Executive Director - Strategy Execution

• Dec 2021 - Present

A consultancy firm focused on strategy execution and performance optimisation for mission driven organisations. Clients span a variety of purpose driven organisations including international development agencies, domestic cancer charities, social services, aged care and purpose driven start-ups. A consultancy firm focused on strategy execution and performance optimisation for mission driven organisations. Clients span a variety of purpose driven organisations including international development agencies, domestic cancer charities, social services, aged care and purpose driven start-ups.

Principle Consultant

• Dec 2020 - Present

Rachel is a business strategy and performance specialist, readily spanning across high-level strategy and detailed financial and performance data analysis. She brings particular expertise in business model design, program and project management, and change leadership, including through Prince2, Agile, and change frameworks. Rachel helps her clients create cohesive performance frameworks that are practical and effective in shifting behaviour. Rachel is a business strategy and performance specialist, readily spanning across high-level strategy and detailed financial and performance data analysis. She brings particular expertise in business model design, program and project management, and change leadership, including through Prince2, Agile, and change frameworks. Rachel helps her clients create cohesive performance frameworks that are practical and effective in shifting behaviour.

Strategic Projects and Planning Lead

• Apr 2021 - Sep 2021

Head of Strategy Enablement and Performance

• Mar 2019 - Sep 2020

Strategy Development & Business Model Design:Designed and shifted the primary performance metric for CEO and Executive Leadershipperformance to profit, achieving simplicity and alignment to missionFacilitated a 3-year strategic plan to transform and simplify the go-to-market business modelleveraging market & supporter insights, deriving strategic choices for $140m+ revenueSupported strategy refinement through financial modelling of market and supporterassumptions to enable launch of a critical high-net worth product delivering $200m over 5yearsReframed strategic role of middle donors for improved engagement, profitability & growthratesPlanning, Execution & Performance:Linked organisational strategic metrics to Enterprise Plan through Objective & Key Result(OKR) Framework for Marketing, Retail & IT portfoliosManaged annual planning cycle for $100m revenue, 14+ senior stakeholders including 3Chiefs (direct reports to CEO), including alignment of plans and targets across marketing &salesImplemented Microsoft PowerBI reporting for real-time income and expense management,overcoming problems of archaic and disperse technology platformsPurpose built Board and Executive performance reporting that was used to manage strategicgoals and performance leversDesigned and delivered improvement projects in-line with stakeholder approved annual planLeadership & Partnership:A trusted advisor, able to have hard and respectful performance conversations by establishingstrong relationships with stakeholdersCommunicates complex problems simply, facilitating diverse stakeholders to a decisionPassionate about staff development, 7 years management of 8-10 direct reports who haveprogressed to senior roles in the organisation Show less

Head of Performance & Planning - Fundraising

• Feb 2016 - Feb 2019

Directly reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this role supports executives accountable for $200m fundraising: Chief of Marketing, Chief of Private Funding, Chief of Retail and Supporter Experience. Planning components comprise of strategy analytics, scenario modelling, business planning and budgeting. Performance components comprise of tailored business reporting, quarterly performance review assessing achievement of strategic objectives and financial and non-financial targets. Responsibilities:Contribute to formulation of Marketing strategic objectives, ensuring they are formed with visibility of historical performance, value drivers, performance metrics and targets (financial and non-financial). Facilitate the refinement and iteration of plans by leveraging insights and analytics, with an aim to increase ROI and ensure strategic objectives are achieved. Ongoing optimisation of the budget and forecasting processes to ensure they is relevant and fit for purpose, paying particular attention to the level of granularity and complexity of the data architecture.Accountable for the financial performance reporting & analytics frameworks for fundraising, including facilitating quarterly business reviews with key decision makers at executive and management levels. Show less

Director Group Portfolio Planning – Supporter Connections

• Jan 2014 - Feb 2016

Responsibilities:Develop Group business plan in conjunction with Executive Officer ensuring alignment and integration with the organisation's strategy and framework.Provide strategic insights that inform business decisions, investment and direction of the Group.Identify growth and/or continuous improvement opportunities that lead to quality services provided by the Group and ultimately improved supporter experience.Initiate, manage and successfully implement special projects. Embed frameworks to measure the ongoing impact of continuous improvement projects (e.g. SLA’s, metrics etc.).Collaborate and constructively challenge cross function groups and Directors to ensure alignment and integration of activity. Show less

Head of Finance Business Partners / Director Business Performance

• Apr 2013 - Jan 2014

Responsibilities:Board and Executive Financial Performance Reporting: Redesigned and delivered monthly performance report to visually drive business to resolve financial risk.Organisational Budget Development: Developed top-down FY14 budget (and 3-year outlook) to enable WVA’s growth strategy which includes developing new products. Prepared succinct Board presentation focusing on budget principles and business model risk. Budget and Forecast Project Management: Project Management of detailed cost centre budget development process, including oversight of Divisional budget guidelines and budget models.Leadership: Managed a team of 10 people using Agile project management, with a particular focus on responding to identified culture issues: Reward and Recognition, and Career Pathways.Process Improvement: Refined reporting and forecasting processes to improve collaboration and empower business to own their financial results. By being outcome, rather than process driven, changing or removing activities has saved the Finance Business Partner team 500 hours which have been redirected into deliverables that add more value to the end user. Show less

Finance Business Partner - International and Australia Programs

• Oct 2011 - Feb 2013

Responsibilities: Divisional Performance Reporting: Delivered Executive monthly performance reports for International and Australia Programs Divisions ($150m+ revenue) focusing on lead indicators of income and clear expression of performance issues. Field Allocations and Portfolio Projections: Managed $350m (per annum) project funding portfolio, releasing funding in-line with future organisation profit projections across 20 funding types to ensure alignment to donor commitments. Divisional Budget and Forecast Coordination: Development of budget tools, trend and market analysis to support budget and forecast processes. Leadership: Managed a team of 4 people, engaging and stretching strong performers, and resolving poor employee performance in a respectful but firm manner. Show less

Senior Consultant

• Jun 2008 - Oct 2011

Responsibilities: Transformation projects: Ability to assimilate, analyse, and design lasting solutions for clients. Financial Analysis and Process Improvement: Building financial tools, costing products, redesigning processes and facilitating the implementation of new management practices. Effective Communications: Preparation of Executive reports that drive core strategic and operational decisions. Responsibilities: Transformation projects: Ability to assimilate, analyse, and design lasting solutions for clients. Financial Analysis and Process Improvement: Building financial tools, costing products, redesigning processes and facilitating the implementation of new management practices. Effective Communications: Preparation of Executive reports that drive core strategic and operational decisions.

Business Services Advisory Accountant

• Feb 2003 - Jun 2008

Responsibilities: Business Advice: Preparation of year-end financial statements, tax returns, analysis and planning. Leadership: Entrusted with coordinating vacation, work experience and cadet programs. Supervisory role undertaken in 2008. Responsibilities: Business Advice: Preparation of year-end financial statements, tax returns, analysis and planning. Leadership: Entrusted with coordinating vacation, work experience and cadet programs. Supervisory role undertaken in 2008.