Garry McGovern

After selling up in Queenstown New Zealand, we moved to The Bay of Islands in the Far North, and purchased a "lifestyle block" of around 8 acres, with a main dwelling and some outbuildings. I spent the next 4 years transforming the house to a high level of finish. This gave me the opportunity to work from home and spend time with family, whilst looking after livestock and completely redeveloping the property to make a profit. Once this project was complete we emigrated back to the UK to be closer to family.

• Planned different phases of construction from start to completion.
• Obtained necessary planning permissions and approvals, liaising effectively with local authorities.
• Sourced and purchased materials, tools and equipment within budgets.
• Guaranteed compliance to health and safety in construction.
• Negotiated with suppliers to obtain high-quality materials at competitive prices, maximising project profitability.
• Sourced local trades to carry out licensed work when certification was required.
• Negotiated with estate agents to maximise return with the sale of the property.

I started in the Trade section on the shop floor, selling building supplies to local contractors. Within 6 months I had reached the position of Trade Account Manager and was responsible for over 60 of the top Trade accounts in the company. Their client list was extremely top heavy, with the largest contractor consisting of over 80% of their turnover. I worked closely with company owners and was responsible for fine tuning quotes to get sales over the line. I had a strict budget but was able to offer offer my own pricing, as long as my %GP and GP$ were met at the end of the year.

Developed a stronger client base, reducing reliance on the largest contractor from over 80% to less than 40% of total income while maintaining overall sales value. I was extremely proud of my time there and I believe still hold the sales record for one calendar month to this day.

• Engaged with customers to understand needs and deliver tailored solutions, enhancing overall service quality.
• Handled customer complaints effectively by employing clear communication and problem-solving strategies.
• Identified issues, analysed information and provided solutions to problems.
• Built and maintained courteous and effective working relationships.
• Demonstrated consistent hard work and dedication to achieve results and improve operations.
• I decided the time was right to leave Hospitality and enter into the realm of normal working hours. A local business had recently finished construction of a larger premise, so I applied for a job.
• Managed complaints with calm, clear communication and problem-solving.

After a few years of working as Assistant General Manager, I felt I had gained enough knowledge to venture out by myself. The opportunity arose to purchase an establishment from SKYCITY Casino who were losing $60,000 a year and were eager to release their grip on the lease. I saw an opportunity to put my own stamp on things and improve turnover. I worked front of house and kitchen 6 days a week until I built a team of amazing staff. The team and I ran a successful establishment, increasing sales year on year for 5 years, until I eventually sold the company for a profit.

• Managed bar operations, overseeing stock levels, ordering supplies, and maintaining inventory accuracy.
• Controlled budget and payroll, ensuring financial targets were met.
• Organised promotional events, including live music and themed nights, to increase footfall.
• Scheduled employees to keep shifts well-staffed.
• Trained newly hired employees on service techniques, company procedures and safety processes.
• Maintained high standards of cleanliness and hygiene within the bar area, adhering to health and safety regulations.
• Resolved customer complaints promptly, ensuring satisfaction and loyalty.
• Fostered relationships with regular customers, building a loyal community around the bar.

Stepped into front of house service and gained a Duty Managers Certificate from local council. Served as Bar Manager for two years, and progressed to Assistant General Manager.

• Managed bar operations, overseeing stock levels, ordering supplies, and ensuring inventory accuracy.
• Led a team of bartenders and support staff, fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Trained newly hired employees on service techniques, company procedures and safety processes.
• Resolved customer complaints promptly, ensuring satisfaction and loyalty.
• Monitored alcohol consumption and kept operations in line with legal service requirements.

Due to a lack of companies within the Engineering sector in Queenstown I decided to retrain as a Chef. I gained qualification recognised by Otago Polytechnic and sourced a job at a busy but social Irish Pub located on the lake front of lake Wakatipu. I started a a Commis Chef and worked my way up to Senior Sous Chef.

• Supervised kitchen staff, delegating tasks efficiently to maintain high productivity levels.
• Supervised work of cooks and kitchen helpers helping to keep kitchen running smoothly.
• This included shifts as a Breakfast Chef as well as Evenings too. I was expected to run the kitchen pass when working, and take care of stock levels, ordering and stocktakes. I also entered invoices into our finance systems and was responsible for GP% being on target and meeting budget.
• Implemented health and safety protocols for food storage and preparation to ensure compliance.
• Established clear standards for cooking, garnishing and presenting food.
• Planned menus for daily use, special events and seasonal promotions.
• Managed inventory, placing orders for supplies while adhering to budget constraints.
• Catered for special events, customising menus to client specifications for memorable occasions.

Passed a 4 year apprenticeship in Precision Engineering, including studying Mathematics for Technicians at Highbury College. Work included high tolerance machining for Formula 1 and manufacture of plastic injection mouldtools for customers including IBM, Ford, Nissan, Honda and many others.

• Met quality targets for parts production by consistently ensuring high standards in quality of parts produced.
• Verified dimensions, alignments and clearances of finished parts using measuring instruments to ensure conformance to specifications.
• Conducted test runs with completed tools and dies to validate specifications, making necessary adjustments to achieve compliance.
• Fitted and assembled parts to make, repair or modify jigs, gauges and tools using machine and hand tools.