At SDR, we invest in our team’s growth just as much as the standards we set across our properties. We are delighted to share Harvey’s story. He joined our property team in March 2025 and, within a year, had progressed from Assistant Property Manager to Property Manager, gaining valuable experience along the way. Here’s what he shared about his experience in his role at SDR.

Harvey came to SDR from a role as a holiday lettings manager, where he looked after a portfolio of 15 properties in Hampshire. What drew him to SDR was the chance to build a genuine career with a growing organisation that had clear values and plenty of opportunity ahead.

“What appealed to me was the chance to keep learning and take on real responsibility,” he says. “SDR’s values and its growth ambition intrigued me, and I could see it was somewhere I could build a future. I wanted to be part of that.”

He joined as an Assistant Property Manager, taking responsibility for reactive maintenance, arranging contractors and keeping compliance records up to date. He also supported Emma, our Senior Property and Compliance Manager, on larger projects, refurbishments and major works across the portfolio.

On his one-year anniversary, Harvey was promoted to Property Manager, having led his first full refurbishment of a supported living property from start to finish. Along the way he has also completed drone training, adding another practical skill to how he manages and inspects our sites.

He is now the first point of contact for reactive maintenance and holds greater responsibility for his own sites, organising and carrying out a range of projects independently.

The step up has developed Harvey across several areas. He points to three in particular:

Decision-making – “Planning ahead is a must, but not everything goes to plan. A lot of the time you have to improvise and make the right call, taking multiple factors into account.”

Budgeting – learning to gather quotes, estimate costs and build in the right contingencies.

Empathy and emotional intelligence – “I’ve learnt how important it is to listen to managers and staff, understand their perspectives, and think about how maintenance work affects residents, service users and teams. It’s shown me why clear communication and planning matter so much.”

For Harvey, the variety is the best part of the job. “I really enjoy visiting sites and working with different teams,” he says. “It’s great to know the work we do keeps people safe through compliance, and improves their homes through refurbishment and redecoration.”

The biggest challenge is juggling priorities across every site at once. “Reactive maintenance is unpredictable, so staying organised and communicating clearly is really important.”

Harvey is currently studying for his NEBOSH General Certificate, building strong foundations in health and safety. He is looking forward to applying what he learns across SDR’s sites as he continues to develop his knowledge and skills in property.

Harvey’s progress in just over a year reflects what a career at SDR can offer – real responsibility, the backing to develop, and the chance to take on more as you prove yourself. We are proud to have him on the team.

If Harvey’s story resonates with you, we have a range of vacancies across our care and property teams. (View here.)