Senior Development Manager
Name: Emma Mackellar
Career stage: Senior - 10+ years' experience
Working: Office
High School Subjects: Advanced and Extension English, Art, Design, Biology, Business Studies, General Maths
Favourite: Biology - I loved learning about biotechnology and how to solve the worlds biggest problems - disease, food security and climate change!
Further study: University
where and what: Bachelors of Design in Architecture at the University of Sydney, Masters of Design in Architecture at the University of Sydney. Exchange in Indonesia and Ireland.
"At the moment I'm working on a huge pavilion for all of the best food in Western Sydney - so I get to go to my favourite restaurants and see if the owner wants to expand into the city we're building"
the inside scoop…
What does a Senior Development Manager actually do? The team I work with are planning and building a whole city! Part of my role is to figure out what we need to build and when. We hire and manage the people needed to get it done. At the moment I'm delivering a Childcare centre and Food precinct. My day is a lot of phone calls and reading reports - but I also get to think and dream up big ideas to make the city better for people.
What does a day in your life at work look like? I currently work mainly from home which is great, but we still get in to the office once a week as an office to have meetings. I'm always reading or writing a report or a presentation to think through new ideas for the city and see if we can build a good case for the project.
What's the best part of your job? I get to dream up ideas and then make them happen. At the moment I'm working on a huge pavilion for all of the best food in Western Sydney - so I get to go to my favourite restaurants and see if the owner wants to expand into the city we're building. I love offering opportunities to people. Next week the offer will go to a group of Asylum Seeker Chefs who make the most incredible food from their homeland.
What made you realise construction could be for you? I fell into Architecture - it seemed like a good combination of creativity and analysis. I always loved problem solving and creating beautiful things and found that it was a great fit.
What would you tell your high school self about working in construction? Not exactly straightforward! I started out with my undergrad and masters to become a registered architect which was hard but very fun. I then worked with some of the most incredible firms in Sydney - designing stadiums and airports and skyscrapers. I started my own company at 29 to help people buy homes and make sustainable decisions when they build a new place, before I bought a place of my own. I bought an old factory to turn into a loft which has been an amazing but expensive project, so wanted a little more job security. Working for the NSW government was a great choice because I now have the freedom to work fair hours and can be involved in some really impactful work. Change is good!
Do you have any advice for young women picking a career? FIRST - Be kind and friendly to every single person you can even at school and at university, it is a small industry and people pop up everywhere. SECOND - Your job is to make your boss look good, to work fast and produce high quality work. Mistakes are learning opportunity, best to be honest and tell someone about it so that they can help you solve it and learn - that's part of being a team. THIRD - Make time in your life for the important things, don't forget to go on dates (treat people well) and go to parties and eat good food and live on campus at university. Those experiences do make you better at your job in the end and are critical to building a rounded capable adult. FOURTH - look after your mind, it needs food and sleep and walks and family and close friends and tough conversations and time to relax.
What's the best thing about working in construction? Knowing how to build things has helped me ... build things! I built my own bathroom, artworks, table, sanded my own floors and ultimately designed and built my own house. I would have spent SO MUCH MONEY on other people doing that. Building is a basic skill every woman needs. Other skills I've picked up - graphic design. Knowing how to convey information quickly in a beautiful way is critical to professional success. Solid and compelling communication is the only way to get your ideas built.
Emma is open to engaging further via: Speaking at a high school
If you'd like to enquire more, please fill out the form below with the subject name: "Emma Mackellar" and we'll pass your message on.