I never dreamt I would be working on the pioneering proton beam therapy project - Emma Hanrahan

Emma Hanrahan, assistant quantity surveyor for Interserve Construction delivering The Christie’s proton beam therapy centre

Emma Hanrahan

Interserve is working with The Christie to bring the UK's first high energy proton beam therapy service to Manchester. The state of the art five storey building will provide three treatment gantries, a research room, a patient reception, consultation rooms and public space.

As an assistant quantity surveyor I am responsible for the management, recording and reporting of the financial movement of elements of the construction project, as well as managing the subcontractors’ commercial progress on site.

After holding a long term job in the printing industry I decided that I wanted to retrain to do something I was really interested in and that maximised my strengths. I enrolled on a quantity surveying degree at Salford University in 2011 and secured my first position as a trainee quantity surveyor with Interserve two years later before graduating in 2015.

The construction industry starts early so I aim to get to site at 7.30am and leave at around 5pm. However, I must be reactive to issues when they arise, so these hours can stretch either end when necessary. I always start my day with a hot cup of tea whilst catching up on emails. My main role is to ensure that the project costs are being monitored correctly and cash flow is being met throughout the construction phase of a project. I’m also involved with the management of subcontractors working on the project, ensuring that they deliver to the right standard and are paid the correct amount for the work they complete. 

The best thing about my job is getting to work with great people and every single day being completely different and challenging. I enjoy seeing the progression of a site from start to finish and being able to say I helped to build that!

The highlight of the project for me to date was looking out of my site accommodation window to see Lucas, a five year old cancer patient, being presented with a gift of a John Deere toy tractor. It really struck me then why we’re doing this, it’s not just any other project; we’re delivering something that will make a difference!

Alongside my day job I’m involved with  fundraising for The Christie charity. Being onsite at The Christie I see the amazing care and treatment provided by the dedicated staff and I hope that our fundraising will help to create awareness and contribute to enabling this world class treatment to continue. I’m proud to say that in 2016 Interserve raised over £25,000 for the charity with plenty more planned for 2017, including a repeat of the highly successful ‘Come Dine with Me’ and our ‘legendary’ Wigan Race Night, as well as some new innovative fundraising initiatives including a stay in a haunted house and a motor bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats!

I never dreamt I would be working on the pioneering proton beam therapy project, which is scheduled to complete on time and within budget.  It’s such an inspirational place to work and I’m proud to be part of the team delivering a facility that will make such a huge difference to patient’s quality of life.

To learn more about careers in the construction industry and to visit our proton beam therapy site book your place on a tour at the end of this month at http://opendoors.construction/site/460