enabletalentgroup-refresh

What to Put On Your CV - GM Operations

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:50:31 GMT

What to Put on Your CV - General Manager Build to Rent

Stepping into a General Manager role within Build-to-Rent (BTR) is about more than running a building it’s about delivering an exceptional living experience while driving strong commercial outcomes. If you’re applying for a role here’s what your CV needs to show.

1. Commercial & Financial Acumen

Hiring managers want to see evidence that you can manage budgets, deliver against financial models, and optimise property performance. On your CV, include:

Specific budgets or P&L responsibility you’ve managed
Revenue growth, occupancy uplift, or cost savings achieved
Experience in leasing strategy or business development

2. Leadership & People Management

This role is as much about leading people as it is about managing property. Showcase:

Size and type of teams you’ve led (frontline, operations, facilities, sales)
Examples of building high-performing teams
Staff retention, engagement, or development initiatives you’ve implemented

3. Operations & Compliance

Day-to-day oversight of a large residential asset requires operational excellence. Highlight:

Facilities management and compliance responsibilities
Health & safety, risk management, or regulatory knowledge
Experience launching or stabilising new developments

4. Resident Experience & Community Building

What sets BTR apart is the resident experience. Employers want to see how you’ve built community and delivered value beyond the bricks and mortar. Include:

Initiatives you’ve led to improve customer satisfaction or retention
Resident engagement or community programs you’ve implemented
Survey scores, testimonials, or awards

5. Stakeholder Engagement

A General Manager operates at the intersection of multiple stakeholders owners, investors, local government, and residents. On your CV, detail:

Key partnerships you’ve managed
Experience reporting to Boards or asset owners
Examples of building long-term, trusted relationships

6. Results & Impact

Numbers speak louder than words. Back up every responsibility with outcomes:

“Increased occupancy from 78% to 95% within 12 months”
“Delivered $1.2m in operating cost efficiencies”
“Improved staff engagement scores by 15%”

Final Tip

Your CV should reflect both the operational excellence and the human leadership required for a General Manager in BTR. Employers want to know you can hit the numbers and create a place where people want to live and work.

What to put on your CV - Development

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 23:22:27 GMT

Development Professional ? What Should Your CV Include

What to Put on Your CV if You Work in Development

The residential living sectors from Build-to-Rent (BTR) and Affordable Housing to Retirement Living, Co-living, and Student Accommodation are expanding rapidly across Australia. With new projects launching and capital flowing into the market, competition for development roles is strong.

Whether you’re a Development Analyst, Development Manager, or moving toward a Director role, your CV is your first opportunity to demonstrate capability. At Enable Talent Group, we review hundreds of CVs for development roles every year. Here’s what stands out.

1. Show the Projects You’ve Delivered

Development is about outcomes, and your CV should clearly demonstrate the projects you’ve worked on. Go beyond job titles and responsibilities by listing:

Project type – e.g., BTR, PBSA, Retirement Living, Mixed-Use.
Scale – number of units, total sqm, gross realisation, or project value.
Stage involvement – site acquisition, feasibility, DA approvals, design management, construction, delivery, or stabilisation.
Role and contribution – what you personally led or influenced (rather than a generic team achievement).

This helps employers immediately see your track record and where you fit into their pipeline.

2. Highlight Your Commercial Acumen

Employers in the living sectors want development talent who combine commercial insight with delivery experience. On your CV, bring out:

Feasibility and financial modelling skills (Excel, EstateMaster, ARGUS).
IRR and NPV analysis – how you’ve assessed deal viability.
Funding and JV experience – exposure to debt, equity partners, or institutional investors.
Risk management – where you’ve flagged or mitigated risks that impacted project outcomes.

Numbers matter — if you can tie your work to improved ROI, reduced costs, or accelerated timelines, it will resonate strongly.

3. Demonstrate Stakeholder Management

In the living sectors, stakeholder engagement is critical. Projects often involve government approvals, community consultation, operator input, and financial backers. Your CV should reflect:

Negotiation with councils and planning authorities.
Collaboration with architects, builders, and consultants.
Alignment with investors, operators, or end-users.
Examples of resolving competing interests to move a project forward.

This positions you as someone who can bridge technical, financial, and political considerations.

4. Technical and Regulatory Knowledge

Every market has nuances. Highlight your understanding of:

Planning frameworks and zoning in your state (e.g., VIC vs NSW differences).
Building codes and compliance for specific asset classes.
Sustainability initiatives – e.g., NABERS, Green Star, or carbon-neutral developments.
NDIS and SDA requirements if relevant.

Recruiters and hiring managers look for candidates who won’t need a steep learning curve on compliance.

5. Tailor for Seniority

Finally, adjust the level of detail to match your seniority:

Analysts / Associates – focus on modelling, research, and support tasks.
Development Managers – highlight leadership of specific projects, consultants, and stakeholders.
Directors / Heads of Development – emphasise portfolio oversight, strategy, team leadership, and capital relationships.

Final Word

A CV for development roles in the living sectors should not just list responsibilities it should tell the story of the assets you’ve helped bring to life . Numbers, projects, and outcomes are far more powerful than generic descriptions.

At Enable Talent Group, we specialise in recruiting for the residential living sectors and know what employers are looking for. If you’d like a confidential discussion about your CV, or where your development experience can take you next, get in touch.

What To Put On Your CV = Finance

byron@enabletalentgroup.com (Byron Ellis) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 01:54:53 GMT

What To Put On Your CV - Finance

What to Put on Your CV: Finance Leadership Roles in the Living Sector

The finance function has become central to the growth of Australia’s living sectors. Whether it’s Build-to-Rent, Affordable Housing, or Retirement Living, developers and institutional investors are relying on strong financial leadership to navigate scale, complexity, and regulatory scrutiny.

If you're a CFO, Financial Controller, or Finance Manager working in or looking to break into these sectors, here’s what we really want to see on your CV.

1. Commercial Impact—Not Just Compliance

It’s no longer enough to say you “managed budgets and reporting.” Strong candidates demonstrate:

How they improved margins or reduced costs
Where they’ve driven efficiencies through systems or process overhaul
Any board-level contribution to strategic decisions (e.g. site acquisition modelling, JV negotiations, REIT structuring)

Example: “Led a finance transformation project that reduced monthly reporting time by 35%, enabling faster investor decision-making across $1B residential asset base.”

2. Development, Capex & Project Controls Experience

In the living sectors, finance leaders are expected to engage deeply with development pipelines. We want to see:

Experience in managing capex controls, funding drawdowns, and project forecasting
Exposure to feasibilities or sensitivity modelling
Close partnership with Development, Investment, or Asset teams

If you’ve worked on large-scale construction or development programs spell that out clearly.

3. Team Leadership & Structure

Whether you're overseeing a small in-house team or managing finance across multiple business units, be specific:

Size and structure of your finance team
Who you report to (CEO, Board, Private Equity, etc.)
Functions under your remit (FP&A, transactional finance, compliance, audit, tax, procurement)

Example: “Led a team of 12 across AP, AR, and FP&A in a PE-backed developer/operator with $600M in assets under management.”

4. Stakeholder Engagement & Reporting Lines

This sector is stakeholder-heavy. Your CV should highlight how you’ve communicated with:

Investors, Boards, Capital Partners, Lenders
Government stakeholders (especially in Affordable Housing, SDA or NRAS-funded projects)
Internal functions including Development, Asset Management, Operations, and Sales

Clear reporting lines and your role in decision-making are key to senior finance appointments.

5. Funding, Debt & JV Experience

Have you helped secure debt facilities? Negotiated joint ventures? Liaised with capital markets?

Include:

Quantum and structure of facilities you’ve helped secure
Relationships with lenders, financiers, and capital advisors
Governance experience for JVs or institutional funding models

6. Systems, Tech & Process Improvements

CFOs and FCs are increasingly judged by their ability to modernise finance. Be sure to include:

ERP systems (e.g. MRI, Yardi, TechOne, NetSuite, SAP)
Automation initiatives (e.g. Power BI, process mapping, forecasting tools)
Audit and compliance frameworks implemented

7. Regulatory & Tax Exposure

Especially relevant in sectors like Affordable Housing, SDA, or Retirement Living where:

GST, land tax and depreciation treatment differ
Compliance with housing regulations or aged care frameworks may be required

If you’ve liaised with regulators, auditors, or tax advisors on sector-specific issues, include it.

8. Career Narrative & Achievements

Don’t just list roles—craft a compelling narrative:

What problems did you inherit?
What did you solve or improve?
What legacy did you leave behind?

Use quantifiable outcomes wherever possible. A great finance CV reads like a case study in business leadership.

What to put on your cv - Investments

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:00:03 GMT

What Should Your CV Include - Investment Management

What We Look for on the CVs of Investment Professionals in the Living Sectors

At Enable Talent Group, we specialise in recruiting senior finance and investment talent across Australia’s thriving living sectors Build-to-Rent (BTR), Affordable Housing, Retirement Living, Student Accommodation, and Co-living. These asset classes are nuanced, capital-intensive, and fast-growing, and they demand professionals who can bridge strategy, structure, and execution.

When we assess CVs for roles in investment whether you're an Analyst, Associate, Manager, or Director we’re looking beyond just where you’ve worked. We’re looking at how you think, what you’ve influenced, and whether your skills can unlock value in a living-sector context.

So, what stands out to us?

1. Real Sector Exposure (or Realistic Transferability)

We value candidates with clear exposure to residential real estate investment whether institutional or private. However, we’re also open to adjacent-sector professionals who demonstrate commercial relevance. That includes:

Mixed-use or residential development modelling
Working on stabilised income-producing assets (e.g. multifamily, land lease communities)
Projects with a blend of private equity, debt, and/or government subsidy

If you’ve worked on investment-grade residential projects , state this clearly on your CV — don’t bury it in bullet points.

2. Advanced Financial Modelling: Depth Over Buzzwords

Too often, CVs mention “financial modelling” without telling us what was actually modelled. In this market, detail matters.

We want to see:

➤ What kind of models have you built?

Development feasibility models (DCF-based, dynamic cost/revenue inputs)
Stabilised asset models (NPV, IRR, yield-on-cost, return on equity)
Scenario analysis (base vs upside/downside)
Sensitivity models across construction cost, lease-up risk, interest rate, or exit cap assumptions

➤ What were the outcomes?

“Modelled a $220m BTR portfolio acquisition with blended gross yield of 4.7%, presenting downside IRR at 6.1%”
“Supported IC approval by forecasting cash flows across 3 staged developments under a $300m JV vehicle”
“Produced a rolling 10-year model to track DSCR and LVR for an SDA portfolio under mixed financing terms”

➤ How did the modelling influence the investment or asset strategy?

Was it used for deal underwriting?
Did it feed into a capital raise or debt structuring conversation?
Did it highlight a value-add or risk mitigation strategy?

The best CVs give us just enough context to show commercial thinking , not just technical ability.

3. Project and Deal Visibility

In these sectors, your asset exposure tells a story. We want to see:

Type of assets (e.g. BTR towers, affordable housing communities, integrated retirement precincts)
Size and scale (e.g. "$180m GDV across three assets in outer metro Sydney")
Your role (lead analyst, support, commercial business case builder, etc.)
Outcomes (IC approval, acquisition, divestment, portfolio pivot, etc.)

Even listing headline transactions or projects — with your specific contribution — helps frame your value.

4. End-to-End Involvement and Stakeholder Influence

We assess how well you’ve operated across the lifecycle — not just what you’ve built in Excel.

Have you liaised with Development, Asset Management or Capital Transactions teams?
Were you involved in external valuations, due diligence, or capital partner discussions?
Did you present findings to Investment Committees or C-suite executives?

We’re drawn to candidates who have combined technical analysis with strategic insight and stakeholder confidence.

5. Curiosity, Progression, and Cultural Fit

Beyond the numbers, we assess potential.

We value candidates who:

Have shown progression (promotions, added portfolio scope, more stakeholder exposure)
Have pursued credentials (e.g. CFA, Master of Finance, GradCert Property)
Are motivated by the long-term evolution of the living sector and its impact on how Australians live

Cover letters, LinkedIn summaries, and career blurbs on your CV should reflect this — why you're in this space, and what you're building toward.

Final Thought: Numbers Matter, but So Does Narrative

At Enable Talent Group, we know investment recruitment isn't just about technical proficiency — it's about how your experience connects to the business story .

Why Specialist Recruitment Matters in the Living Sector

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:20:51 GMT

Why Specialist Recruitment Matters in the Living Sector

As the Living Sector in Australia expands with billions committed to Build-to-Rent (BTR), the rising importance of Affordable Housing, and growing demand for Retirement and Student Accommodation a critical question remains: who’s building the teams behind these assets?

At Enable Talent Group, we believe the answer isn’t just recruitment — it’s specialist recruitment. Because hiring in the Living Sector isn’t about filling jobs. It’s about finding professionals who understand a sector that’s still taking shape, backed by capital that expects precision, pace, and performance.

Not Just Property. Not Just Finance. It's Both and More.

The Living Sector sits at the crossroads of development, investment, operations, and community delivery. That means the right candidate needs more than just domain knowledge. They need:

A commercial mindset that understands investor expectations
Technical fluency across finance, asset management, or development delivery
The soft skills to navigate internal and external stakeholders — from councils to capital partners
A genuine motivation to contribute to how Australians live, not just where

It’s a rare blend and that’s why generalist recruitment often falls short.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

Hiring the wrong Development Manager on a BTR project doesn’t just delay timelines it damages investor confidence. Misalignment in asset management can impact tenant retention, NPS, and ultimately returns. A Finance Manager unfamiliar with fund structures or offshore reporting requirements can create downstream risks no one saw coming.

In a fast-moving sector, the cost of a mis-hire isn’t just financial it’s strategic.

Sector Fluency Isn’t Optional Anymore

Whether you're delivering a national SDA pipeline, launching a co-living platform, or building your in-house development capability, you need people who understand the nuances not just the job titles.

That’s where Enable Talent Group adds value. We don’t spray CVs. We deliver individuals who have worked in, understand, or are motivated by the unique challenges and opportunities across the Living Sector. We speak the language of REITs, understand capital stack structures, and know the difference between yield management and tenant experience.

What Sets Us Apart

Specialist Network: We know where the talent is — and where they want to go.
Strategic Fit: We align candidate goals with business strategy, not just job descriptions.
Cultural Insight: We assess not only technical capabilities but also cultural alignment, long-term motivation, and leadership fit.
National Reach: From Melbourne and Sydney to Brisbane and regional hubs, we operate nationally with a localised approach.

Talent is the Competitive Edge

In a sector defined by innovation, capital pressure, and changing tenant expectations, your people are the only true differentiator. Assets can be duplicated. Strategy can be mimicked. But your team and their ability to deliver is what will set you apart.

If you’re hiring into the Living Sector, partner with a firm that knows it inside out. At Enable Talent Group, we recruit for impact and we do it with deep sector knowledge and speed.

The Rise of the Living Sector in Australia: Why It Matters More Than Ever

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:05:07 GMT

The Rise of the Living Sector in Australia: Why It Matters More Than Ever

The Australian property market is undergoing a structural shift and it’s not just about office towers or suburban homes anymore. The Living Sector comprising Build-to-Rent (BTR), Affordable Housing, Retirement Living, Student Accommodation, and Co-Living is becoming one of the most dynamic, resilient, and investable parts of our national economy.

At Enable Talent Group, we see it every day. From global capital entering BTR to local developers pivoting into Retirement Living, the scale and maturity of this sector is accelerating. So, what’s driving this growth and why does it matter?

Until recently, residential investment in Australia was largely dominated by individual investors and mum-and-dad landlords. Today, institutional capital is reshaping that narrative. Super funds, REITs, private equity firms, and global developers are all making strategic moves into the Living Sector.

Build-to-Rent alone has more than $16 billion in committed and planned investment, with major pipelines underway in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. At the same time, Retirement Living and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) are attracting interest from healthcare-aligned capital and social infrastructure funds. This isn’t a passing trend it’s a long-term play, driven by fundamentals.

The Living Sector is emerging as a direct response to how Australians want and need to live. Renters now account for nearly one-third of the population, and many are seeking professionally managed, secure, long-term rental options.

Student Accommodation is also back in focus as international enrolments recover, and purpose-built housing solutions outperform private rental stock. Meanwhile, our ageing population is driving the need for more diverse, community-oriented Retirement Living options.

Younger generations are delaying homeownership in favour of flexibility, which has led to the rise of Co-Living a model that combines convenience, amenity, and affordability. Each of these segments addresses real, structural gaps in the housing market.

As capital flows into the Living Sector, the limiting factor isn’t just funding it’s talent. Success in this market depends on people who understand the nuances of residential real estate, operational models, compliance frameworks, and stakeholder expectations.

Do you have a Development Manager who knows how to deliver a BTR project on time and budget? An Asset Manager who can balance tenant experience with investor returns? A Finance lead who can report to offshore capital partners with clarity and confidence?

At Enable Talent Group, we’ve built a national, specialist network of professionals across the residential living landscape — from analysts to directors. We don’t just source talent. We identify individuals who are motivated to contribute strategically, grow with the business, and deliver impact from day one.

The Living Sector isn’t just a property trend. It’s a vital part of Australia’s economic, social, and urban future. It addresses housing shortages, supports diverse lifestyles, and contributes to sustainable city planning. As governments increasingly partner with the private sector to solve housing and infrastructure challenges, talent will be the lever that determines which projects succeed and which ones stall. The firms investing in the right people today will be the ones shaping how Australia lives tomorrow.

Where to Next?

If you're operating in the Living Sector or looking to enter it Enable Talent Group can help you navigate it. We recruit nationally across Build-to-Rent, Affordable Housing, Retirement Living, Co-Living, and Student Accommodation, covering all key functional roles across finance, investment, development, sales, and asset management.