Our People’s Stories

Juber joined Wandle in 2013 as a Customer Relationship Officer and after two years was promoted to the senior role, and then the interim Operations Manager.

Juber was given the opportunity to explore the business and shadowed several teams to decide what his next career move should be. After three months and a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities across the business, he applied for the Sales and Marketing Manager position and remained in this role until he became the Senior Asset and Sales Optimisation Manager in 2022.

‘Wandle is great place if you want to drive your career and if you are willing to learn, as we are a small company which gives you the opportunity to get involved with lots of projects and undertake shadowing of different teams.

The people are what drives the company and if we have the right people, we can continue to steer our organisation in the right direction. We’re an organisation that cares for people, so we need people who have a good mindset and want to help our customers, and more importantly want to improve what we already have. That’s why it’s so important to get the right people at the right time.

I think if every manager and every employee owns their work and has the passion to drive it, this pushes Wandle in the right direction.’

Yolanda joined Wandle in 2022 as the Governance and Assurance Officer, with a background in medical law and clinical negligence.

‘It’s the people and the environment which makes Wandle a great place to work. If the environment is encouraging, you feel motivated within your role. Wandle is inclusive and friendly, as there’s not many organisations where you can get to know the CEO or the executive directors on a personal level.’

‘I’ve been able to undertake tasks outside my comfort zone and gather new experiences, as my manager has been supportive in this, as they want to see me grow and develop.

Some roles may be challenging at first, but you have an opportunity to thrive and learn a lot along the way. Be patient and give yourself time to learn your role and the organisation.’

Lee joined Wandle in 2022 as the Neighbourhood Customer Services Officer and was recently appointed as the Community Safety Officer.

‘I’ve found Wandle to a be a very friendly place to work; made up of supportive people who work together collaboratively across the organisation.

Our teams across the business work together to help our tenants and I’ve seen first hand how this can make such a big impact.’

‘Working within a neighbourhood role, you form relationships with your tenants, and they can come to rely on you. Therefore, you must live by the value ‘Think customer’ by delivering what you set out to do and by being reliable. One of the main reasons I’m here and do this work is because I want to help people, as it’s one of the best feelings you can get.

You need to be resilient as our sector can be very challenging, as there are lots of ups and downs, but just know you can always reach out to your colleagues for help and advice. Wandle is a very supportive learning environment where people are willing to give their time and above all the work we do is very rewarding.’

Kirsty joined Wandle in 2017 as a Communications Officer and was given the opportunity to learn and grow. She was promoted through various roles within her sector and is now the Senior PR and Communications Manager.

‘As well as Wandle’s social purpose, the values really shape the working environment. The values mean that everyone has a shared understanding of how we work and encourages a supportive environment where we can ask questions. It also means that everyone is accountable for behaving to a common standard. We celebrate success and learn and improve when things go wrong.’

‘I try to live the values everyday. Being in a leadership role means that I really get to make a difference. I’m continuing to build my management and leadership skills at Wandle, and really want to carry on building on my team and Wandle’s, recent successes.

Some of the biggest changes and revelations come from a simple “Why?”, and some of the best opportunities I’ve had have come from being curious and interested in how things work and getting involved in challenging projects.’

Josh joined Wandle in 2014 as a plumber and was an active member in his team, attending meetings and toolbox talks. He was invited to attend a managers’ away day and speak on behalf of the operative workforce. This gave him an insight into the wider business and led to his new role as a Repairs Supervisor in 2018. From there he was promoted to Repairs Service Manager and over four years developed his skills and knowledge.

In June 2023 Josh became Maintenance Manager for the Major Repairs workstream.  

‘It’s the people that make Wandle a great place to work. I’ve met lots of great people and built strong working relationships throughout the business. Wandle promotes wider working, which is great way to gain knowledge and experience by building relationships with other people from different teams.

It’s the relationships you build with people, colleagues, clients, and stakeholders that can enhance your work. When you build a foundation, it provides a healthy working relationship.

My advice to my current and future colleagues is that Wandle is a great place to work and there’s always new and exciting opportunities that can help you grow and develop.’