He’s our hands-on project management professional with positivity in spades. Find out more about Matt Erskine and his new role at IPS.
Since joining the IPS team in 2023, as Senior Project Manager, Matt Erskine has made a big impression.
Matt, who is a construction professional with over 30 years’ experience, is thrilled to step up into the role of General Manager, Delivery, and is looking forward to growing IPS’ construction sector team and projects.
“It’s a great role for me and I’m excited to take it on,” he said.
“Sascha is a fantastic boss and IPS has some great people.
“I’m looking forward to making the delivery side of the business very successful, and I also love mentoring a team so I will enjoy that side of the job too. I always put a lot of effort into building a team and getting good team culture in all projects I’ve managed. I realise you can’t always have winning teams, but I do invest a lot into making that happen.”
Matt has enjoyed a colourful career, working for some of Queensland’s major contractors, as well as spending time in China and Papua New Guinea.
“I left school in Grade 10 to do a carpentry apprenticeship and worked on the tools for about 10 years, mostly renovating old Queenslanders.
“Then I realised I wanted to advance my career and decided to do a degree in Construction Management.
“Studying for a degree while parenting and working full time meant there were a lot of late nights, but it was definitely the best decision I made.”
During his time with IPS, Matt has enjoyed working on the $360 million Cairns Marine Precinct Common User Facility – a crucial structure for maritime industry growth in Queensland.
“We will be installing shiplifts, building new wharves and putting new pavements in that can take a 60-tonne axle load once the boat is out of the water,” he said.
“It’s been an enjoyable process to be at very front end of. We took it from four plans with rectangles to now handling contracts for early works on site that will see it run through to late 2028.
“There’s a lot of work to be done and we are now in the heavy lifting stage with contracts and progressing designs. I’ll still be involved and oversee the project while balancing out leading the Delivery Team and giving the team the time they need.”
Matt is hoping to take IPS to even greater heights.
“There’s so much to love about IPS,” he said.
“One of the most unique things for me is how genuinely refreshing it is to work in a female-led business after working in a male-dominated industry for over 30 years. Differing perspectives and experiences only drive higher innovation and ultimately, lead to a superior quality of service for our clients. As a results-oriented business, this what truly matters at the end of the day.
“I also love the flexibility that comes with the business. I don’t lean into it that much as I like working from the office, but if there is something I need to do at home it’s nice to know that I can work remotely.
“I would have loved that flexibility 20 years ago, but back then it was looked down upon if you weren’t still in the office at 5.30pm. Those in our business with young kids are able to take advantage of that flexibility, and it supports their lifestyle.
“Overall, IPS is a cool place to work, and everyone is great. I think that’s a testament to Sascha’s ability to identify the potential in people and run with it. She’s hired 30 people without going through recruiters, and they’ve all been high-quality performers.
“I’ll certainly be forever grateful to her for the opportunity she’s given me and look forward to further growing my career at IPS.”
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