Overview:
Nick joined Marlborough Highways as a senior member of the organisation in January 2022, heading up the Performance, Sustainability & Social Value team in a newly created role. With huge amounts of industry experience, Nick brings a wealth of expertise and talent to the business, shaping the firm’s ambitious environmental and CSR strategy. Passionate about youth volunteering, Marlborough supports Nick’s long-term commitment to the Army Cadets and values the transferable skills he has developed while serving in the organisation.
Background
Nick grew up in Waltham Abbey, attending nearby Trinity Catholic High School and playing for the local football team. Always interested in transport and infrastructure, Nick’s first full-time job was with Camden Consultancy Service in the Highways department, serving as a Surveillance Auditor. As his career progressed, Nick transitioned from client-side to contractor-side, giving him a unique and valuable perspective on the industry, and the challenges it faces. Joining Ringway Jacobs, he worked across several roles spanning Performance, Planning, Contracting, Operations, and Strategy, accumulating more than a decade of professional experience. At his time of joining Marlborough, Nick was already well known to the company, respected for his sector expertise and great relationship building skills.
Marlborough Highways career
In his professional dealings with Marlborough before joining the business, Nick was impressed by the company’s energetic and flexible culture, and he admired the determination of the senior team. Drawn to the prospect of developing and managing a newly formed department, Nick started at Marlborough in early 2022 and immediately set about growing his team and setting out an ambitious Performance, Sustainability and Social Value strategy. Managing three colleagues, Nick spends much of his time defining Performance policy and ensuring that legacy client commitments are met and exceeded. But it is his work in best environmental practice and CSR that motivates him the most, with a real desire to give back to the communities in which we serve, and to operate in a cleaner and more sustainable way. Spearheading the company’s commitment to become Carbon Neutral by the end of 2025, Nick is helping Marlborough to become an industry leader in the decarbonisation of the sector.
2024 Highways Awards
In the 2024 Highways Awards, Nick was shortlisted in the Michael Conway MBE Community Leaders category for his exceptional commitment to community values.
Fact file
Marlborough Highways
- Job title Operations Director
- Joined Marlborough January 2022
- Department Operations
- Location Head Office
- Reports to Directors
Army Cadets
- Service 12 years as a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer
- Company A Company, Essex
- Current rank Lieutenant
- Awards Cadet Force Medal and Commendation for bravery
Personal details
- Hometown Waltham Abbey
- Education
– Trinity Catholic High School, A-Levels
– Anglia Ruskin University, BA Hons in Business Management - Professional membership
– Member of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT).
– Honorary Secretary, CIHT East of England - Work experience Camden Consultancy Service and Ringway Jacobs
- Interests Football and youth volunteering
Skills and expertise
- Superb knowledge of the highways sector
- Deep understanding of environmental challenges facing the industry
- In-depth expertise in Performance and Social Value strategy
- Ability to multitask across a range of disciplines
- Outstanding communications skills
- Excellent leadership qualities and team player
Quote
“Marlborough is an inclusive, client focused business, with a senior board that cares about its people and their wellbeing. The company prioritises it’s environmental and social responsibilities, with an open and dynamic working culture that allows staff to thrive. The organisation also values the contribution of those involved in the Armed Forces community, giving me the support and flexibility I need to balance my work and volunteering commitments.”
Nick Reading, Operations Director, Marlborough Highways
Army Cadets
The Army Cadets is a national youth organisation sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, that has existed for more than 150 years. With 33,000 Cadets aged 12 – 18, the charity offers its members a wide range of opportunities and experiences, helping them to develop skills in the fields of communications, navigation, first-aid, military history and more. Joining the organisation at the age of 12, Nick spent six years as a Cadet before becoming a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, serving to this day with A Company Essex.
As the training officer, Nick is responsible for planning the activities for around 150 cadets, ensuring that they are safe, progressive and promote leadership and life skills. Having been a cadet himself, Nick is motivated by the desire to see under privileged young people achieve.
In September 2015, Nick successfully attended Army Officer Selection Board and was awarded the Cadet Force Commission. He subsequently attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as part of the residential requirement of his Institute of Leadership and Management award. Marlborough is proud of Nick’s commitment to the Army Cadets and recognise the transferrable skills it brings to the workplace. To support Nick, Marlborough provides motivational support as well as paid time-off to carry out his duties.
“One of the things I value most is their very collaborative and transparent team culture. It makes a big difference to have a contractor that wants to work closely with us and is supportive and responsive. With Marlborough, I get a team who are attentive, work collaboratively and honestly with me and don’t lose focus on delivering first class communications and compliance.”
“From the design stage, Marlborough has been fundamental in delivering the Broad Lane Square improvements scheme. During the works, not only did the team manage to keep to the programme, but they went the extra mile to ensure attention to detail and came up with innovative solutions to address issues encountered on site. My thanks on behalf of Haringey goes out to Marlborough for their dedication to deliver.”
“Working alongside our Term Service Contractor Marlborough Highways, we successfully completed renovations to the Crowstone Footbridge. The designs were provided by Marlborough, and the work was unique. The scheme was completed to budget and ahead of its programme duration.”
“I would like to thank you and your team for your efforts, the Marlborough crews were professional, courteous, and hard working all day and ensured the event went without a hitch. You and the team were a credit to the company, demonstrating commitment and support to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.”
“I just wanted to say what a pleasure it has been to work with Marlborough Highways over the last six months. The quality of work is superb, and there has been some excellent collaboration between Milestone and Marlborough to complete, what at times, has been quite a challenging scheme. I hope to work with Marlborough on another project in the near future.”
“Marlborough worked with us in constructing a 1.3km cycle track. There were a number of technical difficulties to overcome, and their gifted foreman worked to propose some innovative solutions to the challenges we faced. The result is a facility that the locals are proud of, providing walkers and cyclists with alternative access to the hospital and nearby school. The scheme was a lot of hard work, but well worth it.”
“Marlborough attracts people who take care and have pride in their work. Several gangs of Operatives worked tirelessly for six months to reconstruct drainage networks, lay more than 3km of high quality bespoke granite kerbs and granite channels blocks to ensure positive drainage. The technical compliance, attention to detail and level of quality finish along the entire carriageway was exceptional”.
“We saw huge benefits in appointing Marlborough as our full service contractor and we’re impressed – they’ve delivered consistent high quality service and superior quality control across every project. Marlborough, provide us with a ‘one-stop’ shop solution – we get the same quality of service and better control across all aspects of the project.”
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