Experience

External Reporting Board

• New Zealand
• Financial Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• General Manager Corporate Services

  • Sep 2022 - Present



Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Head of People Services

  • Apr 2019 - Feb 2022

  • Lead the design, implementation, delivery and continuous improvement of core people functions (HR) for MBIE. The capabilities of these core functions include: People & Culture (P&C) Operations, Product Management (Systems), Data and Insights, P&C Innovation (Project Management), and People Hub.• Manage 5 direct reports and circa 72 indirect reports (plus People & Pay Project team) in the People Services team responsible for strategic direction of the team and service delivery for P&C• Member of the P&C Leadership team, establishing and collaborating with the Centres of Excellence leads and Heads of P&C to resolve complex people-related issues. Contribution into MBIE People Strategy to deliver on MBIE's strategic direction• Business Owner on P&C projects driving change and deliverables, managing risks and issues, leading project teams, and engagement across all of MBIE and externally• Deliver customer focused services to actively support and contribute to the achievement of the Ministry's outcomes that deliver to the needs of internal and external stakeholders Show less

• General Manager Financial Control

  • Jun 2016 - Apr 2019

  • Accountable for departmental and non-departmental financial control, integrity and rigor in relation to all reported financial information by ensuring strong processes in place and technology enhancements • Managed 4 to 5 direct reports (circa 60 indirect) in the Financial Control branch covering Payroll, Finance Operations, Financial Accounting & Control (including Treasury and Tax) and Systems (10 Finance related systems) • Business Owner on the Payroll Remediation Project and Payroll Renewal Project driving change and deliverables, managing risks and issues, prioritising the projects and leading the project teams • Worked across the organisation and wider public sector on various projects and governance roles including a member of MBIE Policies & Procedures Committee and working with the SSC (now Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission) and other agencies (for example on payroll matters)• Relationship and Contract Management with key suppliers including system providers such as Technology One (FMIS), AMS (Payroll), Converga (AP Scanning), BNZ (Expense Management), Satori (Data Control Monitoring) and Fairfax Imaging (Quick Payments) ensuring MBIE requirements met • Acting CFO (Tier 2) as required as well as a member of the Extended Leadership team working across MBIE Show less

• Payroll Transformation Manager (contract)

  • Feb 2016 - Jun 2016

  • Leading the Payroll team during a time of media attention• Business Owner for Payroll on the Payroll Remediation Project• Management of relationship with payroll system provider (AMS Leader)• Identification of improvements in payroll area including metrics• Business Owner for HR & Payroll Business Processes review• Completed process of structure change from design, consultation, decision making and now finalising the recruitment• Working with ‘customers’ such as WorkSafe and Immigration on their needs from a payroll perspective Show less



Ministry of Education of New Zealand

• New Zealand
• Education Administration Programs
• 700 & Above Employee

• Business Advisor, Shared Services (contract)

  • May 2015 - Feb 2016

  • Evaluator for RFP responses for new FMIS • Identification and implementation of Teacher Payroll improvements in areas of reporting, reconciliation and internal controls • Resolution of risk and assurance findings in areas of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Cash Management • Transition of two Trusts to new finance system • External audit queries • IRD payroll returns • Advice relating to systems and processes improvements in finance area • Evaluator for RFP responses for new FMIS • Identification and implementation of Teacher Payroll improvements in areas of reporting, reconciliation and internal controls • Resolution of risk and assurance findings in areas of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Cash Management • Transition of two Trusts to new finance system • External audit queries • IRD payroll returns • Advice relating to systems and processes improvements in finance area



New Zealand Racing Board

• New Zealand
• Entertainment Providers
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Finance Contractor (contract)

  • Mar 2013 - Feb 2015

  • Finance Settlements Process Review. Document processes and their associated risks. Identified improvements within the Finance team and across the Retail network. Working with stakeholders across the business and external (Suppliers and Banks) to implement improvements in the areas of bank mandates, credit cards, direct debit and BCP. • Manage the Finance Settlements team through transition to a new structure • Procurement team support and analysis. Develop a process to identify upcoming procurement work and contract leakage. Show less



Bank of New Zealand

• New Zealand
• Banking
• 700 & Above Employee

• Performance and Operations Manager, BNZ Online

  • Jun 2012 - Feb 2013

  • Financial planning including management of funding demand and funding request cycles • Online project / portfolio planning and execution • Evolving and maintaining all core governance processes • Ensuring operational excellence in processes, Kaizen (continuous improvement) ownership and Agile management sponsor • Ownership of performance management framework • Online representative with other Bank business units/forums including Finance, Programme Office, Procurement, Human Resources and Risk. • Member of Leadership team for establishing and driving Digital/Online Strategy for the Bank Show less



ANZ

• Australia
• Banking
• 700 & Above Employee

• Head of Marketing Services (Finance and Procurement)

  • Jun 2008 - Nov 2011

  • Provide strategic and operational management in Marketing to ensure integrity of financial information and records, and efficiency in the delivery of the Marketing processes• Management of the annual planning process for Marketing, ensuring an integrated plan across the brand portfolio is developed and regularly reviewed• Own Marketing’s overall budget and financial control systems including allocation of campaign spend, provision of regular reporting and forecasting. Analysis of marketing costs and making recommendations of changes required to increase efficiency and effectiveness of spend• End-to-end management of Marketing Suppliers including new supplier engagements, contract negotiation, performance management, relationship reviews and delivery of savings initiatives• Manage the process of annual media negotiations• Operational leadership in the areas of risk and compliance, business processes, resource management, Bank trademarks, purchasing and accounts payable• Supervision of 3 direct reports in areas of finance, supplier management and copywriter • NZ Marketing representative in cross functional Bank initiatives and globally with ANZ Group Show less

• Senior Manager Operations (Shared Services)

  • Sep 2003 - Jun 2008

  • Supervision of five direct reports (plus 28 indirect reports) in the areas of accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, purchasing, pcards, helpdesk, finance, systems, projects, information management and operational contracts management• Manage the team and lead them through change whilst ensuring operational excellence, customer service and staff engagement• Part of the business unit leadership group setting the strategy and direction for the department• Ensuring policies and procedures fully documented, kept up-to-date and adhered to• Management of departmental business plan and budget and reporting on this monthly• Consolidate monthly reporting on team performance and metrics• Approval of purchase orders for the department and other areas of the Bank as set out in the delegated authorities manual• Review of monthly, quarterly and yearly risk and finance returns• Communicating with the Executive committee and wider Bank on matters relating to the services managed such as system or policy changes• Implement initiatives including completion of business cases and ensuring stakeholder and sponsor buy in Show less



The National Bank of New Zealand

• Wellington, New Zealand

• Property and Transaction Accountant

  • Jul 2002 - Sep 2003

  • Supervision of six direct reports in the accounts payable and accounts receivable areas including their personal development and assisting them to manage change • Property accounting including monthly KPI reporting to the Property Services Group and Finance, preparing the annual budget, monitoring of vacant premises and managing the Banks internal rental process • Co-ordination of monthly reconciliation process and reporting to Finance • Quarterly preparation of cheque duty return (for Inland Revenue) and FBT information to internal tax department • Preparation of year end statutory accounts for the property subsidiary and management of external audit • Identifying and implementing system and process improvements in the areas of accounts payable, accounts receivable and property accounting Show less



Colonial First State Investments

• Wellington, New Zealand

• Corporate Accountant (contractor)

  • May 2002 - Jul 2002

  • Providing monthly management reporting to Group including variance analysis and commentary • Providing monthly reporting to the Board of the Property Trust • Supervision of the part time corporate accounting assistant who was responsible for the daily accounting and providing cover when she was not working • Preparation of the year end statutory accounts • Manage the annual audit • Liaising with external advisors (including tax consultants and company bankers) as necessary • Preparation of the year end reconciliation’s for the unit trusts • Preparation of the year end statutory accounts for the unit trusts Show less



Colonial First State Investments

• Wellington, New Zealand

• Corporate Accountant (contractor)

  • Apr 2001 - Nov 2001



Sage

• United Kingdom
• Software Development
• 700 & Above Employee

• Finance Manager

  • Nov 1998 - Jan 2001

  • Providing interim and final consolidation account packs to The Sage Group plc within agreed deadlines • Preparation of the statutory accounts • Manage the annual audit • Preparing the corporation tax computations for all group companies liaising with external advisors (in the UK and overseas) as necessary • Oversee the purchase ledger and cash management functions of the department (this includes 4 staff reports). This has included improving the systems such as moving to pay suppliers electronically • Proactively promoting the control of costs throughout the organisation • Producing the balance sheet and cashflow for the monthly management accounts and ensuring supporting documentation is prepared • Implementation of transfer pricing within the group ensuring all responsibilities of the Group met • Completion of government returns on financial information • Member of Senior management team meeting monthly to resolve company wide issues • Member of project management team on relocation to a new site Show less



PwC

• Professional Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Auditor

  • Oct 1993 - Sep 1998

  • Working on statutory audits providing other business services to a variety of clients • Detailed and strategic planning including risk analysis, audit approach and budgeting • Managing clients expectations through continuous contact throughout the year • Supervision, coaching and review of team members work including preparation of performance appraisals • I.T. skills including use of audit software, Word, Excel and PowerPoint • Reporting to client management, internally and other parties taking into account the different needs (for example commercial recommendations/improvements for client management) • Monitoring progress of time, costs and achievements • Counselling manager for a number of staff members • Change manager when a new audit methodology introduced • Experience in non-audit areas such as accounts preparation, due diligence and secondment to clients to assist in solving of accounting problems • Regular technical training and being aware of changing accounting standards and best practices Show less