Get To Know Dominic Underhill! 💬
We’re thrilled to bring you the next instalment of our ‘Get to Know’ interview series. A chance to hear from the remarkable individuals who help Bloom continue to progress. Through these short interviews, we uncover their experiences within the industry, along with their advice and guidance.
We sat down with Dominic, our Associate Project Manager here at Bloom. Dom shares his pathway to Bloom, as well as his advice on the key qualities and skills that help people in a similar role.
Be sure to check out the interview below!
Can you walk us through your career journey in the property and construction sector, and what led you to your current role as an Associate Project Manager at Bloom?
“I started my career in the construction sector as a Graduate Project Manager after completing my Master’s degree in Project Management at Oxford Brookes University. My first role was with Stace LLP, where I was fortunate to be involved in some really ambitious projects.
I then joined a medium-sized London-based consultancy as a Project Manager, where I first met Gareth, Josh, and Charlotte. That role gave me a strong grounding in project delivery, client relationships, and the realities of managing complex construction projects.
In 2022, I decided to take a career break from construction. I spent several months in Dahab, Egypt, where I completed an advanced freediving course and trained alongside some very inspiring people. It gave me the opportunity to reset and reflect on what I wanted from the next stage of my career.
When Gareth got in touch and shared his ambitions for Bloom, it immediately felt like the right opportunity at the right time. He explained the direction of the business and invited me to be part of it. It was a compelling proposition and gave me the renewed energy I was looking for.”
In your role, what are some of the key responsibilities you take on, and what would you tell someone to expect when moving into a similar position?
“My role is varied, which is one of the aspects I enjoy most. I work across Employer’s Agent, Contract Administrator and Project Management roles, so my responsibilities can range from administering building contracts and managing project teams at design and construction stage, through to advising clients at an early pre-development or due diligence stage.
At Bloom, I currently work on a mix of distressed schemes (focussing on project recovery), and new-build developments. Day to day, I’m dealing with commercial, technical, contractual and programme-related issues, often at the same time.
For someone moving into a similar position, I would say they need to enjoy straddling multiple disciplines. You have to be organised, commercially aware and technically curious, but attention to detail is probably one of the most important qualities. Small details can have significant consequences in construction.”
3. How have you seen your role evolve as you’ve progressed into a more senior position, and what have been the most valuable experiences along the way?
“As I have moved into a more senior role, my focus has shifted from dealing with individual tasks or specific workstreams to leading projects more holistically. I now spend more time thinking about the overall strategy: what needs to happen next, what risks need to be managed, who needs to be involved, and how we get the right outcome.
That shift has been a valuable part of my development. It has made me more proactive and more commercially aware, because you cannot just focus on the immediate issue in front of you. You need to understand how each decision affects the bigger picture.
The most valuable experiences have come from working closely with clients and project teams on challenging distressed-type projects. These situations have tested my judgement, know-how and resilience.”
4. What does good project management look like to you?
“At a basic level, we all want to deliver projects on time, within budget and to the required standard of quality. That is the objective, but anyone who works in construction will acknowledge that achieving it is rarely straightforward.
Projects inevitably involve situations and challenges that were not part of the original plan. In my view, good project management is about being two steps ahead and having a strong appreciation of risk, so potential issues can be identified early and avoided where possible. But when difficult circumstances do arise, you need to know how to draw on a wide array of skills, technical knowledge and previous experiences to solve the problem. I think a good project manager is also a natural generalist, and a bit of a ‘jack of all trades’.”
5. How do you approach building long-term relationships with clients and stakeholders?
“For me, long-term client relationships are built on providing a high-quality service consistently. I want to feel like clients see me as a safe pair of hands and as someone who’ll get the job done.
A lot of our work at Bloom comes through repeat business, which I think reflects the importance of trust and reliability. Clients come back when they know you understand their objectives, communicate clearly and take ownership of the role.
With wider stakeholders, I think professionalism and decency go a long way. Construction can feel like a small world sometimes, and relationships matter. You do not need to agree with everyone all the time, but treating people with respect and maintaining constructive relationships is something I try to bring to every project.”
6. Can you share an example of a project that stands out in your career, and what key lessons you took from it?
“There is not one single project that comes to mind. In my view, the projects that tend to stay with you are often the challenging ones: the schemes that have not been straightforward and have tested your judgement. It’s also very rewarding to get projects like this over the line.
You can find yourself in situations where the right solution is not always obvious. There may be difficult commercial decisions to work through, with contractual, compliance and technical issues all needing to be considered together.
The key lesson I have taken from those projects is the importance of careful decision-making. You need to break the issues down, understand the risks clearly and give practical advice. Those experiences have been most important in helping me grow as a professional.”
7. We know that in a past life you trained as a mixologist. If you had to describe each member of the Bloom team as a different cocktail, what would they be and why?
“Before my days at Bloom, I spent some time working shifts in an upmarket wine and cocktail bar. I learned a fair amount about drinks and mixology. I am not sure I am bold enough to describe my colleagues as cocktails, but I have come to know their drink preferences, so I can let you know what I’d make them!
🔹Michelle likes a Piña Colada. One of my all-time favourites also.
🔹Daniel is more of a white wine drinker, but I can see him liking an Old Fashioned.
🔹 I know a Spicy Margarita is a firm favourite of Phoebe’s.
🔹 I can see Eamon enjoying an easy-going Mojito.
🔹 Charlotte would need something classic and refined, so perhaps a Negroni or a Martini.
🔹 Josh is a big Tanqueray fan, so I would keep it simple and make him a proper G&T.
🔹 Gareth is partial to a peated whisky, so I would probably make him a Rusty Nail – strong, smoky and no frills.”