A Day in the Life of a Rap Project Manager

In this month’s ‘Day in the Life’ blog, we speak to one of Rap’s trusty project managers Parry Anderson. Whether you’re interested in being a project manager or simply want to see what life is like working for Rap, Parry will give you an interesting insight here! Summarise what life is like being a project manager for a London Interior design company A project manager’s job is very varied. Once a job is won it gets handed over to a project manager, and we then have two weeks to procure everything. During this process we have to look at the drawings, specifications and quotes. We then get the subcontractors in place ready to carry out the works. Then it is a case of running the project until it is handed over and invoiced. We are out of the office a lot, whether it be looking at new jobs or overseeing them. So we can be out on site from half six in the morning and out all day sometimes. When we’re finished on site we often have to go and get materials. Then there’s the office side of things. When we’re in the office we liaise with clients, write orders, organise for estimators to quote jobs, and sort out handovers. What is your favourite part of working for a London interior design company? I think my favourite part of the job is seeing the transformation at the end, especially when there is a big change. We’ve had many instances where we’ve taken on a job with a really old and tired building and turned it into a state-of-the-art space. Ultimately I like it when clients give us positive feedback and are visibly happy with the transformation. That’s what we aim for; to ensure that the client is happy with the work and that they have the ideal space for their needs. What have been your project highlights so far? The Questor Insurance office fit out was a very interesting project. They wanted the space to be fun and eye-catching, so it included things like a ping pong table, bean bag chairs and a beer fridge. The other one was Martin Tolhurst, just due to the fact that we mixed the old and the new to create a space that was both modern and traditional. The other project that sticks out in my mind was the London fit out of Crown Office Chambers, which was a simple but very effective kitchen transformation. What’s the most challenging part of being a project manager? Probably when you’ve got several projects on the go at once. When everybody is busy it is a challenge to ensure everything runs smoothly. It is just a case of keeping on top of things to avoid pitfalls. Prior to working for Rap you were a self-employed fixer. What has the transition been like? The transition hasn’t been too hard because I used to run jobs out on site. It is just the office side of things – the processes and using a computer more – that has changed really. Thanks for Reading We hope that Parry’s Q&A has given a good idea as to what life is like overseeing and organising projects. If Parry has inspired you to pursue a career in project management, then make sure you keep tabs on the ‘Work for Us‘ page for any upcoming vacancies. Want to read more from our ‘Day in the Life’ series? If so, then check out our last blog, ‘A Day in the Life of a Rap Interior Designer’ here.

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