This month we spoke to Samihah Kausar, Mobilisation Project Manager at Bouygues Energies & Services. Samihah discussed the work she does, her biggest challenges and proudest moments during her 7 years with us. Samihah also shared her career progression within the business. 

Tell us a bit about who you are and what you do.

My name is Samihah I currently work as a Mobilisation Project Manager in the Mobilisation Team.

How would you explain your role as Mobilisation Project Manager to a lay person?

I help prepare and support people in carrying out their jobs across different sites. These sites could be schools, hospitals or police stations. 

Can you tell us a bit about your career path?

It is coming up to 7 years that I have been employed with Bouygues E&S. I joined as a Personal Assistant and then moved to the Mobilisation department as an Administrator.

During the last six years in Mobilisation, I have progressed from an Administrator, Senior Mobilisation Co-Ordinator, Assistant Project Manager to a Project Manager. In the last two years I was given opportunities to conduct two operational secondments - one as an Operations Manager in London Bridge for 6 months, and thereafter as the Performance Manager on another contract for 18 months. Most recently, I have been promoted to a Mobilisation Project Manager.

What do you like the most about working at Bouygues E&S?

The opportunities are endless! These have allowed me to progress in my career and those who know me will know that I always want to do better and make a difference. The continuous support and trust from line managers past and present gives me the confidence to continuously improve and strive to do my best.

In addition, there is a real commitment to personal and professional development. There is a huge variety of training and academic facilities available to staff: Apprenticeships and the Core Management Academy to name just two. These have enhanced my knowledge I can apply to my role.

What does your day-to-day role look like as a Mobilisation Project Manager?

In mobilisation, no project is ever the same. This is because the mobilisation or demobilisation of a contract can differ according to a number of factors: the type of contact, number of staff, risks, local processes and the client requirements.

Day to day, there are significant engagements with our internal staff on the ground who work on the contract, our external customers and our Support Service Teams. Each project is educational and creates a fantastic opportunities and memories for us to share. After each project, there is always the chance to reflect on lessons learnt for improvement on the next task at hand.

What is the biggest challenge in your role?

Some of the biggest challenges our team faces go hand in hand with each other as we need to marry the client’s expectations with our contractual deliverables. On top of this, external factors can have an impact on how the project is delivered and handed over; the COVID-19 pandemic being a perfect example of this.

What are you most proud of since joining the company?

I have a few memorable moments at Bouygues E&S and one that stands out for me is progressing in roles year on year. Each position has presented new opportunities to acquire experience and knowledge.

I am also very proud of spending 18-months working away from home on a complex contract during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Although it wasn’t an easy decision, I saw it as an opportunity to make a difference and offer support to the team during a very challenging and uncertain time.