Career in spotlight... Area Manager... Isabel Sassine

From a business development manager, progressing through operations roles, into retirement living as a village manager and now an Area Manager. Isabel has accepted every opportunity and challenge with passion and continues to drive her career forward. Let's hear from one our true Levande Legends who manages multi site, diverse locations and teams as a strategic thinker focussed on exceptional customer service experiences.

Tell us about yourself and what inspired your career at Levande?

I started my career off in Government - Supreme Court of all places.? So from the get go I was quite process and policy driven and very much people focussed.

After years in government I went into Community Development part time to enable me to get a work life balance while raising my children.? That industry provided me insight into the needs of our customers and developing projects and services to enhance their wellbeing.? Working with predominantly a volunteer base of older retired people helped me to understand what drives and motivates them as they get older.? This put me in good stead to be able to enter the Retirement Living Industry with a non for profit where I managed and sold units for 5 years before transitioning to my Levande career.??

With Levande I had the opportunity to work as a manager of a cluster of villages including serviced apartments hence multiple budgets and a big team.?It was thrilling to have been acknowledged for the years in that role by being offered the opportunity to act as an Area Manager and then eventually being successful at being appointed permanently.? ??

Can you share your experience as a Area Manager?

It has been a wonderful experience.? You learn a lot about yourself and the business as a whole.? You learn? to have a holistic higher level understanding.?Where I may doubt or question my abilities, I've counteracted by reaching out to our business partners or colleagues for support, assistance and education to strengthen my knowledge - and we have some amazing people in this company.

It has been great to be involved in a new company and to have input into the strategic planning and playing a role in achieving those goals.??

I'm also especially blessed to be working with an amazing team in South Australia. The team has been very supportive and accepting of me and I'd like to think we work to each other's strengths to continue to kick goals in SA.

What advice would you give someone considering a career in retirement living and what are the benefits of the role?

Being an Area Manager can be incredibly rewarding. This is a customer-focused industry where relationships are long-term, requiring a strong emphasis on people skills. Building relationships based on trust and respect is crucial, and you must be prepared for difficult conversations when necessary. The customer you begin the journey with may not be the same one when the relationship ends, so it's essential to be confident, well-versed in processes, understand the relevant legislation, and know your obligations under the license agreement. Approachability and respectfulness are key. Embrace innovation and a commitment to continuous improvement, as ultimately, you are providing homes and a lifestyle for older Australians who are placing their trust in you.

How do you ensure our residents needs are being met?

By actively engaging with residents, I ensure their needs are met by being approachable and available for village meetings. I listen carefully to their feedback through surveys and direct communication, addressing any concerns they raise. Additionally, I stay informed about industry changes and looking for ways to continuously improve our services and meet evolving expectations.

How do you balance work with personal interests? How does Levande and the team support your goals?

I've always been one to put my commitments before my personal interests.?However, Levande helps support me by allowing me to put it down in my one simple thing, to have the discussions with my manager around flexibility and to support my initiatives in being better in achieving that 'perfect' balance.

Tell us three qualities you bring to this role to ensure success?

Relationship Building and Communication - I believe I have an open, honest and respectful approach in all my dealings.? My ability to communicate effectively, handle difficult conversations with empathy and build trust helps me to provide a good customer service and develop strong team cohesion.

Problem Solving - I can be an out of the box thinker to resolving problems and like to think this skills helps me to support my team when they have challenging situations.

Sharer of information/education - I am committed to continuous development and growth by sharing knowledge and providing education.? When I learn something new I share with my team because I want to set them up for success.? I believe in team and not in silos and if we are doing something really well on one site we should be sharing with another to set us all up for success.??

If you would love to work for a company that enables career development, is passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences and become a Levande Legend like Isabel and start or further your career in retirement living, then please reach out to our careers team at [email protected]

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