When Jody Butcher joined UGL in 2022 as a subcontracts specialist, she already had a rich background in supplier relationships, systems thinking, and community connection. Based in Gladstone, Queensland, Jody’s first role supported oil and gasprojects, including three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities that she knew well, having supported their construction with a previous employer.
“It was pretty amazing to be part of the construction back then,” Jody says. “When I joined UGL to support our maintenance and brownfield project contracts on the same sites, I was excited to come full circle and get back on site.”
In her early days at UGL, Jody focused on building supplier relationships, streamlining processes, and finding smarter ways to leverage local partnerships. One major success came through a preferred supplier tender for plant hire, which presented a new opportunity to optimise procurement across all three of our Curtis Island projects in Gladstone.
Her work and enthusiasm quickly gained attention, and in 2024, Jody joined an internal procure-to-pay (P2P) working group aimed at supporting UGL’s digital transition for the procurement function. “Being part of the P2P group was a great opportunity for me to explore process and system optimisation while growing my skills in data analytics,” Jody explains. “I’m always questioning why we do something: how can we make it easier and more efficient, while maintaining compliance?”
In her new role as procurement systems and compliance manager, Jody’s primary focus is strengthening alignment across UGL’s supply chain and procurement function with respect to systems and governance. “I love using a different part of my brain,” she shares. “It is really satisfying to work with a range of stakeholders to explore system integration, development, and enhancement opportunities, then lead the deployment of new systems and processes across the organisation.”
Jody is also a graduate of UGL’s Inspire female leadership program, a national UGL initiative supporting female leaders.
“The Inspire program was a fantastic opportunity to connect with people across the business and get more visibility at the managerial level,” she says. “It really opened doors for me.”
Before UGL, Jody’s career path wound through real estate, major construction, and local government -experiences that sharpened her skills in regulation, compliance, and leadership. From managing 500 houses and thousands of motel rooms for the LNG workforce to overseeing contracts at Gladstone Council, each role added another layer to her expertise.
Now, at UGL, she’s helping build the procedures, policies, and applications that keep our large-scale procurement operations running smoothly.
“We’re building systems that integrate across the business, then deploying, training, and getting feedback from the people on the ground,” Jody explains. “They’re the ones using our product every day, so listening to them is critical.”
Jody’s impact extends beyond the workplace. She serves on the board of directors for theGladstone Engineering Alliance, supporting local suppliers and strengthening the region’s industrial network.
Outside of work, she loves bushwalking with her family around Mount Larcom and says UGL’s flexible culture has made it easier to balance work and family life.
Through every challenge and change, Jody stays focused on creating smarter systems that empower people and strengthen UGL as a whole.
