Organisation: Child Support Smart Centres
Job Title: Team Leader
Word Limit: 1 page max per response
Location: Australian Capital Territory
Demonstrated ability to lead, develop and manage a team in a changing environment, including
the ability to plan, prioritise and influence individual and team performance to achieve business
outcomes and targets (Supports Strategic Direction and Achieves Results)
A highly experienced customer service professional with over eight years of experience
contributing to the delivery of aged care and disability services, I have demonstrated my ability to
maintain quality service levels within a changing environment. The nature of our global economy,
together with rapid advancements in technology, means that change in the workplace is inevitable
but through personal drive, initiative and planning, I am able to remain flexible and focused.
Through regular periods of change, my understanding of the relationship between company
objectives and daily operational tasks has allowed me to proactively contribute and lead by
example to influence individual and team performance. This has certainly been the case in my role
as Customer Service Advisor (CSA) and Subject Matter Expert (SME) with Centrelink, where since
2007 I have acted as a positive change advocate, supporting process improvements and projects.
My skills in this area are driven by a passion for training and development, demonstrated by my
ability to contribute in coaching and team meetings, listen to staff concerns and play an active role
in encouraging staff to embrace the benefits of change through knowledge sharing and training.
During my tenure with Centrelink, I applied these skills during two major restructures to meet
business demands through the transfer of responsibility of the Aged Care Act 1997 initially to the
Minister for Social Services and then to the Minister for Health. A good example of this was
demonstrated earlier this year during the transition from Seniors to Disabilities processing. Upon
listening to several staff on the floor who were having difficulties with the new processes, I
approached my supervisor and offered to assist my team with one-on-one and group training.
Due to my approachable manner, engaging method of delivery, and ability to provide relevant
information, we were able to work together to minimise the impact of the change and continue to
meet service delivery standards. This led to recognition from my manager for my positive attitude
and ability to identify opportunities to support and influence the achievement of government
outcomes within my team. This experience has equipped me with a thorough understanding of
the change management process, including developing strategies to deal with my own and my
team members’ emotions and reactions to change. During this time, I also remained responsive to
the demands of the department as a whole by assisting my colleagues in times of absence or
increased operational demand. Using my extensive knowledge of business processes, I was able to
respond to queries across all portfolios when the regular portfolio holders were unavailable or
required assistance. As a result, I was commended in my mid-year review for my ability to monitor
task progress against performance expectations to ensure all deadlines were met.
To do this effectively, I utilise team collection tools such as SMART CSA to monitor and action
team and individual workloads, uphold high standards and overcome any challenging situations
that may occur. Applying short and long-term planning techniques, I organise my tasks in order of
importance and deadline; however, I remain aware of the need to be flexible to cope with shifting
priorities. For example, I utilise tools such as Microsoft Outlook to schedule meetings and keep
track of daily, weekly and monthly routines within the team. Additionally, I take notes in informal
and formal meetings to ensure that all tasks are recorded accurately and I am ready to provide
information, advice and updates within the scope of my role at a moment’s notice. Due to my
expertise and ability to remain positive and professional in a changing environment, I have
relished the opportunity to take on increasingly senior responsibilities and respond to pressure
whilst ensuring the achievement of business outcomes, targets and deadlines.
High level verbal and written communication skills including the ability to compose clear,
accurate and professional documentation (Communicates with influence)
A confident and professional communicator, my experience working in the public sector has
equipped me with the ability to tailor my communications to my audience in order to deliver
relevant information to suit the needs of the enquirer. Accustomed to liaising with senior
management and executive officers on a range of matters relevant to my position, I am
comfortable consulting and negotiating with key stakeholders at all levels. In my current role as a
CSA and SME with Centrelink, I have dealt with people of all ages, diversities and cultural
backgrounds, including many people with disabilities, illness and mental health conditions. This
has required me to demonstrate tact, diplomacy and discretion to effectively provide authoritative
information and advice with appropriate social sensitivity and cultural awareness. To achieve this,
I use effective questioning and active listening techniques to deliver services and solutions in
accordance with departmental guidelines.
My skills allow me to effectively interpret and communicate legislation, policies, procedures and
technical knowledge to both staff and customers in a way that is easy to understand and apply to
complex assessments. When dealing with potential conflict, I am confident using my sound
judgement and decision-making skills to defuse or escalate individual situations. For example, due
to the nature of my role, I regularly interact with upset or aggressive customers and always enter
these situations with a calm and conciliatory approach. By not engaging in an argument and
instead focusing on a solution and delivering in line with business policy, I am able to maintain the
integrity of the department. My superior communication skills have also paved the way for
acknowledgement by my supervisors who have commended me on many occasions for my ability
to listen, understand and adapt my style to suit the audience or situation.
Effective communication is the most important issue in any organisation and I endeavour to be
clear and concise at all times to mitigate the risk of confusion or misunderstanding; common
factors that may lead to conflict. Throughout my career, I have assumed increasingly senior
responsibilities that have demanded exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including
facilitating staff training, handling customer enquiries and complaints, preparing and analysing
reports, working closely with senior management and contributing to staff meetings.
My ability to communicate effectively in writing has been demonstrated through the completion
of several Australian Public Service (APS) Application Writing Skills courses, combined with
extensive experience in the government sector. This has provided me with systematic training in
professional communication, supported by my experience delivering information in the form of
policies, procedures, training skills assessments, standard operating procedures and reports.
Often, I am required to prepare official departmental correspondence that may be presented as
evidence in court in accordance with legal processes. It is critical that these documents are
presented using regular terms and are supported by the regulatory frameworks and procedures
used to guide the decision-making process. Additionally, I have experience composing and editing
memorandums, ministerial responses, briefings and parliamentary questions. This high-level
communication requires extensive research, collation of information and stringent editing to
minimise the impact of any inaccuracies. With the presence, experience and gravitas to represent
the organisation at all levels, my professionalism and cooperation will be a great asset in the role
of Team Leader.
The ability to identify, foster and maintain relationships with key internal and external
stakeholders (Supports productive working relationships)
Throughout my career, I am pleased to say I have achieved a great deal of success building and
maintaining productive working relationships with key stakeholders to enhance productivity and
improve workplace interactions. This is best demonstrated during my employment with Centrelink
where I have worked in numerous customer service roles, giving me the ability to effectively
influence and negotiate at all levels by applying my knowledge, training and experience. As an
experienced and productive team member, I work in collaboration with all personnel to achieve a
customer-focused delivery method that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do. To
integrate this into the team culture, I have facilitated training sessions based on operational
changes, service improvement and process methods, allowing me to build successful relationships
within my team that offer the support they need.
Embracing and recognising diversity is an important skill for all members of an organisation, and at
all times I treat both internal and external stakeholders with the utmost respect and courtesy. This
is particularly important in a diverse and multicultural environment such as the APS, and I am
grateful for my employment within an organisation that respects the right of individuals to be
treated equally and to value others for their diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. Linked
closely to my strong interpersonal skills is my ability to consistently display quality customer
service principles and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction. With a proven track record of
delivering tangible results, my internal and external customers know they can rely on me to work
in partnership with them to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes and recommend an effective
course of action, or help in any way I can.
This has been evidenced not only in my role with Centrelink, but also through the success of my
own retail business, where I have built a strong network of suppliers and customers. My skills in
this area have seen me forge lasting partnerships with key stakeholders and I have built a
reputation as a collaborative team player with a proven track record of remaining calm and
intervening during crises to maintain exceptional customer service standards. In my capacity with
the APS, I respect my role within the wider government community and understand that the
quality of the service I provide directly affects the tasks and service levels of other departments.
To this end, when going on leave, I create an informative task card of my duties and
responsibilities to assist my team members with effectively managing and prioritising the team
workload in my absence so they can continue to meet service levels without additional support.
Committed to team performance and often assisting others, I am prepared to take on additional
tasks to ensure all work is completed in accordance with key performance indicators, goals and
purpose. A good example of this is demonstrated in my current role as CSA and SME where I often
provide assistance to senior managers by carrying out numerous administrative and support tasks
outside the scope of my usual role. Working closely with management in this capacity and forming
productive relationships with both colleagues and supervisors, has provided me with the
opportunity to take on senior responsibilities and projects. My commitment to maintaining strong
working relationships and providing support to key stakeholders will see me successful in
influencing a prompt, efficient and professional service for the Australian Government
Department of Human Services and our customers.
Experience in supporting staff through feedback, coaching and mentoring, including
management of performance and workplace behaviour and conduct within set frameworks
(Displays personal drive and integrity)
With over eight years of experience as a CSA and SME with Centrelink, I have provided informed
advice and guidance to customers in relation to their eligibility and access to government services.
Through this experience, I have gained an extensive skill set and knowledge of disability and aged
care customer entitlements, allowing me to share my expertise with my team members through
feedback, coaching and mentoring. A good example of this was demonstrated recently, when I
took the initiative to develop a training package on recent process changes to the Office of the
Aged Care Commissioner, presenting it during their team meeting. Following the meeting, I
requested feedback from the participants and received positive comments in regards to the clear
and concise way I delivered the training and the relevance of the information.
With a wealth of experience in customer service environments, I take full accountability and
ownership for achieving outcomes, training staff, leading by example and devising ways to
improve workplace systems and procedures, such as client service standards. Central to my
success is the desire to promote services that meet the needs of customers and staff, while
increasing efficiency. I achieve this by utilising all available resources and positively influencing my
team members to enhance their performance and achieve business goals. For example, I provided
assistance during peak periods such as the Victorian bushfires and the Queensland floods. To
ensure the achievement of timeliness standards, I often worked my normal hours followed by an
additional shift after-hours at the call centre to achieve strict key performance indicators. This
involved floor-walking, listening to staff calls and coaching them on the correct procedures.
Demonstrating self-awareness and a commitment to personal growth, I take responsibility for my
own development by actively participating in training and other initiatives designed to improve my
performance. This has led to my appointment as an SME, where I use customer feedback to
reduce complaints and meet policy guidelines and objectives, providing recommendations to
achieve positive outcomes for the department from a service delivery perspective. With a strong
commitment to quality assurance, accuracy and consistency, I have recently taken on the
responsibilities of a Quality On Line (QOL) checker, where I am responsible for performing an
assessment of risk, checking for errors and then either releasing for payment or returning to a CSA
for corrections. In this way, I am able to monitor quality trends and identify training needs and
performance gaps for CSAs. Further, I have contributed to the development of staff on a national
basis by conducting an analysis of the Access Support Centre and providing feedback for
development of learning needs which has resulted in increased staff knowledge.
Having contributed to the Department of Social Services in several capacities since 2007, I possess
an informed understanding of public service professionalism, including commitment to the APS
Code of Conduct and iCare values. Demonstrating a high level of personal drive and integrity, I
take great pride in the quality of work I produce and behave with honesty and fairness in both my
personal and professional life. As a senior member of the team, I pro-actively encourage and
provide feedback to create an environment that is conducive to sharing ideas, seeking input and
recognising contributions made by each individual. This includes making the necessary effort to
contribute to regular meetings and forums and remain up to date with employer objectives. I am
confident that no matter the circumstances, my collaborative approach and ability to support staff
in the achievement of work objectives will lead me to excel in a role with a strong learning and
development focus.
