Luke Riley
Blackburn South,VIC
Summary
Experienced leader of multisite operations with over fifteen years leading large teams in diverse operational disciplines and major capital landscaping projects. Critical focus on performance, safety, change management, and continuous improvement. Possesses strong enterprise and people leadership skills, providing mentorship, coaching, and support to drive a culture of teamwork, customer focus, and quality outcomes. Excels at building and maintaining positive client relationships across a range of services and disciplines to ensure optimal delivery of service to a culturally diverse client base. Demonstrated track record of meeting deadlines and managing conflicting priorities while maximizing efficiency. Technical horticulture background further enhances ability to excel in this role.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Project Manager
Ecodynamics Landscaping
10.2018 - Current
- Responsible for the efficient end to end delivery of a range of commercial landscape projects across a diverse client base from level crossing projects to major road upgrades
- Led the landscaping of major intersection upgrade 140K
- Led the landscape development of Eaglemont substation Project value of $100K
- Led a joint landscape in Gowanbrae in conjunction with members of the Wurunjuri tribe the project embodied the culturally significant site and required effective communication $48K
- Developed tenders and relevant documentation for projects ranging from $20K – $1.45M
- Managed Landscape upgrade Park West Estate
- Including new irrigation system 1.4M
- Managed to delivery of Deer park level crossing soft landscaping $1.2M
- Managed Major roads projects: Fitzsimmons Lane upgrade $600K, Narre warren Cranborne rd upgrade $700K
- Managed Pocket parks and reserve installs Melbourne airport $400K
Weekend Customer Service and Operations Manager
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2014 - Current
- Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our customers and employees across 9 diverse sites
- The role is required to oversee the full operations of the cemeteries and be the main point of contact for all escalated situations
- The role wears ‘4 hats’: Emergency Management, Operations Manager, Customer Service Manager, Resolutions Manager
- Ensured the safety and wellbeing of our customers and employees
- Delivered effective and efficient operations
- Provided escalation point for all emergency management, operations and customer issues
- Performed all emergency management duties and prepare all relevant reports including any corrective actions arising out of these
- Liaised with all internal and external stakeholders where necessary
- Manned the emergency phone
Project Manager
ULS Group
05.2021 - 03.2022
- Reporting to: Senior Project Manager Direct Reports: Landscapers, maintenance staff and contractors the purpose of my role as Project Manager is ensuring a project is completed on budget and within scope
- Project Management of $1M reserve and streetscapes Botania estate Plumpton
- Delivery of Katalia estate wetland and 3 stages of streetscapes
- Construction of rock chute of High flow drainage channel at Greenvale estate for Melbourne water
- Various stages of streetscapes across Stonehill estate Maddingly and Minton estate in Beveridge
Contracts Manager
Super Gardens
04.2019 - 07.2020
- Reporting to: Director Grounds Maintenance Direct Reports: Supervisors, Garden laborers, and contractors Responsible for the full-time management for the ground maintenance contracts across all Victorian campuses (5)
- Managing a team of 16 FTE and 3 Subcontractors across our regional sites
Operations Manager
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2017 - 10.2018
- Reporting to: Senior Operations Manager Direct Reports: 3 horticulture team leaders and 1 arborist coordinator Department size: 45 FTE Operational budget $.6M - $4m A senior leadership role accountable for leadership of operations leaders and their teams to deliver customer focused and efficient services within quality standards and strict time frames
- With a significant people leadership focus, ensured delivery of a high-performance culture and operational excellence through a period of robust culture and structural change management
- Oversaw the shift and development in team capability from siloed to multiskilled to meet organizational priorities and staffing contingencies
- Defined minimum maintenance standards for all sites in line with our financial obligations for perpetual maintenance
- Managed the integrity of the irrigation database to ensure continual operation and meet the requirements of a 420-acre site with diverse landscapes
- Transitional Project on boarding Sorrento cemetery as part of BAU operations
Horticulture Project Lead
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2015 - 06.2017
- Oversight and effective, efficient delivery of a range of horticultural projects including capital works and operational project tasks in accordance with Capital Projects and the Annual Works Plan for Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust
- Led refurbishment Project of structural brick walls throughout Springvale botanical cemetery, from structural assessment to treatment of Asbestos $180K
- Developed a native water swale area into a specialized memorial park, a capital works project for Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust that embodied the natural environment aspect of our Master Plan $100K
- Led Coastal Theme project for Cheltenham Memorial park, a heritage overlaid site $200K
- Led the retro-fit out project of the Springvale Wellness Centre - Concept through to construction, a successful pilot for a major new public Centre
- $50K
- Led the landscape of Padre Pio Mausoleum stages 1 and 2, including the installation of a $50K sandstone water feature
Horticulture Operations Coordinator
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2013 - 06.2015
- Leading a team of 50 FTE and 4 Direct Reports, this position reported directly to the Horticulture Operations Manager and was responsible for the safe, efficient, and effective management of the Horticulture Department based at Springvale botanical cemetery in close cooperation with the Arbor Services Manager
- This role was also required assisted and liaise with other SMCT sites to promote standardize work practices
Horticulture Team Leader
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2011 - 06.2013
Horticulture Garden Laborer
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2009 - 06.2011
Education
Diploma of Project Management -
Swinburne University
01.2015
Executive Leadership Program -
Passages Consulting
01.2015
Frontline Management -
Australian Institute of Management
01.2015
Cert 3 Horticulture Parks and Garden -
Homesglen
01.2010
Skills
- Technical
- Project Management
- Functional and Team Leadership
- Horticulture/landscaping construction
- Change Management
- Recruiting
- Selection
- Team Development
- Emergency Management
- First Aid
- Major Irrigation systems management
- Budget Management
- Interpersonal
- Customer centric focus
- Coach and Mentor
- Flexible
- Adaptable
- Approachable
- Communicative
- Pragmatic
- Insightful
Certification
- Chief Warden and First Aid trained
- RIW and White card
- Working from heights
Timeline
Project Manager
ULS Group
05.2021 - 03.2022
Contracts Manager
Super Gardens
04.2019 - 07.2020
Project Manager
Ecodynamics Landscaping
10.2018 - Current
Operations Manager
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2017 - 10.2018
Horticulture Project Lead
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2015 - 06.2017
Weekend Customer Service and Operations Manager
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2014 - Current
Horticulture Operations Coordinator
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2013 - 06.2015
Horticulture Team Leader
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2011 - 06.2013
Horticulture Garden Laborer
Southern Metropolitans Cemeteries trust
06.2009 - 06.2011
Diploma of Project Management -
Swinburne University
Executive Leadership Program -
Passages Consulting
Frontline Management -
Australian Institute of Management
Cert 3 Horticulture Parks and Garden -
Homesglen
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