Sonia Lemaitre - STU 2012 - Nexity

In 2015, I became the project manager for sustainable cities and innovation. I was part of the sustainable development department at Nexity. I had two types of missions :

• In line with my strategic marketing tasks, I worked on "new generation" consultations, such as Réinventer Paris and Inventons la métropole du Grand Paris, both in Île-de-France and in the wider region. I was involved in the development of urban projects and the selection of partners (start-ups, local associations, technical assistance…). The aim was to fully understand the expectations of the territory in order to propose a tailored project.
• At the same time, I contributed to the creation of new types of residences to inject social innovation dynamics into Nexity projects (facilitating resident participation, promoting social and intergenerational links). For instance, I participated in the development of Complicity, a form of multigenerational residence, as well as a co-designed residence.

Since the end of 2017, I have been responsible for the development of large projects and am now entirely focused on responses to consultations within an operational structure of Nexity.

What led you to direct your career towards Nexity ?

I joined as an end-of-studies internship because the missions were interesting. I stayed on because they evolved alongside my desires. I have been fortunate to be part of different teams and to have consistently stimulating missions. Moreover, I have always had very good relationships with my colleagues, which is certainly a bonus !

Can you describe your current activity, what you find stimulating or constraining ?

The wave of consultation responses has led to a significant increase in the expectations of local authorities regarding innovation and sustainable development, which requires us to always be at the forefront and aware of the latest technical and societal innovations. We must always be vigilant and stay imaginative.

Each consultation is different : on the one hand, the territory and local authorities’ expectations vary, and on the other, we choose a different central theme each time (culture, health…). In fact, consultations are a halfway point between foresight and operational work : one morning, I might conduct research on artist residences, cultural mediation, and art in the city, understanding the issues, seeking partners, and in the afternoon, discuss with the architect and landscape designer about the urban project.

The most constraining aspect of consultations remains the pace dictated by the schedule of local authorities : there are quite calm periods in which we try to anticipate future consultations and longer periods that are very busy, where we are truly responding.

How do you assess the evolution of your career since joining the company as an intern ? What opportunities do you think are offered in a company like Nexity ?

Nexity is a large group with very diverse activities. The advantage of starting in cross-functional departments is gaining familiarity with all the roles within the group and undertaking a variety of tasks that allow for significant learning. Among my different missions, I was then able to choose my favourite : consultations were what attracted me the most, and I jumped at the opportunity to join an operational structure and work exclusively on this subject.

Do you consider continuing your career elsewhere ?

Not at the moment.

How do you assess the contributions of your training at the Urban School for the roles you have performed throughout your career ?

My training at the Urban School mainly provided me with methodological tools that still assist me and will likely continue to assist me, regardless of my position : elements of reflection on the city, research and inquiry methods, notions of law…

Any advice for current students ?

Seize the opportunities that arise, while keeping your medium-term ambitions in mind !