We have spoken to Jim Baxter about the career journey that has taken him to his senior role at Stirling-based Allanwater Homes.
Please tell us about your early career.
Glasgow born and bred, I graduated from Glasgow University with a BAcc (Bachelor of Accountancy) degree. Originally, at the age of four, I wanted to be a jeweller, then a vet. In my teenage years my mum steered me towards accountancy and the die was cast.
My first job was with British Aerospace in the guided weapons and space division. i then went on to work at Lucas Ingredients factory which makes quality ingredients for butchers and food retailers. Once I had made the move from satellites to sausages, the variety of experience appealed to me. From there I made the leap to Saudi Arabia on a two-year contract and ended up staying in Jeddah for 10 years working in heavy haulage.
How did you feel about transferring to a different work culture?
Making the move, I wasn’t really very sure what I was getting into. Was I going to be sleeping in a tent in the desert? What did the job entail? How did you account for anything in the Middle East? Arriving for the first time, late in the evening in Jeddah, was fascinating – all the senses were overwhelmed simultaneously. After a few weeks I knew that I would be staying longer than a couple of years – there was too much to see and do. Jobwise, a six-day working week, odd hours, but a varied job description and I was hooked. In my last three years I was general manager. It was an easy step-up due to the experience I had gained from the previous two incumbents.
What brought you into the housebuilder sector?
In 1997 an advert for a financial director for what was then Allan Water plc, a care home company, caught my eye. I officially became part of the team in 1998. The interviews were with Ian Stirling, the founder of the company, a very multidimensional character and idiosyncratic entrepreneur. He introduced me to his wife and sons, all involved in the business, and a very cohesive family. It felt not so much as accepting a job offer as being adopted! Over the years I learned a lot from Ian and he gradually passed over elements of the business to me. It was, and remains, very much a sleeves-rolled-up environment where everyone gets involved when needed.
Did your role change much as the company grew?
The care home business was sold in 2006. In the background Allan Water Developments had been involved in conversions and refurbishments and, of course, our first volume site in Alloa. We then started looking for other sites to grow the house building side of the business. Allanwater Homes is a great place to work. Loyalty works in two directions and the testament to this is the fact that the average length of service sits at over eight years for our 30 full-time people. I don’t get out of the office as much as I would like but I have been the face of Allanwater Homes on our walk-through video tours, available on our website and on YouTube.
What gives you most job satisfaction?
After my time in food ingredients, I realised that there are certain essentials in life and having a roof overhead is prime. The idea that I work to provide places for people to live has become a reason to go to work every day. Over the years, the challenges and obstacles to making that happen have become a daily battle – finding land, achieving planning and making the numbers stack up. It takes good people with awareness of community and environment and we are very lucky to have built up that spirit in our team.
Has the industry’s skills shortage affected Allanwater Homes much?
Lockdowns, people moving out of housebuilding and low apprenticeships have created skills shortages in the industry. With this comes higher rates of pay and this, inevitably, leads to rising house prices. We are fortunate that we have filled positions without resorting to temporary labour and manage to retain staff.
