Organisation: Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA)
Job Title:Executive Director, Corporate Administration Agency
Word Limit: 2 page max
Location: Brisbane
Performance through vision – I have demonstrated strategic leadership skills, with a proven record of
managing within complex, politically sensitive environments, ensuring the commercial viability of an
organisation, while continuing to deliver a responsive, quality service. As the current acting Executive
Director, and substantive Director of Information Management Services (IMS), within the Corporate
Administration Agency (CAA), I am responsible for ensuring that the CAA is aligned to both departmental
and government priorities, and is positioned and resourced to deliver on those priorities. Within the
context of leading a shared service provider, this means being cognizant of the recommendations of the
Queensland Government Commission of Audit, and the priorities relating to contestability, ICT-as-a-Service,
cost reductions and enhanced efficiencies.
I have significant experience leading an organisation functioning within a contestable shared services
environment. CAA operates on a cost recovery basis with no mandated customers or financial support from
consolidated revenue. It relies on the level of customer satisfaction and quality of service provided to
maintain and grow the existing customer base. I have driven a number of initiatives and strategies to
enhance the commercial viability of CAA, including establishing a robust and transparent costing model that
accurately reflects CAA’s true product costs, negotiating new licensing arrangements with TechnologyOne,
resulting in a better pricing model and greater flexibility for CAA customers, and acting as a broker to
source a suitable cost effective, external service provider for small clients. I have proven expertise in
generating innovative solutions and practical, tailored services adapted to the needs and requirements of
clients. In my current and previous positions, I have also focused on providing high level account
management of key clients. This includes working with them to understand their business, their culture,
and their drivers in order to meet and anticipate their needs, and to provide a flexible, demand driven
service.
As the Executive Director of CAA I also have a strong commitment to effectively lead the Agency across its
business units of Finance, Human Resource and IMS, delivering an integrated, seamless service to all
clients. I foster an environment that encourages cross-unit communication and collaboration, with a focus
on common goals and a clear disregard of functional or organisational silos. Similarly I encourage this focus
on shared outcomes by actively fostering CAA’s engagement within the Queensland Shared Service
portfolio, and the aligned areas of DSITIA. I also emphasise the need to build a workplace culture that
sustains a high level of performance and innovation. This incorporates ensuring the currency and diversity
of my knowledge, and that of all CAA staff, in relation to the industries we operate in. Innovation
management is based on effectively leveraging these skills and expertise to deliver an informed and
creative consultancy to clients, while reviewing and determining acceptable risk.
I also have demonstrated expertise in adapting to rapidly changing circumstances with agility and flexibility.
When I first commenced in the position of Director IMS, I had to respond almost immediately to the crisis
caused by the 2011 Brisbane floods. A number of our clients were adversely affected, with one in particular
unable to operate. I had to manage the impact of the disaster for these clients, working closely with the
Executive Director to assist with decision-making around our Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and whether to
activate the Disaster Recovery site. CAA’s ICT environment was fully operational by the next working day,
which was an outstanding result given the chaotic circumstances. I also negotiated and managed the
relocation of Queensland Theatre Company to operate out of Brisbane Festival’s (BF) premises when their
building was inaccessible due to the flood. The General Manager of BF contacted CAA to pass on how
impressed she was with the seamless transition and the minimal disruption experienced. This also resulted
in BF extending their agreement with CAA.
Performance through results
Within CAA I have led multiple change initiatives that align with strategic objectives and focus on achieving
practical and effective outcomes. I have excellent change management skills, with particular strengths in
ensuring the continuing engagement and motivation of stakeholders in the change process in difficult and
challenging circumstances. Following the loss of a client due to machinery of government changes (MOG), I
recognized the need to restructure IMS to ensure its ongoing commercial focus. I led the change process,
adopting an honest, consultative approach with staff, clearly articulating the drivers for the restructure, and
allowing them to become part of the decision making process. The revised IMS structure achieved a
number of goals, including the reinvigoration of service delivery in ICT, a reduction in costs, improved client
services and enhanced sharing of information and skills within the IMS team and client base. The new
structure provided a stronger platform for facilitating multi-skilling and team integration, and a reduced
need for inefficient specialist roles. I also worked with the Finance Branch to help them transition to a new
structure, facilitating a number of internal workshops and utilising the Kepner Tregoe methodology to work
through staff issues and encourage engagement in the process.
I also adopt this participative approach when delivering other change initiatives. I build this approach on a
foundation of ongoing and honest communication with clients, and strong collaborative relationships. In
both the Director and Executive Director roles in CAA I have worked hard to strengthen client partnerships,
liaising with them to ensure CAA provides a service shaped by their needs. For example, I implemented the
innovative strategy of providing HotDesk services to our clients. This is where CAA staff spend some of their
time co-located with our client, providing on the ground service, gaining knowledge of the client’s business
and strengthening the ties between the customer and CAA.
I also use the strong relationships I have with clients to work with them to drive their strategic priorities
and help them structure and position their business to achieve this. For example, in line with the
Commission of Audit recommendation to move the government away from owning assets, I have begun
relevant conversations with clients about transitioning to this goal, and with external vendors to source the
appropriate infrastructure. I also meet regularly with vendors to ensure I have an excellent knowledge of
their products and services. More importantly, I also work with them to influence them and the services
they provide to align with CAA’s future needs and those of our clients.
Performance through accountability – Throughout my career I have delivered sound governance practices,
ensuring strong legislative and fiscal compliance, and delivering responsible budget management, within a
range of public sector agencies. This has included ensuring that accountable, transparent and ethical
decision making processes are followed at all times. In particular, I have established a new level of
governance within IMS that includes robust change control processes, regular management meetings, and
formal check list procedures. These structural changes have resulted in a significant improvement in the
quality and consistency of service that CAA provides to its customers.
I also have demonstrated the ability to display courage, deliver impartial and forthright advice, and make
difficult corporate decisions to achieve commercial and business focused outcomes. As mentioned
previously, when CAA’s customer base was reduced due to MOG changes, I restructured IMS to a leaner,
more customer focused service model, rather than passing on costs to clients. This restructure also
reflected my commitment to align CAA’s service model and business processes to support government
priorities and public sector values, that is, ensuring CAA has a commercial focus, and placing our customers
first.
Similarly, when I led the introduction of a new pricing model for CAA services that more accurately
captured true costs, we found that previous client billing amounts were not reflective of their service use.
Some clients were effectively “subsidising” the breadth of service delivered to other customers.
Implementing the new model required a number of difficult conversations with some CAA clients. I
managed this process, focusing on the benefits that the new model could now deliver, enhanced
transparency and accuracy of costs, financial accountability, and more efficient processes associated with
billing.
I also have challenged, and worked hard to seek exemption from existing government policy when I
believed compliance would incur excessive costs, without any recognizable benefit for CAA, our clients or
the sector. When CAA was relocated to the CBD, government policy mandated that if a data centre was
upgraded or moved it must be moved to CITEC. I obtained pricing from CITEC, and even after substantial
negotiations the final figure was three times the cost of another suitable option I had sourced. I presented
a case to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), clearly demonstrating that the alternate data centre facilities
met our customer requirements at one third of the cost offered by CITEC. I then worked with the CIO to
obtain an exemption from the Director General.
I consistently review CAA products, infrastructure and services, looking for ways reduce costs to clients,
without compromising quality, wherever possible. Often this approach can challenge accepted practice. For
example, by utilising less expensive, better “fit for service” IT products and seeking to broker external
providers to reduce costs for small clients. I am comfortable with pursuing innovative models of service and
am fully committed to continuing to lead CAA to sustain a client first, demand driven, commercially focused
culture.
