National Group’s Matthew Manns takes the fast track to new role

Rise to Maintenance Superintendent highlights the career opportunities available.

Matthew Manns has had a steep career trajectory. In just over a decade, he has gone from completing an apprenticeship to being appointed in 2024 as National Group Maintenance Superintendent at the Peak Downs coal mine in Queensland.

A diesel mechanic by trade, Matt reflects National Group’s culture of backing staff and helping them grow their long-term careers as the company grows.

“I’m loving the new role,” says Matt. “It’s more responsibility and has a greater project management focus. There’s also more client liaison and problem solving to find solutions for our customers and keep on delivering every day.”

Matt says the support of Mark Ackroyd, National Group founder and CEO, encouraged him to take the new role. “When Mark met with me, he said he was willing to give me a go and that the experience would be a great career opportunity. I appreciated his support then and also his ongoing support since I started in the role. He’s always available if I ever need to call him.”

Matt’s appointment in April 2024 as a Maintenance Superintendent – the most senior maintenance role at National Group sites – was built on years of hard work and a late entry into mining services. He started his apprenticeship in his late-20s.

After a stint at the BMA Saraji Mine in the Bowen Basin, Matt joined National Group in 2017 as a diesel mechanic at the BMA Goonyella Riverside Mine. “I knew someone at Saraji who said National Group was a good place to work and that there were a lot of opportunities going there for diesel mechanics.”

After 18 months with National Group, Matt took on a leading-hand supervisor role, then moved into short-term maintenance planning for the Bowen Basin, working until 2021 with Shannon Smith, National Group’s long-term maintenance planner.

From there, Matt moved into a Maintenance Supervisor role, before taking on the newly created role of Senior Maintenance Supervisor in 2023. The new role was a major investment by National Group to add an extra layer of management support, customer liaison, technical expertise and compliance at its projects.

After being trialled at the Goonyella Riverside Mine for six months, the Senior Maintenance Supervisor role was extended to National Group projects throughout the Bowen Basin. Matt was the inaugural Senior Maintenance Supervisor at Goonyella.

“It’s been a big investment by National Group to put an extra layer of management support at each mine, through the Senior Maintenance Supervisor role,” says Matt. “Mark was really open to the idea and the maintenance team spent a lot of time designing the new role, trialling it and getting it right.”
Matt says the customer response to the new role was encouraging. “Having another senior layer of supervision means there’s less load on the general supervisors, and an even greater focus on client liaison, safety and compliance. The trial results were good, so National Group extended the supervisory model across its Queensland coal sites.”

The new Senior Maintenance Supervisor role also provides another point for career progression at National Group, says Matt. “There’s an opportunity now for the general supervisors to step up to a higher position, take on more responsibility and expand their skills. I see the new role as a big investment in our people.”

It was from the Senior Maintenance Supervisor role that Matt progressed to Maintenance Superintendent at National Group’s Peak Down operations. “It’s a big job with a lot more accountability and challenges. I really like the challenge and we have a great maintenance crew at Peak Downs and across the Bowen Basin.”

The 34-year-old says his new role is well-timed. “I feel I’m ready now for this role. The experience I’ve gained at National Group over the past decade through all the different jobs, and all the support here, have helped me a lot.”

After a busy year, Matt hasn’t had much time to think about his next career steps. “I’m happy where I am,” he says. “National Group has been good to me and I want to have a decent stint in this role and ensure everything runs well for our client.”

Based on the coast at Yeppoon in Central Queensland, Matt and his partner have a 20-acre property with a few horses, cows, guinea fowl and other animals. “We’re really settled in Yeppoon,” he says. “It’s a relaxing place to come back to after my work in the Bowen Basin with National Group.”

To learn more about careers at National Group, visit www.nationalgroup.com/careers/