Title: State Administration Manager Tasmania
Organisation: CJD Equipment Pty Ltd
Location: Launceston
IPA Status: FIPA
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What are the challenges in your role?
Foremost is the challenge to remain viable in tough economic times. This business (of selling trucks) depends on activities that are constantly negatively impacted by political and economic pressures, such as having viable logging and construction industries, and competitive freight prices. Tasmania does not have a visionary government. Entrepreneurship and vision are constantly stifled and Tasmanians’ reluctance to travel and the decentralised nature of the Tasmanian market has resulted in more resources poured into duplicating infrastructure in comparison to other states.
The result of this is a very challenging market place at a challenging time and businesses big and small being risk averse. In a downsizing workforce, the scope of my role is widening. The Tasmanian arm of the business is a very small part of a much larger company, making opportunities for implementing changes near impossible.
Why did you start the IPA program in 2008?
Not being a practising accountant, I was aware that some of my skills were not up-to-date and I was also looking for a challenge. Another important factor was with the GFC looming, I wanted to ensure I was competitive in the market place should the worst happen. The company also provided great incentive.
How did you manage study and full-time work?
The biggest challenge was not having any face-to-face interaction with other students. I didn’t meet another student in Launceston until the very last subject, Managerial Finance. We met every fortnight or so to work through problems and to chat. We encouraged each other and have remained friends since.
Because I made a firm commitment to do this, finding the time didn’t present a problem. Assignments were a challenge as there wasn’t group input to talk things through. I am quite disciplined so allocating time to study wasn’t difficult, although towards the end it really took over my life and it seemed all I did was study! Advanced Financial Accounting was the biggest challenge.
How relevant was your study to your present job?
I was able to apply many aspects of the course directly to my job, in particular Strategic Management. The main assignment was an evaluation of a business. I chose CJD Equipment (Tasmania) and through that process was able to critically evaluate the business and make a positive contribution to the company.
The biggest reward, however, is the confidence boost. The course teaches you to properly research, evaluate and present an argument or information backed up with facts.
This confidence has seen me take a much more pro-active role at work as well as take on the President’s role for the Tasmanian division. It also prompted me to start an IPA discussion group, which meets monthly in Launceston. I was not particularly scholarly at high school so it was very rewarding to do so well at this level.
What do you hope to achieve as President of the Tasmanian division?
In my role as an NIA councillor in 2007 and 2008, I was involved with or aware of all NIA Tasmania activities and got to see firsthand how the organisation operates.
Now, as President, I want to encourage more members to participate and drive some of the activities. The discussion group is a forum for members to make their contribution and to build networks.
I see myself as a conduit to the manager and the IPA board to feed back concerns or issues and to ensure the IPA truly represents what the grassroots members want.
How does the discussion group and other CPE activities assist you in your work?
Not being in an accounting practice, it keeps me aware of what is happening in small business and the impacts of the current economic pressures on those entities.
Also, I think it enables me to have more rounded discussions with my management team. Having a broader administration role rather than HR and pure accounting, the only CPE activity directly relevant to my role is the Tasmanian Congress.
Where do you see yourself in your career in five years?
I am content where I am for the foreseeable future. I enjoy what I’m doing immensely and there are always new challenges. Being with a successful national company, I would like to pursue further career opportunities with them.
