Our management team

Allison Jackson

Administration Manager

About

After I finished school, I enjoyed a variety of interesting jobs at organisations such as ANZ Bank and Telstra. I also worked as a store assistant for a jewellery store but soon realised that delicate china pieces and I did not work well together! From 1989 to 2003 I worked for my family’s wholesale optical business where I was responsible for office management and stock control. It was a wonderful experience working with both my parents but it was also tricky because we tended to take our work home. I left the business at the end of 2003 to have my first child, Bevan. I decided not work to return to full time work and accepted a short placement at the Brotherhood of St Laurence where I ran a project that supplied affordable eyewear for children from low income families. My first connection with MCCCC was made during this time as Bevan started child care at Dunstan Reserve. When I had my second child, Riley, in 2005, I was ready for a new job. In 2007, I was lucky enough to be offered a position at MCCCC. It was very nice (and convenient!) to work at the child care centre that both my children were attending. As Administration Manager, I look after the financials for all three centres, which includes family payments/statements, accounts payable/receivable, staff payroll, budgets, strategic planning, end of year reporting requirements etc. My children have since moved on from Dunstan Reserve and are well ensconced into High School—in the meantime I am still here waiting to graduate from child care!

My role:

“I manage the financial side of the business, which sits under a fairly large umbrella and includes payroll, expenditure, income and accounts. My role requires a thorough understanding of ever-changing tax rules and regulations and industrial guidelines (including WorkCover). I also prepare for and liaise with auditors during our annual financial audits and regularly attend Committee of Management (CoM) meetings to report on our financials and set budgets.

I regularly liaise with families about their accounts and statements and to clarify any questions they may have around the Government’s Child Care Subsidy, rebates, participation levies and so forth.

There is also a ‘big picture’ component to my role, in which I regularly meet with other members of the management team to discuss the direction of the organisation from a financial perspective—whether it be fees, new programs, staffing, restructures etc. We are constantly striving to deliver the highest quality programs in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.”