We caught up with Matt Deaville (Housing Management PFI Manager) to get a sense of his role and perspective at Great Places.
What does your role involve?
I oversee the tenancy management of around 630 properties in Oldham as part of a contract with Oldham Council called the PFI. Day-to-day, this means managing a team of 10 colleagues at Great Places who support customers with all aspects of tenancy management, including:
My role also involves working closely with contractors such as Wates, who maintain the properties, linking with other Great Places teams, and reporting to Inspiral (who hold overall responsibility for the PFI contract) and Oldham Council.
How long have you been with Great Places and what brought you here?
I recently celebrated five years with Great Places! Before my current role, I managed two services in Manchester for Great Places, supporting vulnerable customers – primarily men with enduring mental health conditions – on their journey toward independence. It was incredibly rewarding, but also brought intense challenges most days. After some great successes, I felt ready for a change, and this new role in Oldham offers plenty of challenge too – but with a fantastic team to share it with.
I’ve worked in other sectors, including youth work, the church, managing a local hub for a children’s charity, and a care home for ex-offenders. However, I’ve found that working for a housing association provides both reward and recognition, which makes it a great place to be.
What’s your favourite thing about your new role and what are you most looking forward to over the next six months?
After nearly five years working in a residential mental health setting, I’m really enjoying the change to working in the Oldham office and spending time at our community centres – Primrose Bank and Crossley Centre. The positive team dynamic, enthusiasm, and productivity make a big difference.
The contract we’re working on comes with plenty of challenges, including over 100 Key Performance Indicators that we’re accountable for to Oldham Council. I’m genuinely excited to learn the details of the contract and ensure we meet these targets – because ultimately, they’re designed to benefit our customers.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
I’ve been fortunate to work across different sectors and, over the last 10 years, to manage some great teams.
In housing, a real highlight for me was finishing my last role with Great Places on a high. When I started five years ago, there was no team in place – by the time I left, we had built a high-performing team that achieved excellent audit outcomes.
They managed some very challenging circumstances and supported customers who were on the brink of eviction, helping them move forward positively.
Anything else you’d like to share? An interesting fact about yourself?
I’m an extrovert who loves connecting with people and learning new things. In 2010, I had the chance to live in Kraków for work, and I really enjoyed experiencing the culture, trying different foods, and learning some of the language.
More recently, I’ve become a big fan of padel and play once a fortnight with other school dads. It’s a cross between tennis and squash, played in doubles, and you can join at any level. The group I play with are mostly beginners, but we all love it – give it a try!
