What I bring
More than 30 years of leadership and management experience, strong IT capability, healthcare operations knowledge, WHS training and a practical bias toward useful systems.
About Matt
Available for employment and contract opportunities
Based in Toowoomba, Queensland, I am seeking operational leadership, HSEQ, business management and related roles where practical experience, sound judgement and effective systems can make a difference. Regional travel is welcome.
How I work
I fit best where clear thinking, honest communication, durable processes and useful technology can reduce pressure on teams and improve day-to-day operations.
Current focus
Employment, fixed-term leadership roles and short-term contracts across operations, HSEQ, healthcare administration, web applications and business systems.
Leadership
My approach to leadership
My management philosophy is simple: be the boss you wished you had.
I believe in treating team members with respect, communicating honestly, setting clear expectations and recognising people doing things right. I make a point of acknowledging everyone, listening to concerns and helping people develop their capabilities.
Influenced by The One Minute Manager and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I favour straightforward management practices that build trust, encourage accountability and help people succeed.
Good leadership isn't complicated, but it does require consistency.
Career history
Business & Leadership Journey
My career has moved through retail, fuel and transport, government compliance, healthcare, professional services and WHS. The common thread has been practical leadership: building teams, improving systems, solving operational problems and taking responsibility for outcomes.
Retail, Fuel & Transport Leadership 1987–2001
- Albion Foodstore — Store Manager
- Annerley Quickstop — Acting Manager
- BP Maryvale — Assistant Manager → Site Manager
- BP Bridge Garage — Leadership Roles through to Site Manager
- PETRO Fuels — Goondiwindi Area Manager
- The Big Apple Core Pty Ltd — Director / Business Operator
Progressed from retail and convenience store management into large-scale fuel and transport operations, then into business ownership.
During my time as manager, BP Bridge Garage was the largest fuel-volume truckstop in Australia and was recognised as one of the world's highest-volume truckstops.
Government Compliance & Investigations 2001–2003
- Queensland Revenue Office — field-based Compliance / Investigations Officer
Developed investigative, compliance and regulatory skills that continue to influence my approach to governance, risk management, evidence, documentation and operational systems.
Healthcare Leadership & Business Ownership 2003–2025
- Goondiwindi Medical Centre — Practice Manager
- Darling Downs Skin Cancer Clinic — Part Owner/Director
- IT4Doctors Pty Ltd / Healthy Business for Doctors — Founder & Director
- Family Doctor — National Training Manager and Acting Queensland Manager
- Scale My Clinic — Head Coach
Worked across regional general practice, specialist clinic ownership, national healthcare consulting, training and coaching. Key achievements included successful doctor recruitment, modernising healthcare IT infrastructure, building better business systems and supporting hundreds of Australian medical practices.
Professional Services Leadership 2025–2026
- Wonderley & Hall Solicitors — Practice Manager
Led business operations, finance, technology, compliance and administrative systems within a multi-practitioner legal practice.
WHS & Operational Leadership 2026
- Gore Earthmoving — HSEQ Manager
Managed safety reporting, incident investigations, training and competency compliance, and workplace documentation assurance. Improved SWMS processes, identified gaps in risk assessment for non-routine work, and coordinated a medically approved return to work with an injured worker, treating doctor and WorkCover.
- Practical Safety Advisory — Director
Through Practical Safety Advisory, I provide practical WHS advice, resources and systems for businesses seeking to improve safety without unnecessary complexity.
Business Systems & Software Development 2026
- Matt Gilchrist Pty Ltd — Lead Developer
- CREWork — Founder and Lead Developer
Applied decades of operational leadership experience to web application development, including CREWork as a workforce operations platform and Practical Safety Advisory as a separate advisory business.
Detailed career timeline
1987–1990Albion FoodstoreStore Manager
1989–1990Annerley QuickstopActing Manager
March–December 1990BP MaryvaleAssistant Manager → Site Manager
1991–1992Independent retail and sales activitiesPop-up framed-art retail and casual roles
1992–1996BP Bridge GarageLeadership Roles through to Site Manager
1996–1998PETRO FuelsGoondiwindi Area Manager
September 1998–June 2000The Big Apple Core Pty LtdDirector / Business OperatorCo-directed the company that leased and operated the Ampol Big Apple.
2000Frasers Livestock TransportScheduling Assistant
2001–2003Queensland Revenue OfficeCompliance / Investigations Officer
2003–2011Goondiwindi Medical CentrePractice Manager
2009–2015Darling Downs Skin Cancer ClinicPart Owner/Director
2011–2025IT4Doctors / Healthy Business for DoctorsFounder & Director
2012GP's on CurzonPractice Manager
2012Medici Allied HealthPractice Manager
November 2023–February 2024Family DoctorNational Training Manager / Acting Queensland Manager
February–November 2024Scale My ClinicNational Head Coach
March 2025–January 2026Wonderley & Hall SolicitorsPractice Manager
January–May 2026Gore EarthmovingHSEQ Manager
2026–CurrentPractical Safety AdvisoryDirector
2026–CurrentCREWorkFounder and Lead Developer
May 2026–CurrentMatt Gilchrist Pty LtdOwner / Director / Lead Web Developer