When Rosalie (Rose) Riley joined OCS in 1990, she was six months into being a new mother. Thirty-five years and two more children later, Rose has mopped, scrubbed, supervised and progressed her way up the ranks to become an OCS Operations Manager in Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Throughout her career, Rose has been known for her kind-hearted, family-first philosophy, fostering trust and respect within her team and with customers.
Today, Rose schedules and manages a team of 180 permanent colleagues. It’s a role she feels privileged to have progressed into, earned through three decades of frontline and leadership experience.
“I love my job – I’m a people person and I get on well with all our colleagues and customers. I like a challenge, and the job keeps my body and brain busy,” she says.
Her boots-on-the-ground approach might just be the secret to creating long-standing, trusting customer relationships.
“People may think because I’m a manager, I sit in the office on my backside all day – but that’s not the case. Every day, I go on-site to check on my staff and managers, making sure everything is okay.
“I like to do quality audits in person with the customer so I can get direct feedback and have a good sense of what’s going on. I don’t know if other companies see their customers as much as I do, but I think it makes a big difference.”
That hands-on approach has helped build long-standing customer relationships and gives Rose a clear view of where services are working well – and where adjustments are needed.
Her understanding of methodologies, products and equipment means her team is well prepared, while accurate scoping and practical rostering support reliable, consistent service delivery.
Never imagining she would stay in the industry for so long, Rose has become an advocate for progression within OCS, empowering her team through mentorship and support.
“If you can see goodness in people, you should give them the opportunity,” she says.
“With many of my cleaners, I know they can do so much more. I’ll say to them ‘would you like to be a team leader or supervisor? I really think you could do it and OCS can give you the opportunity’. I know because I’ve done it myself.”
Rose’s early years on the ground mean there is little that surprises her today.
“My customers think I know everything,” she laughs.
That knowledge also means she knows exactly when and how to mobilise her team with speed.
“On Thursday last week, our business development manager and I did a site visit for a potential new customer. By Sunday, the contract was awarded, and we were in there cleaning it,” she says.
One of Rose’s favourite work memories was her 60th birthday, when her team surprised her with a celebration, showing just how much her care and respect are reciprocated.
“I couldn’t believe it. I walked into the office to quickly get something, and it was all done up with decorations. Everyone had brought food from their own culture – it was all just so lovely.”
After 35 years, Rose remains closely connected to the people and places she works with every day – supporting colleagues, strengthening customer relationships, and continuing to do the job the way she always has: by being present.
