Job Title: Service Centre Manager | Team Leader | Programme Support Manager
Word Limit: Maximum of 400 words per criterion
Location: Various
Ability to manage the day-to-day operations of a Service Centre, or a service delivery team,
including setting local priorities managing resources and workflow
Throughout my longstanding career with DHS, I have performed for eight years as an APS5 and
APS6 Team Leader across five sites, including Palm Beach, Southport, Biggara Waters, Nerang
Service Centre (SC), and the Career Information Centre at Rainbow Beach. During this time, I have
inspired direction for up to 19 staff members, leading to the accomplishment of key performance
measures (KPMs) in line with the current strategic plan. Through setting local priorities, directing
resources and workflow, I have successfully led teams to service over 400 contacts per day, and
with a strong focus on the reduction of wait times, we have achieved high levels of customer
satisfaction.
My management skills have been demonstrated consistently throughout the transformation of
DHS services and shift toward digital delivery through making vital contributions to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery, and minimising difficulties experienced by
customers and stakeholders. This has been achieved by ensuring that all Service Officers are well
informed of current government policies and directions, and have the resources available to
achieve KPMs. I hold regular cascade briefings and morning meetings where I educate my team on
key strategic priorities and how we can best achieve them. For example, to meet current initiatives
regarding process design, I have placed focus on all Service Officers providing customers with high
quality and streamlined services, whilst ensuring that they promote and educate them regarding
the digital services. This ensures that all staff are provided with consistent information and
direction, and are unified in their actions for the day.
An effective manager, I promote clear expectations when targets are assigned to staff, and actively
monitor performance to ensure our centre is on track with meeting deliverables. Additionally, I
utilise my strategic and innovative thinking to identify, implement and promote improved work
practices. This was demonstrated subsequent to identifying that the process for booking
customers into the self-service system was time-consuming and inefficient. The initial process
involved booking customers and linking them to their myGov account, then booking them in again
to process their claims. In keeping with the strategic direction of providing customers with a
seamless end-to-end experience, I implemented a change to this process by utilising optional
operational codes and running a script so that the booking was only required once. As a result, all
customers are now provided with a high level of timely service and guided toward digital self-
sufficiency.
Ability to establish and manage relationships with local stakeholders to build service delivery
capability, increase the profile of the department’s services and attend inter-agency meetings
and forums to obtain and share information
Within my roles as APS5/6 Team Leader, I have been innovative with networking, building
effective working relationships and developing strong external partnerships. With an extensive
history working in the welfare sector, I recognise the significance my existing networks have on my
current position, and as such actively maintain the relationships that I have built. For example, as
APS6 Team Leader at Palm Beach, I regularly liaise with external jobactive providers, local
Members of Parliament and local community agencies. The partnerships that I have built and
maintained are based on mutual satisfaction and positive outcomes and have greatly contributed
to promoting the profile of DHS.
Fostering a strong collaborative approach with stakeholders has facilitated my ability to seek
opportunities that enhance efficiencies and increase DHS service effectiveness. Relationships with
local community agencies and social workers, in addition to my liaison with local hospitals, have
been imperative for assisting vulnerable customers. In establishing these networks, I am able to
promptly provide customers deemed to be at risk, with the assistance that they require outside of
DHS. This includes providing members of my service delivery team with adequate information to
ensure a quality approach to detecting customers at risk of adverse outcomes, and a process to
connect them to the most appropriate services. When referring customers, my team is able to
leverage the professional networks that I have maintained to ensure that the transition to external
services is as seamless as possible for the customer. This approach has been particularly successful
in regard to the DHS Family and Domestic Violence Strategy by supporting customers based on the
four principles and five themes for implementation, including risk identification, referral, training,
information and staff support.
As an APS6 Team Leader, I play an instrumental role in facilitating six-weekly Jobactive meetings
where I model, foster and encourage collaborative behaviour through the sharing of information
with external stakeholders. This includes discussing changes to legislation and procedures, and
how the changes impact on customer eligibility, in addition to service delivery initiatives such as
digital servicing. These meetings have provided the opportunity to educate Jobactive providers as
to how they can best guide and encourage customers to utilise digital services for activities such as
lodging claims, reporting earnings and accessing correspondence. This has assisted our SC to
achieve digital servicing KPMs, whilst ensuring that all customers are provided with adequate
opportunities to become digitally self-sufficient.
Ability to lead, manage and support and develop staff through coaching, managing
performance, attendance and health and wellbeing
Over the past 13 years, I have contributed to strategic direction by leading at SC level, the
transformation of services and shift toward digital delivery, as per the Strategic Plan 2015-19. This
has been achieved as Team Leader by ensuring staff are focused on improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of service delivery through the implementation of process design. During the
transition phase, I have taken a strategic approach by analysing information and cascading it down
to staff during meetings. Utilising techniques from Grow Model training, I also hold coaching
meetings where requirements and goals are discussed, and performance appraisals are reviewed
to ensure learning needs are being met. This has ensured that staff are educated regarding focus,
priorities and commitments required to achieve our goals.
Proactively using my relationship management skills as a risk management tool, I anticipate
potential conflict and underperformance, whilst facilitating cooperation to determine appropriate
resolutions. These skills were demonstrated with a staff member who had received negative
feedback regarding customer service subsequent to a mystery shopper visit. Recognising the
impact of this for the SC, I took immediate action and engaged her in discussion regarding how she
felt she was achieving, what her goals were and expectations of her as a Service Officer. During the
discussions, the staff member disclosed that she was feeling bored with her role and requested
additional duties. Whilst I identified the potential of this staff member, it was imperative that she
demonstrated excellence within her current role prior to receiving increased responsibility.
Demonstrating commitment to staff development, I worked with her through the use of
strengthening coaching cards and setting explicit goals. As a result, the staff member’s
performance and attitude toward her current role drastically improved and we are now discussing
potential training for her to further enhance her capabilities.
My approach as an APS5/6 Team Leader is to foster an engaging and supportive working
environment where all staff are encouraged to achieve to their highest potential. This is enabled
by holding fortnightly wellbeing meetings and “Are you Ok?” days, in addition to staff recognition
schemes that I promoted during my time at the Nerang SC. Not only is this consistent with the
strategic priority of capable and engaged people, but it is additionally an approach that instils
confidence in all staff, thus resulting in flexible and agile staff with the motivation, capabilities,
skills and support necessary to achieve goals.
Ability to contribute to relevant business and people planning and develop local strategies to
improve against key performance measures, including to driving the promotion of the
department’s self-managed and digital services
My record of success within a variety of roles with DHS demonstrates my capacity to contribute to
relevant business and people planning, whilst developing local strategies to improve against KPMs.
As a Team Leader, I encourage innovation and support Service Officers through changes in
business and process improvement, as demonstrated at the Palm Beach SC where we have been
the trial site for processing vulnerability claims in collaboration with Social Workers. Throughout
the transition, I have provided opportunities for staff to engage in training, and we have devised
clear plans ahead of time as to how to effectively implement the initiative. This has included
scheduling customer appointments two weeks in advance to allow sufficient time to collaborate
with the Social Workers and take into consideration their recommendations.
Within my leadership roles, I have ensured achievement of results by identifying and harnessing
resources, setting direction and implementing appropriate strategies. On a daily basis, I monitor
scripts to determine achievement toward meeting KPMs, particularly in relation to service
delivery. With this data, I establish progress toward goals and implement plans accordingly to
ensure they are achieved. For example, upon noticing that AYS was increasing due to the SC not
meeting timeliness, I identified that this was a result of not having resources dedicated to the role.
Through communicating this concern with staff and working collaboratively with them, I was able
to implement a strategy for improvement. This involved reallocating resources, rearranging the
roster, and training staff to efficiently perform the role. By monitoring success and adjusting
processes as required, we were able to successfully manage the arrears and action all tasks in a
timely manner.
In line with the service transformation of DHS and shift toward customer digital self-sufficiency, I
have implemented strategies that encourage responsibility and enable customers to be self-
sufficient, whilst identifying and supporting those most in need. This has included providing
process design education and encouragement to all Service Officers to ensure their capabilities of
engaging customers in digital conversation and effectively informing them of digital services.
Moreover, I have been consistent in promoting digital services and educating key stakeholders
through facilitating regular digital events. These events include a visual slideshow as to how and
why it is necessary to move customers toward digital self-sufficiency, in addition to practical
activities that provide them with a clear insight as to how the services operate.
