We speak to Matt Vincent, operations director at Spitfire Homes, about his role and the career journey that has taken him there.
Please tell us about yourself and your current role.
Currently operations director, overseeing everything from Land and Planning to Customer Care, I’ve moved into a more general management role over the last 12 or 18 months.
I stepped into operations director in May 2024 and effectively took the reins for getting on for 12 months. Dave Smith joined us as managing director shortly afterwards as part of Spitfire’s succession plan, year with a view to giving me a little bit more experience to step into that role when he moves away from the business.
Going back to the beginning of your working life. Did you know quite early on what you really wanted to do?
Property always appealed to me. My dad ran a successful shop-fitting business, an early steer in the direction of property and the opportunity it can bring. So at the age of 17, in college, I passed my driving test and started there part-time at a local estate agent, doing Saturday and Sunday viewings.
That was 2007/2008, so it was a very difficult time in the economy. I’m incredibly grateful for that experience, looking back, that I learned the trade when the market was tough and you really had to graft. I think that stood me in good stead.
I then wanted to go off to university. We agreed that I could do my real estate degree part-time, one day a week. I did that for the following five years and moved round within the business a little bit to spend some time in residential sales, lettings, and then in land and new homes.
At the agency, I was selling a couple of Spitfire schemes and they called me into the office the one day. This was in November 2014. We were a very different business to what it is today and it was our year-end in the December. It was quite the introduction to the pace of the business and the standard it can operate at.
Do you have a particular highlight in your career so far?
I’ve always got this mindset of I do something and then I’m on to the next thing. I’ve tried over the last couple of years to really start trying to enjoy and celebrate being in the moment a little bit more.
Watching the business grow through all the trials and tribulations, to still be here and one of the longest-standing members of staff – I think that whole journey over the last 12 years makes me quite proud.
We were talking only last week about a scheme called Haseley Manor, which was a Grade II listed building transformed into 12 apartments with some prestige new build houses in the grounds, set in seven acres. It was a labour of love but probably will be the best scheme I ever deliver in my career.
Has Spitfire Homes changed much as an employer?
I think the business has evolved a lot, with a strong and driven culture, and a committed team. I can only speak highly really of the way I’ve been looked after over the years.
Spitfire can be a very demanding business. We know what we want, we set the bar very high, but at the same time, we like people with the right attitude and commitment to delivering something they can be proud of to progress their careers with us. A place they can flourish and grow.
Spitfire is a strong brand, well-recognised across the Midlands region. We often come across competitors, contractors and suppliers who look at the business and say ‘we like they way you do things’. You can see them trying to emulate Spitfire, and that’s a huge compliment, but they cannot rest on their laurels.
As part of the IM Group, we were fortunate enough to have this office built in 2019, with a restaurant, gym, putting green. There’s plenty of space – the capacity of this office is probably double needed for the amount of staff that we’ve got in here across the group.
I’m a firm believer, particularly with younger, less-experienced colleagues, it’s incredibly important to be in an office because if nothing else, you’re listening to conversations and you’re picking things up.
How has your approach to people management been influenced?
I’ve been fortunate in my time at Spitfire to work for and learn from some really good people, with a wealth of experience. As somebody who always aspires to continually improve, I feel that the different management styles I’ve witnessed as Spitfire have enabled me to learn and grow my own way of building and managing teams.
Morale is a massive thing and I try to create an environment where people actually want to come to work. As a ‘people person’, I like to think people do their best to push because of that. The most important thing for me is taking people on the journey with Spitfire, getting their buy-in to the vision we’re trying to deliver and the standards we set.
With the industry skills shortage, as an SME, can you be competitive with the nationals for the disciplines that you’re looking for?
We’re currently on a big drive to bring trainees and graduates into our business and drive that through our supply chains as well. Having recently joined the 5% Club, we’re targeting to have at least 5% of our workforce – both across directly employed staff and subcontractors – as trainees or apprentices.
Recently, we’ve taken on two trainee sales consultants, two trainee site managers, a graduate land buyer, and a trainee designer as well. Each of these is an example of our commitment to addressing the sector’s skills shortage.
I think a lot of people fall into the housebuilding industry. I think we need to go back to the source. I think back to my time at college doing my A-levels, and all the teachers were talking about was UCAS points in university. For a lot of the disciplines or roles within our business, you don’t need those qualifications. I’m passionate about highlighting this to the next generation.
Spitfire has recently engaged a number of schools, organising site visits and attending assemblies, and I think that’s good for awareness. We’re having a big focus on 14- and 15-year-olds who are just starting to think about their career choices.
Not enough people outside of the industry or the sector know about it and know what it entails and know what roles are available.
You’ve got the ambitions for the company for expansion and new projects. What about your own career ambitions?
It has always been my ambition to become a managing director. I’m naturally very driven and I think the steps I’ve taken in my career so far have supported me to learn and grow towards this goal. My growth in the time since he has joined Spitfire has been significant, and the exposure I’m now getting from my role as operations director gives me a well-rounded view and hands-on input into all elements of housebuilding, helping to deliver the vision for Spitfire Homes’ future.
