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TSA Management

4.1
  • 500 - 1,000 employees

Andy Norris

To be a great project manager you need to be a good communicator, to be able to think fast and to have optimism mixed with some caution.

What's your job about?

We provide independent project management services to a variety of clients throughout New Zealand and Australia. My role in the company is an Associate, I’m responsible for managing the Wellington office as well as being responsible for the successful delivery of the projects I am working on.  My daily tasks and duties vary day to day and could be anything from attending project design meetings, construction site meetings or meeting new clients to understand their future planned projects.  Other days I’ll be forecasting the resourcing commitments for the team in the office and projecting the monthly income ahead of internal meetings with the Company Directors. 

What's your background?

I grew up in a small town just outside of London in the English countryside. After High School, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and it was my father who suggested that construction would be an interesting industry to progress.  Six years of study later I ended with a BSC in Design and Construction Management and decided it was time to see some of the world.

My passion at that time was scuba diving and my aim was to combine this and my passion and enter the world of commercial diving. But this never eventuated, and I somehow ended up on Rarotonga for over two years as a diving instructor before ending up in Wellington.  I used my degree and life skills and started working for a local Building Contractor and then onto a local Property Developer, before finding my way to becoming a consultant Project Manager.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

To be a great project manager you need to be a good communicator, to be able to think fast and to have optimism mixed with some caution.  Most of our projects are construction-based and so some knowledge of construction is important, but this knowledge could come from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds.

For anyone starting their project management career in our Wellington office, if you have passion for building, have drive and willingness to get involved then you’ll be well on your way to becoming a great project manager.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

My job is challenging and always evolving, so it keeps me on my toes. Working with the younger people in the office and watching them grown into their roles is very rewarding. I also like working in project teams and leading others and seeing them learn, this is the best bit about my job.

What are the limitations of your job?

My role involves me being responsible for attracting new work and keep everyone in the office busy. This can be a little stressful at times. Being upbeat and optimistic on projects that have significant issues and aren’t going the best that they could be is also challenging, but it is very satisfying when issues are resolved.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

  • I would say that any experience being onsite, in the thick of a construction project is invaluable to anyone wanting to progress a career in project management.  Seeing how the contractors work and how buildings are constructed is gold.
  • Understanding the budget and the cost of a building is important as most clients want to understand where their money is being spent and how.
  • Be patient.  You have to walk before you can run, this is a cliché however to become a rounded PM you need experience. And even those in the role for multiple years are still experiencing new challenges and learning new ways to do things.

What makes our company different from others?

We offer a rounded experience for young PM’s to grow and find their own feet.  The projects are diverse and the company structure relatively flat so everyone is accessible.  There are numerous ways to grow in the company, feel challenged and rewarded.