We spoke to In Focus with Rebecca Freeman, Director of Field Operations - RICS Registered Valuer, Countrywide Surveying Services, on what sparked her interest in property, her leadership role within the business and how Countrywide is expanding its surveyor capacity and making the role attractive to diverse candidates.
What sparked your initial interest in property and how did it influence your career choice?
I've always had an interest in property, right from a young age. My parents used to refer to me as being nosey when we visited other people’s houses, as I would wander around admiring them (or not, in some cases!). This curiosity and passion for property led me to pursue a degree in real estate valuation and management, which I completed in 2004.
How did your career at Countrywide Surveyors begin, and what attracted you to the company?
After obtaining my degree, I applied to join Countrywide Surveyors. What attracted me to them was their unique approach compared to other surveying brands. I had previously had development days at various commercial firms, which provided great experience, but I realised that commercial surveying wasn't for me. I wanted the residential aspect and the independence of being out and about viewing various types of properties on a day to day basis.
Can you tell us about your early career experiences and qualifications gained at Countrywide Surveyors?
I started my career in Bath, working out of a loft space office with three colleagues. These were great years, during which I obtained my TechRICS qualification (equivalent to AssocRICS). As the company evolved and various offices closed, I saw this as an opportunity to gain extensive experience across the South West, from Cornwall to South Wales. This period also saw the introduction of tablet technology, which revolutionised our work processes. I had my two boys, Seb and Harry, during this time and eventually settled in Bristol, where I worked my home patch and applied for a promotion to managing surveyor.
How did you discover your passion for leadership, and what initiatives have you led within the company?
While supporting my colleagues and the regional director as a managing surveyor, I uncovered a passion for leadership. I found that I greatly enjoyed watching my colleagues flourish, and the overall successes of the business. This led me to put myself forward for a secondment into the senior leadership team as head of customer care, gaining valuable experience. One significant initiative I started in 2016 was the movement of women in surveying, addressing the gap in industry support for women and attracting female talent. This proved to be pretty monumental and remains a highly supportive network of likeminded women which makes me extremely proud
Additionally, I initiated a leadership development programme, in collaboration with Weston College. Working with external talent coaches, we were able to create an internal programme that saw people apply and journey through 12 months of opportunity, tasks and experience. This empowers the development of new roles, succession plans and, most importantly, in providing an alternative avenue for career progression throughout the business.
What achievements are you most proud of in your role?
In 2019, I was promoted to technical director and became the first female director on the statutory board. It’s a real honour to hold such a position and set a pathway for others to follow and achieve. During my time as director of field operations, we've continued to see huge successes with our AssocRICS programme, sending out well over 400 fully qualified surveyors into the industry over the last 10 years.
Ensuring our people flourish requires the right levels of technical provision, mental health support, and wellbeing initiatives. And we remain committed to delivering on all these important aspects as our people will always be the beating heart of the business.
How is Countrywide Surveyors expanding its surveyor capacity and making the role attractive to diverse candidates?
We understand that life happens around work, and flexibility is key to getting the best out of people. Our flexible contracts, such as term-time only or reduced working hour days, have proved popular.
We've recently initiated a mum and dad’s returning to work scheme which will open up an important avenue for those looking to get back into the workforce and we are always considering how we can make roles more attractive for graduates, those already in the property industry and various other groups across society.
We also ensure that all colleagues have regular face-to-face catch ups, socials and professional development sessions, combined with other more modern methods of communicating such as podcasts, to ensure we are consistently delivering a well-rounded support and self-improvement plan across the whole business.
