Jehan

Development Associate
Male sitting a computer desk smiling at camera

Get to know Jehan

Jehan joined Mattamy Homes fresh out of university as part of Mattamy’s Finance Leadership Development Program. Through the 30-month program, Jehan gained experience working 15 months with the Canadian Corporate Financial Reporting team followed by an additional 15 months with the Canadian Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis team, all while working towards his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. After his rotational assignments, Jehan was promoted to Senior Financial Analyst. Most recently, Jehan sought new opportunities and transitioned into a new role as a Development Associate with the Urban Division’s land team.

What does a typical morning at work look like for you?

7:30 am
I start my day early (either at home or in the office as Mattamy Homes Canada has a flexible, hybrid work policy). I use this time to settle in and look at the news, stocks and sports. After I check my favourite websites and get caught up with the world, I’ll dive into my email inbox – respond to the emails that are less time consuming and easy to get back to. Then, I start building my to do list for the day.

 

9:00 am
As my colleagues start to filter into the office or pop online, I use this time to catch-up with my team. We check in with each other on a personal level – how our days went yesterday as well as ensure we all know what everyone is working on. This time is also used to brainstorm and talk through any questions or challenges we might be facing or ask for support from the rest of the team.

 

10:00 am
As a Development Associate every day is different, which makes the role so exciting. This time could involve preparing for project team meetings with external consultants and/or partners, engaging city staff on the status of project approvals or creating proformas in excel to assess the financial performance of ongoing projects. A major part of my role is also collaborating with the larger project team (Construction, Sales & Marketing, Finance, etc.) and ensuring project milestones are on track, and we receive the necessary approvals so we can move the project forward. 

 

11:00 am
I’m usually meeting with project team members, consultants and/or partners to discuss ongoing challenges with projects and working together to overcome any obstacles. 


What attracted you to Mattamy Homes?

Growing up in the Greater Toronto Area, I saw Mattamy Homes everywhere, so I was already familiar with the company and its reputation. It was a brand I respected – especially being a Canadian-founded company that has seen such impressive growth and success.

 

Once I came in for my first interview, that is really what sold me on the company. It was the people and the culture. There was an instant connection with my leader, and I immediately felt like Mattamy was somewhere I could really enjoy working for the long-term.

What does success look like as a Development Associate?

Mattamy has ambitious targets and part of being successful in a Development Associate role is to have the ability to lead, manage and coordinate a diverse group of team members. Things are always changing so you must be ready to adapt to different situations, utilize the support network you have around you and collaborate with different teams across the company and externally.

What is your favourite part of being a Development Associate?

I enjoy the wide variety of tasks that I’m responsible for. Depending on the day and what’s going on, it can include leading meetings, collaborating with team members to overcome challenges or creating/managing budgets for projects. Additionally, as an integral part of the project team, I get a chance to work with people in other departments which always provides new opportunities to learn and helps me continue to develop my communication and interpersonal skills.

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

Brad Carr, CEO of Mattamy Homes Canada said something at a meeting once that really resonated with me: “Aim to be on the leading edge, not the bleeding edge.” Since joining Mattamy, I’ve learned that there are always opportunities for improvement and innovation no matter what role you play in the business. Whether it’s using real-time data, being more efficient with your time or presenting your findings in a different way, we can always be better and Mattamy encourages that.

What characteristics does someone need to be successful at Mattamy?

Collaborative, adaptable, supportive, self-starter and pride in what you do. 

What has been your most meaningful experience since joining?

I wanted to get more exposure on the operations side of our business. I mentioned this to my leader and not too long afterwards, he gave me the opportunity to help one of our newest Division’s develop a standardized Excel template which would be used to help evaluate potential land acquisition deals. Through this project, I got the chance to work with a lot of different operational teams (Marketing, Construction and Land) to make sure the template made sense for the data they used. It was a huge project and at times, a bit scary but I was up for the challenge and learned so much more about the business and created some strong business relationships too.

What advice would you give to a new hire?

Don’t be afraid to fail. The best learning experiences come from failure. Mattamy has a great culture where it’s okay to be wrong and make mistakes. Your teammates and leaders are here to help you navigate and grow. 

 

I would also say that it’s okay to ask questions – it’s actually a good thing! Asking questions at Mattamy means you are thinking something through, are engaged and want to improve either yourself or a project/process. If you are questioning the way something is done, it just means you want to make things better in the long run. We are all about that!

Get to know Mattamy

What’s it really like to work at Mattamy? Hear from our team members as they share their own Mattamy stories. 

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