'I Love My Job’: From Launching an Art Gallery in New York to Exploring Blockchain Technology

Welcome to I Love My Job, the series where we hear from real women who really love their jobs. In this edition, we sat down with Julie Allen, the Senior Vice President of Digital and Brand Creative at The Howard Hughes Corporation, which is a real estate development company. 

During her nearly five years at the company, Allen has worked on a wide variety of projects across the country. “Right now, for example, it's everything from launching a new art gallery concept in New York to building digital products for luxury condos in Hawaii, to exploring how we leverage blockchain technology to aid our business processes,” shares Allen. This diversity of work is her favorite thing about working at the company. 

“Every day is different, and there's always something new to discover and learn,” she says. “I've been here for almost five years, but that time has passed very quickly because every day is different and every day is pretty fun.”

Not only this, but The Howard Hughes Corporation also helps employees continuously grow. As Allen explains, “If you have particular interests that are maybe slightly outside of your day-to-day role, if you take the initiative and put something forward, more often than not, you'll be given the leeway to take that on, too — which is really nice.”

If you’d like to learn more about why she loves her work, how The Howard Hughes Corporation supports her and more, check out the video below. We also share highlights from this video discussion in the following article.

Tell us about a project you’re working on that excites you.

A project that I'm working on that I find really exciting at the moment is the Tin Building by Jean-Georges. It's a 52,000 square foot marketplace due to open in a few months at the Seaport in New York. It will be home to multiple fine dining experiences, as well as fast casual and grab-and-go concepts. There's also going to be a specialty retail section featuring a selection of Jean-Georges private label goods, as well as a finely curated and highly delicious range of products from around the world. It's really exciting because there's nothing really quite like it in New York City at the moment. 

As a team, we've really been gearing up for the launch, including putting together their creative marketing campaign and all of the associated communications. It's a ton of work, and the pressure is on, but it's also a ton of fun, and it's been really great to work on so far — I can't wait for it to open.

How would you describe the culture of The Howard Hughes Corporation?

Open, collaborative, ambitious and entrepreneurial. I've always found it to be a place that really embraces new ideas and is up for challenging the status quo, which is really nice to have in a big corporation. You're really encouraged to explore, to learn [and] to innovate, which is especially great for me working in the digital realm where things are moving at lightning speed, and I have to stay on top of trends and tech. 

Also, everyone I work with is super smart and passionate and a team player, which I think is super important when you're working on projects with tight deadlines. Everyone helps each other out. Everyone's got each other's back, which makes for a really nice working environment. You can celebrate the wins together when you cross the line.

How does The Howard Hughes Corporation support your work-life balance and career growth?

I feel supported by Howard Hughes because there's that level of trust and autonomy. They recently introduced the flexible work week, where our collaborative in-office days are on Tuesday through Thursday, with Monday and Friday being work-from-home days if you want. This has created more time for family and focus, and it’s working really well so far.

I also appreciate that they have a professional growth fund, where up to $10,000 is made available for continuing education to further your career. And, on top of that, there’s also an additional thousand dollars to spend on personal education, which is not necessarily even related to your role. So say, for example, you have an interest in ceramics. Howard Hughes will fund that up to a thousand dollars because they want to further your personal growth and your passions. I would also just add that the benefits packages are really solid: a 401k with match, medical and dental and a bunch of other great perks on top of what you would usually find in other companies. 

What advice would you give to other women who are thinking about working at The Howard Hughes Corporation?

Work hard and follow your passions… And really important for me is just treating other people how you want to be treated — I think that goes a long way. People like being in business with good people and working with good people. 

I think anybody that can bring positive energy and passion and ambition will go a long way here.

Want to grow your career by joining The Howard Hughes Corporation? Apply to jobs via the link below!

Fairygodboss is proud to partner with The Howard Hughes Corporation. Find a job there today!

Check out other posts in the ‘I Love My Job’ series:

• 'I Love My Job’: A Talent Expert on Why This Leading Finance Company Should Be on Your Radar

• 'I Love My Job’: Why This Director’s Favorite Aspect of Her Job ‘Is Hands Down the People

• 'I Love My Job’: I’m Building an Inclusive, Fun and Empowering Culture at My Mission-Based Company

• 'I Love My Job’: How My Company Supported My Career Pivot From Finance to Technology