ROBYN SHIRLEY

NICHOLASHome Phone:Mobile:Work:Email:Address:

04 383 7652027 229 473204 494 0591palmer.n@xtra.co.nz 16 Severn StreetIsland Bay, Wellington 6023

PROFILE

Leadership - senior manager reporting directly to a Chief Executive and acting as Chief Executive in the not for profit, public, health, social service and justice sectors

Strategic planning - developing and leading the implementation of long term strategic plans and annual business plans

Service delivery and policy development - leading service delivery, policy development and strategic development

Financial management - management of significant operational budgets ($18m), funding expenditure ($240m) and property portfolios. This includes experience of community funding structures and contract management both as a deliverer and receiver of funds

Stakeholder management - working effectively with diverse stakeholders including Government Ministers, Governing Boards, Select Committees, lawyer representative bodies, the Judiciary, Review Tribunals, funding agencies, community groups, client representative groups, government departments, Iwi and international Legal Aid Commissions. Considerable experience with media, acting as spokesperson on a wide range of issues

Change Management - managing and implementing major change projects including structural reviews, IT initiatives and developments driven by legislative change

People management - responsibility for up to 500 staff, 17 service delivery offices, national policy and support functions. Experience in developing new and refocussing existing teams

Biculturalism- experience in developing and implementing effectiveness for Maori initiatives

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

2010 – Current

Responsible for:

Department of Internal Affairs: General Manager Community Operations

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive with responsibility for the leadership of community advisory services and funding administration. Includes the management of 138 staff spread over 17 offices, an administration budget of $18m and grant funding of over $240m.

• Managing community advisory services with the aim of supporting diverse communities to be resilient and achieve their aspirations

• Managing the dissemination of profits for the Lotteries Grant

Major achievements:

2001 – 2010

Board, 6 Crown Trusts and 6 Crown funding schemes including the Community Organisations Grants Scheme (COGs)

• Managing secretariat services to the Lottery Grants Board and holding the statutory position of Secretary to the Board

• Providing advice to Government Ministers • Developing and implementing the strategic direction and

business plans • Managing Pou Arahi, the team with responsibility for

effectiveness for Maori initiatives and implementing strategic plans to support Maori and Pacific Island staff and communities

• Input into and reporting against Agency accountability documents • Project sponsor for the development of a new IT initiative to

replace the Department’s online granting system • Developing and implementing initiatives to improve the efficiency

and effectiveness of service delivery• Developing operational policies and procedures, practice

frameworks and learning and development for staff• Member of a number of Governance Boards overseeing

Departmental initiatives

• Reviewed the Community Operations management structure resulting in almost one third fewer management positions and increased investment in front line service delivery

• Developed and implemented a new cash flow management approach and new funding priorities for the Lottery Grants Board

• Developed the Community Led Development programme and implemented a trial in 5 communities following the announcement by the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector as part of Budget 2011

• Implemented two new funding programmes totalling $47m• Reviewed end to end business processes with the aim of

streamlining grants administration in preparation for the implementation of a new IT system

• Developed and implemented a service delivery vision and workplace culture resulting in significant increase in staff engagement (second highest in the Department and well above the Public Service average)

Legal Services Agency: National Manager of Operations (Legal Aid Grants and Duty Solicitor Services)Reporting to the Chief Executive, with responsibility for leadership of legal aid granting and duty solicitor services. Included the management of 140 staff spread over 12 offices, an administration budget of $10m and Legal Aid spend of over $150m.

Responsible for: • Acting as Chief Executive when required• As a member of the senior management team, developing and

implementing the Agency’s strategic direction and business plans

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• Managing the Agency’s core business of delivering legal aid grants and duty solicitor services to over 85,000 clients

• Reporting to the Board and an external Risk Management Committee on service development initiatives, development of a quality framework, service performance and risk management

• Input into and reporting against Agency accountability documents including attendance at Select Committees

• Member of the Agency’s Information Technology Steering Committee, overseeing IS developments and business owner for a major initiative to replace the Agency’s core IT system

• Developing and implementing initiatives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery

• Developing operational policies and procedures• Participation in justice sector simplification initiatives• Management of a senior legal team and contracts for 32

specialist legal advisers• Maintaining stakeholder relationships including lawyers

contracted to provide legal representation and duty solicitor services, their representative bodies, the Judiciary, the Ministry of Justice and other stakeholders

• Media spokesperson on legal aid and associated matters

• Successfully implemented the Legal Services Amendment Act 2006. This enabled the Agency to manage a 40% increase in legal aid applications and created a client focussed repayment management capability. The project impacted on all areas of the Agency business, including policy, procedures, Information Systems, staff and property requirements

• Developed and implemented a framework of operational policies and procedures, service manuals, learning and development programme, quality systems and service standards which improved the quality of legal aid service delivery

• Developed and implemented a major initiative to streamline administration of legal aid that resulted in reduced expenditure

• In partnership with the New Zealand Law Society developed and delivered a programme of seminars for legal aid lawyers

• Developed and implemented workflow modelling • Established new service delivery functions of criminal legal aid

and duty solicitor services to meet legislative requirements• Delivered a paper at the International Legal Aid Group

Conference

1998 - 2000 IHC: Area Manager Greater Wellington and National Projects Manager

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Reporting to the Chief Executive for a number of national projects and to the General Manager for the leadership of 85 services, 500 staff, an $11m operating budget and significant property portfolio.

Responsible for: • Developing and implementing strategic and business plans • Developing and overseeing the implementation of effective high

quality HR strategies• Developing new business opportunities • Liaison with Health funding agencies and contract management• Developing and maintaining effective communication strategies

with clients, families, staff and external organisations• Maintaining excellent working relationships with and providing

support to 4 branch presidents and volunteer committees• Support for local fundraising initiatives

Major achievements: • Turned around a dysfunctional service delivery operation into a team and quality performance culture

• Successfully negotiated funding from the Health Funding Authority for child respite services

• Reviewed out of school programmes to enable them to be self funding

• Developed and delivered a performance management and communication training programme to 175 service managers

• Developed national standards for child respite services

1993 – 1998 Barnardos New Zealand: Director, Child & Family Services

Reporting to the Chief Executive, with responsibility for finance, administration, HR, marketing, fundraising, Information Systems and the national policy and procedure framework for services.

Responsible for: • As a member of the senior management team, developing and implementing the Agency’s strategic direction and business plans

• Developing service policy, procedures and standards• Identifying and tendering for new service opportunities• Negotiating service contracts with Government Agencies• Monitoring and analysing social and economic trends and

Government policy changes • Supporting Regional and Area Managers in service development • Developing national training programmes • Acting as national spokesperson on services and social policy to

government, statutory authorities, other national organisations and media

• Member of the Ministry of Education’s Early Childhood Advisory Committee and the Community Funding Agency’s Family

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Services Reference Group

Major achievements: • Worked with the governing Council to develop the strategic business plan

• Improved quality of services by introducing a quality assurance system that set national standards for service delivery

• Improved quality of services by developing a policy and procedure framework for 5 service areas including foster care and counselling

• Developed a national programme to provide supervised access for children and an out of school care programme

• Developed a national 0800 information and advocacy service• Introduced an HR framework

1987 – 1993 Manager, Quality Assurance for the NZ Income Support Service and Senior Policy Adviser for the Department of Social Welfare

This covered a variety of responsibilities, roles and achievements.

Major achievements: • Implemented the 1993 New Zealand Income Support Service benefit amnesty which resulted in millions of dollars of financial savings. This involved a 24 hour, 7 day operation over 3 weeks, operating from 4 main centres, employing over 200 staff and included developing and leading a major media campaign

• Developed a computerised data management programme with other Government departments which met the requirements of the Privacy Act

• Developed a guide for community organisations on contracting for social services

• Member of the Prime Ministerial Committee on the design of an accommodation supplement

QUALIFICATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT TRAINING

• University of Canterbury: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Major

• Leadership Development Centre: Leadership seminars and State Sector Leadership Conferences

• Represented the Legal Services Agency at the International Legal Aid Conferences in 2003, 2007 and 2009 (delivering a paper in 2007)

• Cabix: Media training

• New Zealand College of Management: Advanced Management Forum

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• Wellington Chamber of Commerce: Strategic Planning

• Network Communications: Media Training

REFEREES

Available on request

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• Wellington Chamber of Commerce: Strategic Planning

• Network Communications: Media Training

REFEREES

Available on request

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