Charlotte Senior

Name: Charlotte Senior

Current job title: Marketing and Projects Assistant at Dot Dot Dot Property

Internship/Placement role: Research Officer at Orbit

Degree: Linguistics and Phonetics

Where are you based: London

Background:

I’m from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. I studied Linguistics and Phonetics at University of Leeds and after graduating I moved to Hong Kong to teach English for two years. When I came back to England I knew I wanted to work in the not-for-profit sector and for an organisation that had a social purpose. As most people will say I stumbled upon the housing sector but it offered what I was looking for; a meaningful purpose and working for a company with strong values. The GEM programme appealed to me as you got to study for a professional qualification and meet others new to the sector too. The housing sector is definitely challenging but also a great sector to work in!

The GEM Programme 

The GEM Programme gave me a wider view of the housing sector not just from my role, but through the CIH qualification and the range of GEM Shacks. The Homelessness GEM shack was really eye opening and encouraged me to consider ways I could get involved to help prevent and tackle homelessness. The 21^st Century Communities GEM Shack gave me an insight into a totally different side of housing which I wouldn’t have been exposed to in my day to day role. Being on the GEM Programme also gave me the opportunity to get involved in different projects at work, for example helping to implement the Armed Forces Covenant at Orbit.

What do you enjoy about your current role? 

The variety! I work across both the Marketing and Business Improvement teams so I get a good overview of the business. We are a property guardian company with a social purpose aiming to get empty buildings back into use. It’s a totally different area of housing from my previous role, but as it is a small and growing social enterprise there are lots of opportunities to get involved in a range of projects.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to apply?

Take all opportunities that you get. The GEM Programme offers lots of chances for professional and personal development, so if you’re looking for a challenging yet exciting role the GEM Programme will be perfect for you.