Barker spotlight is shining brightly on Programme Coordinator Zuleika Morrison this month! Having been a fully fledged member of the Barker family for almost 7 years, we sat her down to find out about her role and what it is like being based in our Braintree head office.
Hey Zuleika! So good to see you! Let’s start with what your role as Programme Coordinator entails and what a typical working day looks like for you?
Yes sure! So, the role of Programme Coordinator is very varied, and I actually never know exactly what each day is going to look like, meaning it’s quite hard to describe a ‘typical working day’. However, the main focus of my role would be on the finance and fees for the design group, so a task I undertake daily is reviewing where the team are sitting against their fees and targets for the month. I also spend a fair amount of time making sure project lists and projections are up to date. Another element of my role is resource management for the Mechanical and Electrical team, which means I have to co-ordinate diaries and schedule surveys for the engineers. This involves liaising regularly with the Energy team and regional offices on resource availability. Towards month end I have a huge focus on invoicing for the Design Group.
How did you come to find yourself as Programme Coordinator?
I started my career at Barker as a team administrator providing support to the architectural team and then progressed to the role of Programme Coordinator. Over the 6yrs and 7 months that I have been here, the team has grown exponentially and as a result my role also evolved as there became a need for someone to focus on fees, projections, and resourcing. During this time, we have hired other administrative support in our department that I now also oversee and work closely with. Although property consultancy was an entirely new industry for me when I first started, I had a highly transferrable skill set from previous roles that I have been able to apply and build upon at Barker.
What do you enjoy most about working for Barker?
I really enjoy the fact I have a constant flow of work, meaning the days and weeks pass very quickly and no day is ever the same. Being given the opportunity to progress has also been very important to me and seeing the team grow so rapidly has been really rewarding. Barker is very sociable company, and I am grateful to have developed great working relationships within the business, as well as lovely friendships outside of work.
What is your favourite part of the job?
I enjoy the fact I regularly liaise with people across all departments and offices. I also absolutely love an Excel spreadsheet as figures and numbers are where my strengths lay!
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Spending time with my 6-year-old son is at the top of my list. I get out for a run when I can and attend the odd bootcamp session. I also love socialising, seeing my friends and having a glass of prosecco (or three).