‘Best in class’: new CEO Victoria Hills on her ambition for CIOB

The second reason, she says, is the global nature of CIOB’s membership and international growth potential. “The World Economic Forum has identified construction as one of the top five fastest-growing job categories over the coming decade,” she says. “There is enormous growth potential worldwide, shaped by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. CIOB can lead the professionalism conversation globally.

“Which brings me to the third reason I saw CIOB as the right place to be: the increasing focus on professional standards and regulation. At the RTPI, I led a self-regulated professional body, so I understand the model. Construction is also currently a non-regulated sector, which presents a huge opportunity for CIOB to shape how professionalism is defined and delivered.”

Policy goals

Hills joins CIOB having built a reputation for policy expertise in her previous roles. So what areas will she prioritise?

“One thing I found very effective at the RTPI is being very clear about what our policy priorities actually are. Who do we want to influence – governments, international organisations or standards bodies? Where can we add value? The policy team already has a strong foundation, but clarity about our goals is important.

“Once we know what we want to influence and why, then we can work out how. In some cases, it will make perfect sense to join with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), or with other trade bodies and groups. In other areas, CIOB will lead, and those will be our campaigns.”

Timing is also important. Hills adds: “There are moments when people are desperate to get research out. The instinct is understandable. But sometimes you have to sit back and wait until the right political moment – the Budget, party conference, a legislative milestone.

“Where I think I can add value is linking our research and knowledge base and expertise to a clear prioritised agenda and then identifying what CIOB should lead on and when collaboration makes more sense.”

Skills crisis

Hills will spend some time looking “under the bonnet” before deciding on policy priorities, but she says one area that stands out “immediately” is skills.

“As an outsider looking in, what I see is decades of investment in construction skills – time, money and effort,” she says. “Yet everyone is telling me there is still a construction skills crisis. If I’d just landed from Mars, I would ask: ‘do we need to do something differently?’

“I don’t know what the answer is yet, but CIOB should be part of that conversation. Can we keep spending public money the same way if the outcomes haven’t changed? Those are the kinds of questions I want to explore.

“Skills are central to delivery. If planning reforms are in place, if the Chancellor unlocks funding, we can’t then say – ‘Sorry, there’s nobody to build it,’ nor can we expect that issuing more visas for overseas workers will provide the answer.

“Also, if there is a skills crisis, why are we losing half the people coming out of construction colleges? I don’t mean CIOB – we as an industry are losing them. At a minimum, we should understand why. Public money is funding training, yet attrition is high. What’s happening?”

Building safety and regulation

In the autumn, the government published its prospectus for a single construction regulator. So how does the new CEO think the built environment professions will be affected?

“My initial view, in relation to CIOB, is that this is a well-established, well-respected organisation,” Hills says. “It is well run and capable of regulating its members, with a proven track record spanning nearly 200 years. CIOB is a trusted global brand, known for its high professional standards.

“There is what I call a ‘golden trilogy’: entry into membership, through an excellent assessment process; ensuring ongoing competence, through CPD; and conduct and discipline, meaning we will not tolerate poor standards. If someone fails to keep up professionally, or behaves inappropriately, they are out.”

Hills sees an opportunity to bring everyone in construction to a common standard, which she describes as “long overdue”.

“There are thousands working in construction who do not belong to any professional body,” she continues. “Now is the moment to address that. Of course, the context is difficult – no one would ever wish for the circumstances around Grenfell – but we are where we are. Organisations like CIOB must act as partners in providing assurance, confirming our members’ professional competence.

“With the regulator’s prospectus published, we need to work with others: the Construction Industry Council, CLC and more. But CIOB should not sit in the background; we must be visible. We have the entry standards, the maintenance of competence, and the disciplinary procedures when people fall short.

“This is also a growth opportunity for CIOB: bringing more construction professionals into the membership. We have roughly 51,000 members. We can grow that and at the same time bring more of the industry up to our professional standards.”

Digitising the industry

One area where CIOB has taken a lead, notably in last year’s publication of its AI playbook, is digital construction – and Hills sees this as another “major opportunity” for the institute.

“I see how many AI products already exist to support construction site operations – and that’s great,” she says. “There’s a real opportunity to deliver the productivity dividend we’ve been searching for.

“But what’s missing are standards: what good looks like, how AI should be used ethically, what behaviours are appropriate and how AI contributes to outcomes. CIOB could develop global AI standards for construction. We could draw on our AI playbook and evolve it into something formal. In construction management, CIOB is uniquely placed to shape that future.”

She also believes CIOB leads the way in harnessing digital technologies to deliver better outcomes for members.

“I don’t see any other organisation doing this with the same authenticity,” she says. “Since the pandemic, a sense of professional community has become more important than ever. CIOB’s role is to deliver that sense of connection, togetherness and relevance – whether members are in the UK or anywhere else.

“Digital capability will help us provide the resources that allow members to deliver on safety, sustainability, design, diversity – and stay current in their careers. That is how we’ll deliver value quickly and efficiently. Face-to-face engagement plays a role too. People like coming together physically – as long as it’s meaningful – but they need digital access day to day.”

Membership message

Hills notes that the “CIOB membership is a broad church” and sees opportunities to grow the membership and bring in other built environment professionals “by showing that CIOB has a compelling story and inviting them to join”.

To construction managers – the biggest caucus in the CIOB membership – her message is that there is “huge potential” ahead.

“The opportunity to professionalise the sector is enormous,” she says. “Government wants it, CIOB wants it and members already embody it through assessment and CPD. If we get this right, there are major opportunities, domestically and internationally.

“Construction managers are the linchpins that hold everything together – sustainability, technology, safety, design, developing skills and bringing through the next generation.

“If there is one overarching ambition I have for CIOB,” she continues, “it is to be best in class. I feel CIOB is already the voice in this space – construction management – but hasn’t always received the recognition it deserves. Other voices in the built environment have been louder. Bringing CIOB into the broader arena – particularly with government – and helping it find its voice is going to be exciting.

“We need greater recognition for the important work our members do. Other professions often receive the credit for delivering places and infrastructure. Construction managers do critically important work and don’t always receive the recognition they should. That must change.”

Next corporate plan

Hills arrives at CIOB midway through the current five-year CIOB corporate plan, which runs to 2028. She expects the three themes of quality and safety, environmental sustainability and skills will continue shaping CIOB’s activities, but says that conversations with members will likely begin this year about what lies beyond 2028.

“That next strategy is important – it will take us toward our 200th anniversary in 2034,” she notes. “We also have a major milestone before that: the 50th anniversary of our Royal Charter in 2030. These anniversaries matter. They reinforce our public purpose; we don’t exist to grow membership or sell training for its own sake. We do those things to influence better outcomes. And that public purpose will guide how we shape the future strategy.”