Meet the Team: Delivery Manager Martin O’ Reilly

Some people spin plates; Martin juggles whole websites. As Delivery Manager in the Managed Services Support team, he keeps clients smiling and sites running smoothly (well… most days).

Alison: What do you do at Annertech? 

Martin: So my title is ‘Delivery Manager’ in the Managed Services Support team and I guess my primary role is to ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of website support services to our clients. 

This includes managing client relationships, coordinating the support team, and ensuring that our clients receive high-quality website maintenance and assistance. 

Alison: What makes a delivery manager a good one? 

Martin: The ability to multitask!!....something I succeed (or fail) at to varying degrees depending on the day! 

Ultimately, like in many management positions, you need to be able to deal with people and communicate effectively. 

There’s always a hundred things you could be doing so you need to be able to prioritise what are the important things you should be doing at any given time. 

Alison: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

Martin: I live in Co. Mayo with my wife Aine and our two sons Caoimhín (almost 3) and Eamonn (almost 1). Family life is busy at the moment but I love being a dad and the boys are so full of energy and fun. 

Working remotely has its challenges but it allows me to spend so much time around the boys as they grow up and I consider that a great privilege. 

I grew up playing lots of sport, mostly GAA (Gaelic football and hurling). My playing days are over but now I enjoy coaching and helping out at my club when I have time. 

Alison: What does a typical work day look like? 

Martin: I’m usually at my desk at 8.30am. I’ll review task allocation for the team for the day and make sure all the developers have work lined up. 

I run the daily scrum call at 10am, when developers can raise blockers and I try to help unblock issues or maybe reach out to clients where needed. 

After the morning call I try to grab a quick coffee and then it’s usually into calls for the rest of the morning, sometimes check-in calls with clients or internal discussions with developers or management. 

I try to take an hour lunch break and get out for a short walk. Then after lunch more calls or follow up on tasks. 

I pick up the kids around 4.30pm and spend the next two hours with them. When all are settled in bed in the evening I log back on to tidy up and prepare work for the next morning. 

Alison: How did you get into this line of work? 

Martin: It’s been a circuitous route! I’ve worked in a variety of sectors across my career so far. 

I studied psychology for my undergrad and master’s degrees and worked in that area for a number of years before making a move to working in media and television production; something I have had a passion for since an early age. 

My first encounter with web development and Drupal came when I took on the role of project manager for the development of a new website for an Irish academic institution. 

I really enjoyed working alongside the development agency on the project… who happened to be Annertech! When a Delivery Manager role came up for Annertech I jumped at the chance and haven’t looked back! 

The common thread across all my roles has been organising and communicating with people – which I believe are some of my strengths. 

Alison: What do you love most about your job? 

Martin: I enjoy the pace of being involved in a support team. There’s always something happening and each day throws up new challenges. It can be stressful at times but I have built good relationships with our clients and I get a great sense of satisfaction in getting tasks completed and making the client’s lives a little easier. 

We have a really talented and hard-working team of developers in Annertech and I enjoy working on tasks with them and learning from them. 

Alison: You've been with Annertech for a good few years now. Is there anything that makes Annertech stand out from other places you’ve worked? 

Martin: I’ve been with Annertech over three years now and I can say with confidence it is one of the best workplaces I’ve worked in. 

I love that it’s a diverse team from many countries and you’re always learning something new about different cultures. 

It’s a very supportive environment and there’s a real willingness to share knowledge. Annertech is truly a remote-first company and we are afforded the flexibility to manage our time and are trusted to ensure work gets done and targets are met. 

Even though we all work remotely there is genuine camaraderie within the staff; something that isn’t easy to achieve. Our in-person meet-ups are always well attended and eagerly anticipated. 

I feel the open supportive culture has helped create a genuine drive within the staff to do good work and provide the best possible service to clients. 

Alison: Is there a favourite client that you’ve worked with? 

Martin: Ahh I couldn’t pick just one! Having joined Annertech from one of the academic institutions I have something of a soft spot for our university clients. I know what it’s like to be on the client side so I hopefully have a greater appreciation for what their needs are.