Case studies: Accommodation manager: Nina

Nina is an accommodation manager in one of the residential units within a large university.

I currently manage the operational activity of a residential unit accommodating up to 156 residents. My job is to manage the residents throughout their period of tenure including allocation of rooms, coordinating their arrivals and departures, and flat inspections. A major part of my job is to monitor the conduct and the general well-being of students and to provide support where necessary, which includes linking up with university student support services if required.

Behind the scenes I manage a team of ten staff and together we ensure that the maintenance and cleanliness of the accommodation meets the required health and safety standards. I also administer budget expenditure and income and, where necessary, plan redecoration or refurbishment works.

Out of term-time I am responsible for planning and co-coordinating our commercial business, including the annual six-week summer school. So there is never really a quiet moment!

I feel that well-developed communication, organisational and supervisory skills are key to the job. Knowledge of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing and related good practice, as well as knowledge of health and safety at work, is part and parcel of working in accommodation.

I joined the institution five years ago as a part-time accommodation assistant. I worked very closely with the then accommodation officer and gained valuable experience in all aspects of the residences. I gained the position full time after four years and when the position of residence unit manager was created as a result of a merger, I felt that I was more than capable of fulfilling this role.

At the time, an HND was a requirement for the post. I have a DipHE in Business Studies, which I feel has benefited me greatly. Relevant subjects that I studied include: managing people at work; human resource management; business operations; and electronic business. All of these topics impact on my role to some extent. Personally, I feel that the human resource modules were the most beneficial as I am now responsible for up to ten members of staff and previously had little experience of managing people. I am continuing my studies at the university and I am currently working towards my business degree part time.

The best thing about my job is that no two days are the same; the workload is varied and constant, which makes the job challenging and rewarding to the same degree.
I also really enjoy the interaction with students and being a friendly face that can help to solve their problems.

To anyone who is looking to work in the area, I believe that gaining relevant experience is valuable. I initially came into the position of accommodation assistant in an administrative capacity and made myself available for other duties to gain more experience within the role. You should never be afraid of rolling your sleeves up and mucking in!