SPOTLIGHT ON MATTHEW CRAIG

1. Your name, your club and your position.

Matthew Craig, Central Coast Leagues Club, Operations Manager – 1 year

2. What is your biggest or has been your biggest challenge with the club and your role?

The introduction of in-house security provision. Moving from a well engrained external provider to an in-house managed system has been an immense challenge. The challenge has showcased the strengths within the team I am fortunate enough to lead.

3. What has been some of your achievements or highlights since being at the club?

So many highlights in my short time here, in no particular order.

a. Developing my direct reports, both professionally and emotionally

b. Hitting the ground running, reviewing the externally sourced facilities management and maintenance paradigm and subsequently moving it in house. This resulted in significant cost savings, much of which has been returned into the club by increasing the provision of services. For example:

i. The removal of overheads has allowed us to move from monthly urinal cleans to fortnightly, dramatically increasing the customers experience

ii. Allowing more maintenance to be completed and significantly lower costs and within acceptable timelines

1. Greater sense of ownership

2. Higher completion rate

3. Lower cost

iii. Investment in capitalizable assets that otherwise would have been unobtainable due to financial commitment

c. Building a relationship with the Local Licensing Police Department

d. Nomination into the Brisbane Water Liquor Accord – Deputy Chairman

e. Allowing internal staff to become cross departmentally skilled, allowing greater flexibility within our rostering

f. Driving performance with external contractors, through open communication forums, setting clear expectations and holding them accountable for any lapses

g. Developed very positive working relationship with other critical governmental stakeholders:

i. SafeWork NSW

ii. NSW Department of Health

iii. Central Coast Council

iv. Local MPs

h. Using my Engineering expertise to ensure previously completed project works non-conformances are properly reviewed and remedial works are undertaken to ensure conformance

i. Upgrading the AV hardware in our primary function space free of charge – preferred provider agreement

4. Is there a piece of advice or something compelling you have learnt that you can pass on to our readers and up and coming managers.

The most critical asset we have are the people on the floor, they provide the critical feedback that allows senior leaders to make informed decisions. Spend time on the floor and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty!

5. Outside of the club and your role there, do you have any hobbies or passions… tell us a bit about you?

I spend a significant amount of my downtime with my family, studying or volunteering:

j. My family and I spend as much time as we can outdoors, up at the farm, out in the forest or by the water’s edge;

k. As a firm believer of ongoing professional development, I am in the middle of obtaining my Masters of Business Administration (MBA)

l. I am a committee member for the Central Coast Mentoring Network and mentor in need Secondary School Students via the subsidiary CCSSM

m.  I am also an active Volunteer Firefighter

Do you have any claims to fame? Eg someone famous has visited the club, you served a celebrity? etc

My claim to fame is that a few years ago while working out at Orange, I stayed at the same hotel as the Wiggles. Being a father of 2x young daughters I couldn’t resist in asking them for a photo, what eventuated was a great night on the town with some of the most grounded ‘celebrities’ I have met.