Celebrating five years at St Ferrer, Construction Manager Will Browne serves as the pillar of our construction team.
Optimistic, generous, resourceful – these are but some of the few words our team would use to describe Will. With someone so integral to our culture, mentoring, and leading by example, it’s only fitting to introduce him.
Half a decade ago, Will brought his wealth of experience to St Ferrer. With a career spanning more than 15 years, Will Browne is no stranger to the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of commercial construction. From complex refurbishments in live environments to large-scale health and education projects, Will has made a mark across every corner of the industry.
However, Will’s impact goes beyond the job site. That same commitment to mentoring the next generation continues outside of work and on the field, where Will assists in coaching a senior football team, uplifting the next generation of young adults.
As he marks this five-year milestone with St Ferrer, we sat down with Will to reflect on his journey so far, the values that guide him, and what it means to lead with purpose, both in construction and in life. But first, we wanted to share a few words from our Director, Daniel Burmeister.
“I worked with Will for many years before he joined the St Ferrer team and saw his exceptional capabilities, even at a young age. Throughout his time, he developed as a capable project manager and having interviewed him 10 years later, it was an easy decision to welcome him to the St Ferrer team.
Within 6 months he was firing on all levels, making good progress building relationships key stakeholders, transitioning into a Senior PM, and then into St Ferrer’s Construction Manager.
Will has led the charge with mentoring the Contract Administrator’s in the team, drawing on his key strength of being a people person. People want to work with Will. We need more Will Browne’s.”
– Daniel Burmeister, Director.
Last month marked your five-year anniversary at St Ferrer, congratulations! What does it mean to you to be part of the St Ferrer team?
It means a lot. Daniel and Chris gave me an opportunity when I walked into the office 5 years ago, and I’m very appreciative of that, and very appreciative for their constant support and guidance for delivering projects on St Ferrer’s behalf.
Can you explain what your current role as Construction Manager entails?
I wear many hats, from ensuring that the office team have the right guidance and support to complete their roles, and making sure everything happens at the appropriate pace on site. I ensure that everyone is happy in their roles, fulfilled, getting what they need from me.
I also turn my attention to ensuring that all our clients are happy with the way things are transpiring with St Ferrer. Whilst also ensuring any project that I deliver personally, is being delivered to the highest standard, from cost management, to timeliness to quality and safety on site.
You’re seen as an integral leader on site—what qualities do you think are essential to leading in this industry?
The team on site are at the forefront of what people see from St Ferrer every day, they’re really important in what we do and how we deliver our projects. When I go to site, I make sure the site managers feel supported and that they are also very clear on the delivery expectations. Building relationships is one of my strengths, and that allows me to give feedback from a place of respect, and that I want them to grow and be better and support their development. Empathy to their situation and position on site is really important, as well as positive attitude.
Building relationships is one of my strengths, and that allows me to give feedback from a place of respect, and that I want them to grow and be better and support their development.
What’s the most rewarding project you’ve worked on at St Ferrer where you saw mentorship make a real difference?
The project would have to be Little Hero Apartments in Melbourne City at the start of 2022, early into our cladding remediation journey at St Ferrer. It was our first major cladding project, and it presented unique challengers because of the location and permits.
Our Site Manager, Darren Johns had only been working for 14 months. Darren was up against a lot of obstacles, but the most important thing was for him to know I had his back if anything were to happen, just as Chris and Dan had mine. I supported Darren’s decisions all the way, and it was the perfect opportunity for him to grow.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out in the industry?
Wear as many hats as you can, as early as you can. Be up for anything. Whatever anyone was to ask of you, be willing to say yes – to going to site, to picking things up for site managers. Your best place to learn is the people around you and the more people you see, the more you learn.
Finally, what impact do you hope to leave on the next generation?
I would like to think that my legacy would be someone that leads from the front on a day-to-day basis. I wouldn’t ask anyone to do something that I haven’t done or wouldn’t do. I want to be known as someone that offers support, guidance and care for the people that work with me in the team. Also, someone who is approachable, knew how to get things done, and provided excellent expertise in his field.
