Tell me a little about your career before NFRC
My background is in administration and finance. I came from a career in financial broking prior to NFRC and had a change of lifestyle due to family commitments, that brought me back to administration. This is how I ended up joining NFRC in 2016, initially as the administrator for the Institute of Roofing, which NFRC managed the secretariat for.
James Talman joined as CEO 6 months prior to me joining and needed a PA, and asked if I would be interested in that role due to my background. That’s how I began working alongside James and the NFRC team, and I moved over to join the trade body administration. Through a series of promotions I became Office Manager, then Head of Operations and finally Chief Operating Officer at NFRC before moving over to manage the Competent Person Scheme. During that time I was also appointed as Company Secretary, which gave me some great insight into board management.
So that’s many jobs at once!
Yes, I’ve had a variety of roles at NFRC, but it’s been a great experience and has given me real insight into how professional membership organisations work, and what members need and how best to operate as a trade body.
You went from COO of NFRC to MD of the Competent Person Scheme. How did that happen?
This was when NFRC chose to bring the Competent Person Scheme in house. At the same time this happened, their General Manager left. I approached James having already successfully managed two of their UKAS audits and asked if I could take on that role to manage the Competent Person Scheme business and continue the work I had achieved through the UKAS audits. James said yes, the board agreed and the rest is history!
What does a typical day look like for you at CPS?
I don’t think there is a typical day! Every day is extremely different, and there’s a mixture of dealing with management-level strategic objectives, making sure budgets are being adhered to – from marketing to operational spend. Also, I work in an advisory level to the rest of the business, ensuring we’re meeting UKAS requirements alongside working with NFRC’s senior management team to ensure delivery of the NFRC Group’s strategic objectives . We’re usually audited in January so we’re working towards that while also wrapping up year end. You’ve caught me at a busy time!
Does the variety keep you interested?
Absolutely. Also, I have to step out of my comfort zone sometimes and do public speaking, present at events, or radio interviews etc. These are all things I didn’t have to do before, but that’s the buzz. Being scared to do something and just going for it and doing it anyway. That’s how I push myself. What’s to fear but fear itself, right?
What does 2025 look like for CPS?
Like many businesses, we work in a three-year planning cycle, and 2025 is the final year of our current plan. Our focus has previously been on making sure we have robust foundations for our inspections, and a team that are qualified and competent to support those operations within the business. We have achieved those, so now next year is really about reaching out and making sure that our contractors have a simplified experience. We’re here to provide a service that makes their lives easier, and it can’t be overcomplicated. It has been in the past, so we’ve been streamlining what that looks like and our digital transformation project and CRM development due mid-next year will allow us to do this. We will be communicating this clearly and offering lots of support to our contractors on how to navigate the new systems and explaining how new functionality can make their lives easier.
From a building regulations perspective and Mandatory Technical Competency requirements, what do you think roofing looks like for contractors next year?
At the moment there is still a lot of confusion and not enough basic understanding of what the changes to building safety means to the average contractor. Tier 1 contractors are probably well equipped at this point, but micro and small contractors won’t really have a full understanding.
Government information is quite high level and most likely quite daunting for contractors trying to figure out what this means to them. We are aiming to start simplifying this information and helping contractors to understand their obligations. For example, there’s a big push on proof of competency following the Grenfell inquiry, making sure that contractors do have the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours that they need to display.
A new set of Mandatory Technical Competencies for roofing are being developed that will sit within a competency framework that roofers will need to adhere to going forward, so we will be helping our contractors to understand and meet those requirements once they have been published. Across the NFRC Trade Body and the Competent Person Scheme, we’re committed to helping our members understand what is required of them, and to offer support and guidance on how to meet these new requirements, where needed.
Do you have one piece of advice for roofing contractors thinking about joining the scheme?
My first piece of advice would be…if you’re reading what we’re all about and you’re still not sure what we are all about, pick up the phone. We have a great team of people who are here to help you understand what the scheme means for your business, and how we can help you to save time, save money and improve your business operations. Your clients will also be able to clearly see your competency as a skilled roofing professional, which will help when tendering for work and winning clients.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not managing the Competent Person Scheme?
I like to travel. I like to visit countries that I’ve never been to before and experience different cultures. That and spending time with my family. There’s not much time for anything else!
