Rebecca Edwards didn’t set out to become a project administrator for IPCO, but she’s made the role her own over the past two and a half years. Rebecca’s career journey has been anything but straightforward. She studied graphic design, took on temporary jobs, and worked for other companies in the construction industry. But now, she’s the glue that holds the project administration side of IPCO together, keeping the gears turning on everything from contracts to permits and beyond.
Rebecca’s job is all about connections. She describes herself as the “middleman” in a project’s lifecycle. When a contract lands on her desk, Rebecca and her team are tasked with ensuring every line and term makes sense. She digs deep into the paperwork to ensure every piece of information is accurate, and the terms protect her teammates in the field.
Refining Her Administrative Skills
At IPCO, Rebecca’s role has evolved as the company has grown. What started as a handoff of tasks from other team members has morphed into a full-blown project administration position as our projects have scaled up. Rebecca’s workload has grown as our work expands into new areas like Saluda, South Carolina, and parts of North Carolina and Virginia.
Rebecca has taken charge of training new hires in her department and creating processes to navigate the day-to-day operations. She’s the perfect blend of creativity and structure. While her personal life may not be “naturally organized,” she prioritizes every detail at work. Her key task? Make sure every project runs like a well-oiled machine on the administrative side of things, even when things get chaotic.
Adapting and Problem-Solving
One of Rebecca’s favorite parts of working for IPCO is the constant variety. Every day brings a new puzzle, whether it’s managing material submittals or creating specialty phenolic labels. If a submittal is stalled in any way, she’s on it. She loves the culture of support and teachability at IPCO. When issues arise, the team works together to keep projects on track and never waste time or place blame, which speaks to their values as a company. You can read more about the core values of IPCO here.
Sometimes, Rebecca is needed on job sites. She even keeps a pair of steel–toed boots, an orange safety shirt, and a hard hat in her office so she’s ready for wherever the day may take her. Flexibility, she says, is crucial. And with IPCO’s push toward continuous improvement, she’s become comfortable with change and the adventure of new things.
The Art of Juggling Projects and People
Rebecca is an excellent problem solver when deadlines get tight. She works directly with clients when they need answers and when her project managers are stretched thin. Her role involves extra creativity for an administrator, especially when balancing expectations from clients, contractors, and her team.
Rebecca values curiosity, learning, and growth. She wants to master her role to prepare future hires better while continuing to grow with the company. She loves her job because it keeps her moving, evolving, and constantly learning. In her words, “I don’t think being comfortable is always helpful. Being stretched is a good thing.”
Rebecca’s role at IPCO proves that administrative work includes much more than paperwork. Rebecca is responsible for connecting people and pieces and ensuring each project succeeds one contract, label, and step at a time.
