Approved by the Board of Governance 29 April 2014
Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 3 1.1 Purpose of this document... 3 1.2 Vision... 3 1.3 Mission... 3 1.4 Organisational Values... 3 1.5 Our Desired Outcomes... 3 1.6 Our Strategy 2013-2015... 4 1.7 Strategic Projects... 4 2 ORGANISATION SUMMARY... 5 2.1 Ownership / Governance... 5 2.2 Organisation History... 5 2.3 Location and Facilities... 5 2.4 Keys to Success... 6 3 THE MARKET... 6 3.1 Industry Profile... 6 3.2 Competitors... 7 4 MARKETING PLAN... 7 4.1 Our Customers... 7 4.2 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats... 8 4.3 Sales and Marketing Objectives... 8 4.4 Our Proposition... 8 4.5 Competitive Edge... 9 4.6 Promotion... 9 4.7 Sales and Distribution... 9 5 OPERATIONAL PLAN... 10 5.1 Operational Objectives... 10 5.2 Organisation of Resources... 10 5.3 Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Operations... 10 5.4 Pre-accredited Training... 10 5.5 Community Projects Department Operations... 10 5.6 Quality and Compliance... 11 6 FINANCIAL PLAN... 12 6.1 Income Sources... 12 6.2 Financial Management... 12 6.3 Current Financial Position... 13 7 RISK MANAGEMENT... 14 7.1 Insurance... 14 7.2 Statutory Responsibilities... 14 7.3 Financial Risks... 15 7.4 Other Risks... 15 8 STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT... 16 8.1 Structure and Management Objectives... 16 8.2 Organisational Structure... 16 8.3 Organisational Values... 16 8.4 Internal Communication... 16 8.5 Employment and Staff Support... 16 8.6 Ongoing Professional Development... 17 8.7 Performance Management... 17 9 BALANCED BUSINESS PLAN on a Page 2014... 17 10 ATTACHMENTS... 17 V1.1 23/04/2014 2 P a g e
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 Purpose of this document This document outlines the Operational Plan of The Centre for the 2014 operating period. It outlines the organisation s planned pathway to enable the execution of the Strategic Plan 2013-2015. 1.2 Vision The organisation s vision is: 1.3 Mission Creating opportunities together The organisation s mission is: We will deliver the most relevant, highest quality programs and services in partnership with the community. 1.4 Organisational Values The organisation is strongly concerned about how it interacts with the community and its own team. It is working to foster a strong set of organisational values that the community and the team can rely on the organisation to account for in all its engagements with stakeholders. A key part of the 2014 executive action plan is to revisit the set of values as an all-staff exercise; to increase awareness of the organisational values and build links between these and tangible expressions of the way the organisation lives to its values. The organisation aspires to the following values: Respect all Integrity in all dealings Ethical in all undertakings Value the Individual Champion of Social Justice Self-learning. 1.5 Our Desired Outcomes Through the execution of this plan the organisation expects to achieve the following outcomes over the 2014 planning period: A sustainable organisation focused on continuing sustainability organisational, economic, environmental and social A turnover of $3.4 million Returning a surplus Investigate strategic alignments Decreased reliance on government funding Increased efficiency of resource use A noted increased recognition and positive perceptions of The Centre and its work Be recognised as an organisation that delivers programs clearly demanded by the market Have a clear customer service culture Have a strong leadership and accountability culture Have well aligned staff (and skills) with strategic need Strong staff development culture Strong staff retention Be a clearly recognised employer of choice amongst prospective employees. All quality and compliance obligations are met VRQA re-registration secured V1.1 23/04/2014 3 P a g e
1.6 Our Strategy 2013-2015 The core strategies for The Centre are outlined in The Centre s 2013-2015 Strategic Plan. They are: Business Growth and Sustainability: Ensure that The Centre is financially sustainable, and well managed with a clear business focus, business growth targets, and measurable financial goals Innovation: Use innovative approaches to business development and delivery including the investigation of new opportunities, different ways of delivering current services more efficiently, and ways to deliver new services to existing and new target groups Governance: Ensure robust governance through strong leadership and accountability Capability: Develop and maintain staff capability, systems and processes to enable us to deliver our vision and mission effectively and efficiently Relationships and Partnerships: Establish and maintain meaningful, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships for the delivery of high quality services for our communities 1.7 Strategic Projects The Strategic Plan articulates a number of key projects which are the priority of the Executive team throughout the planning period. These projects have been selected and prioritised by the Executive because of their ability to move the organisation towards the achievement of its desired outcomes. The following table outlines the projects in the context of their fit with the organisation s overall strategic objectives. Establish annual business plan and prioritised operational strategies Establish measurable growth targets and financial goals Develop financial surplus policy for guiding the management of surplus, cash reserves and investments Determine The Centre s role in Benalla Investigate Social Enterprise/s Expand technology capability and use Expand personal and vocational learning opportunities Leverage capability in compliance and risk management Focus on youth pathways and further opportunities Continue to investigate and build on new opportunities associated with registration scope Strengthen Board accountability Strengthen performance management reporting mechanisms Refine risk management approach board, reporting, structure Ensure core knowledge, skills and systems in compliance and risk management Develop plan to minimise risks through the loss of key people - for Board, CEO and senior managers Recognise and value our people Strengthen systems and processes to create greater impact and benefits for our staff and clients, efficiency and ease of use Establish and maintain meaningful and sustainable partnerships Understand our local communities Build and maintain a strong profile and reputation in the communities we serve V1.1 23/04/2014 4 P a g e
2 ORGANISATION SUMMARY 2.1 Ownership / Governance The organisation has been established under the Association Incorporations Act 1981 (Vic). Under the legislation, members are the legal owners who then appoint a Board of Governance who are the moral owners of the organisation. The Board of Governance responsibilities are: to set and monitor strategic directions to establish and review organisation policies to appoint and monitor the performance of a Chief Executive Officer to ensure financial viability and manage risk. The Centre s Board of Governance operates broadly on the Carver Governance model. The Association s rules allow for up to ten Board of Governance members, currently The Centre has seven members. 2.2 Organisation History The Centre was established in Wangaratta in 1962 as the first Adult Education provider to be formed outside of metropolitan Melbourne. Initially a small organisation consisting of only two staff, it has grown to its current capacity which includes staff numbers of 42 (FTE 33.64) and an annual turnover of $3.7m (2011). The former Centre for Continuing Education, Wangaratta, merged with Forum at Benalla in 1997 to form a new and larger entity, with two main program/service delivery sites. In 2008 The Centre re-branded itself as a Community College joining with many other ACE organisations throughout Victoria in membership of Community Colleges Victoria. The Centre celebrated its 50 years of operation in 2012. 2.3 Location and Facilities There are four sites from which operations are delivered directly by The Centre staff, two in Wangaratta and two in Benalla. The main site in Wangaratta is the former Wangaratta High School Building built in 1909, located in Chisholm Street. The organisation currently is entitled to occupy the premises under a 20 year lease from the Minister of Education, expiring in 2018. This site was upgraded by a significant federally funded development in 2012. The additional site in Wangaratta is in Greta Road occupying part of the former site of the Wangaratta High School which has been acquired by the Rural City of Wangaratta. This site is predominantly used for delivery of The Centre s Youth and VCAL programs. It is proposed that a considerable, largely commercial development program will commence in 2014; this will necessitate the vacation of our existing building and relocating to an ex-school building on the same site which will need considerable renovations. The Benalla premises are a portion of Benalla College, a senior secondary school under a lease arrangement with the Regional Director, Department of Education and Training (Hume Region). The Benalla lease is a 5 year arrangement; the current lease expired in 2010 and negotiations are continuing for a new term. In addition, a lease has been negotiated in June 2013 for use of a portable building on the site of the Benalla campus of Goulburn Ovens TAFE in Samaria Road for delivery of the Benalla Youth program. The Centre also delivers several programs in Shepparton and Cobram. V1.1 23/04/2014 5 P a g e
2.4 Keys to Success The keys to The Centre s ongoing success are: its reputation, credibility and endurance, having operated in Wangaratta and Benalla for over 50 years its community focus, especially those disadvantaged in the community the quality and responsiveness of service delivery by staff and collectively, the organisation its networks and partnerships within the communities in which it operates its ethical approach to undertaking its business its professional approach to managing: governance finances people innovation assets systems the quality, commitment and dedication of Board of Governance members, staff, volunteers, tutors and anyone associated with The Centre its ability to change people s lives having sound and integrated systems and processes. 3 THE MARKET 3.1 Industry Profile The Centre operates as a provider of adult and continuing education and vocational training as well as a facilitator of community based programs. Each of these markets is unique, although as The Centre has shown from time to time there is potential to leverage opportunities from either market place across The Centre s entire operations. Adult Education Adult and Continuing Education is a diverse market with services funded by government, industry and individual learners. Government, non-government as well as for profit and not for profit organisations, participate in the delivery of lifelong learning programs. Government is the major funding source of training although increasingly private industry has an interest in programs that can cost effectively deliver specific skills to their workforce. The provision of government funded programs has been going through significant change in recent years with: the introduction of contestable funding a more stringent focus on funding the upgrading to higher level skills, rather than cross grading skills an increasing focus on Vocational Education and Training (VET). Community Projects Community Projects is a mostly government funded segment. The Centre seeks grants and ongoing funding to facilitate the delivery of community projects where the requirements of the funding body can be well met by The Centre s core community project s capabilities. The availability of appropriate programs is driven by government priorities. V1.1 23/04/2014 6 P a g e
3.2 Competitors In the learning programs area of The Centre s operation there are five other Adult Education providers in the local government areas of Wangaratta and Benalla. These are: Open Door Neighbourhood House, Wangaratta Pangerang Community House, Wangaratta King Valley Learning Exchange, Wangaratta Waminda Neighbourhood House, Benalla Yooralla, Benalla. The Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE offers both accredited and non-accredited learning programs, typically the accredited at the Certificate III, IV and above end of the market. The Centre competes with TAFE in very few areas. Additionally, there are private providers who typically come in and out of the market for specific purposes from time to time. In the community projects areas there are many actual and potential competitors; these include other community based organisations, local government to some degree, specialist organisations such as health care and employment related service providers. Examples of these organisations include, but are not limited to: Rural City of Wangaratta Benalla Rural City North East Support and Action for Youth (NESAY) North East Health Ovens and King Community Health Service Worktrainers Workways CVGT Merriwa Industries Limited. The Centre s business model however, is aimed at forging partnerships with these types of organisations rather than to compete on a head to head basis. 4 MARKETING PLAN 4.1 Our Customers The Centre s current and potential customers can be classified into the following groups: Individual students (15-80 years of age) Industry/business Federal, state and local government Schools Community groups V1.1 23/04/2014 7 P a g e
4.2 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Solid brand (to some) Networks in the community Strong reputation with most funding sources Consistent long term performer Financial management Staff Capacity and will to operate in an innovative manner Good systems Marketing capacity Brand understanding Credibility in the business community Fragmentation due to multiple sites 2 aging sites Access to staff/trainers Slow adopter of change Poor relations with HESG Play lead role in community projects Partnership relationships which leverage the organisations operational capabilities Online learning, registration and enrolment Staff development Create more market driven products Build strong leadership Provide training solutions for small business (and commercial clients) Hobby learner (lifestyle programs) Literacy and Numeracy programs Independent schools status - improved funding for student programs Growth in Childcare and Aged care sector Fragmented organisation Online training competition Staff turnover Remuneration Growth in private providers Training fatigue in industry Government funding direction Economic enviroment Availability of tutors Facilities availability Heavy audit regimes Not producing a surplus in 2014 4.3 Sales and Marketing Objectives The sales and marketing objectives of the Centre are to: 4.4 Our Proposition Strengthen marketing capabilities, in particular product development process Increase the profile of The Centre in its catchment area Develop The Centre s brand particularly its commercial brand in the industry segment Ensure that The Centre delivers programs which are highly valued by the community and industry; improved alignment Leverage the opportunity that contestable funding presents the organisation by significantly growing the revenue, profit contribution, generated through the delivery of programs under the RTO operations Grow partnerships which leverage the operational capabilities and reduces costs to The Centre in process, content, risk management and compliance. The main services offered by The Centre can be summarised as: provision of accredited, pre-accredited and non-accredited learning programs. The accredited component of the learning program delivery is respondent to the requirements of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and in that context The Centre is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) community program management and community facilitation services a broad range of general interest programs tailored to the needs of the local community facilities hire predominantly room hire A more specific guide to the types of services provided can be attained from: V1.1 23/04/2014 8 P a g e
4.5 Competitive Edge the Capability Statement and Snapshot document (Attachments 1 and 2 respectively) the Annual Report which is published in March each year, outlining the services provided in the previous year The Centre s website at www.thecentre.vic.edu.au The Centre s competitive edge in the delivery of its learning programs lies in its focus on the disadvantaged groups in the community, its focus on learner centred learning, and the high level of encouragement and support provided to its learners. In the area of fee for service training directed towards business, The Centre s strengths are its: flexibility in program design and delivery responsiveness to customer needs quality of learning programs accountability and evaluation of services. In relation to community projects, The Centre s points of difference with potential competitors are: 4.6 Promotion understanding community needs networks in the community financial viability and sustainability proven track record in the delivery of innovative and worthwhile community projects. The principal promotional activity of The Centre is the annual production and distribution of two course guides which contain detailed information about all learning programs and some information about relevant community programs and activities. Approximately 25,000 are distributed at the commencement of each semester to households, businesses and community organisations. All programs and courses on offer at, or by, The Centre are promoted on its website www.thecentre.vic.edu.au. The Centre is actively involved in promoting awareness of its community activities and capabilities through engagement with regional (traditional) media and more recently in more contemporary ways such as social media. 4.7 Sales and Distribution All sales are handled directly by staff of The Centre. Program enrolment is handled physically at the various campuses. V1.1 23/04/2014 9 P a g e
5 OPERATIONAL PLAN 5.1 Operational Objectives The Operational objectives of The Centre are to: Improve program quality and consistency Improve effectiveness and efficiency Improve program sustainability Upgrade skills and capabilities Develop flexible program delivery capabilities Improve technology support Improve systems and processes Remain financially viable/sustainable. 5.2 Organisation of Resources The operations of The Centre are organised around two core delivery teams: Learning Programs Department Community Projects Department These departments are structured to deliver capability to the two quite different markets in which The Centre operates. Support for the delivery teams is provided by a central Finance and Operations Department, which provides finance, system and other operational support, marketing and quality. 5.3 Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Operations The Centre operates as an RTO registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), and under the requirements of the Australian Quality Training Framework. The RTO portion of The Centre s overall activity accounts for around 45% of business turnover and is divided into two main components: i) Individually tailored programs to suit young people of school age who no longer attend school, and ii) Certificate programs developed and marketed for individuals and business and delivered in a range of client focussed, flexible ways to adults. 5.4 Pre-accredited Training Under the administration of the Adult Community and Further Education Board, an annual submission is made by The Centre to conduct (and receive funding for) a suite of non or preaccredited programs. These programs are developed for enrolees or potential enrolees in accredited programs who are deemed to require additional confidence, self-esteem or a particular skill prior to undertaking more complex learning. 5.5 Community Projects Department Operations The Community Projects Department operation represents about 30% of overall turnover and is focussed on (mainly) funding administered by the three tiers of government federal, state and local. The projects are as varied as the funding bodies and include volunteer programs, disability and access programs to support sporting clubs, programs directed to the environment and sustainability as well as broad community health and wellbeing programs. V1.1 23/04/2014 10 P a g e
5.6 Quality and Compliance The Centre is committed to providing high quality learning programs, high quality community engagement and development programs and high quality customer service and responsiveness. The Centre achieves this by employing appropriately qualified and highly motivated staff, developing those staff to their full potential and assisting them by providing a centrally managed quality framework based upon the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF). Continuous improvement across the whole of The Centre s operations is carefully monitored through an established Quality Management System which is administered by a dedicated Quality Administrator and supported by a Compliance Officer. Supporting staff in their provision of high quality programs and services are several other software packages including: SAP Finance, Payroll and Human Resource services axcelerate student management system Customer database Community Skillsbank volunteer database Intranet services Internet services. Continuous Improvement Group The continuous improvement group is an important element of ensuring that the quality system remains relevant, current and innovative. This cross sectional group of staff chaired by the Chief Executive Officer has a terms of reference to guide its deliberations and meets weekly to consider appropriate operational issues and areas identified for improvement. V1.1 23/04/2014 11 P a g e
6 FINANCIAL PLAN 6.1 Income Sources The Centre relies on income from a variety of sources including Commonwealth and State Government (across several Departments at both levels), statutory authorities, fee for service from business and individuals. The predominant single source of funding is from the Higher Education and Skills Group (HESG) with whom The Centre has a current one year contract for 2014. Other significant sources of funding are from: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Training Participation and Facilitation Division Department of Planning and Community Development Department of Health and Ageing. 6.2 Financial Management Budgeting Due to the breadth of programs being undertaken at The Centre, the budget development and monitoring process is a complex one. Budgets are developed from first principles each year, contributed to by program, project and administrative managers in a bottom up approach. Department Managers are responsible for budgets associated with programs/projects under their control. Financial Targets The two significant Board of Governance directed targets that dictate budget strategy are: Surplus Delegations The organisation achieves a surplus on total income received annually Liquidity Ratio The Centre will achieve a monthly liquidity ratio of net assets over net liabilities of 1.5:1. The Centre has a Board of Governance approved delegations policy which specifies the financial approval limits per transaction for each position level within the organisation. Financial Compliance and Audit The Centre has a strong commitment to uphold the highest integrity in financial management practices. Each year annual accounts are produced under the International Accounting Standards. In 2013 the Annual General Meeting reappointed Johnsons MME as its auditors and they remain The Centre s external auditors. Reserves The Board of Governance revise the level and deployment of The Centre s reserves on an annual basis. Cash Flow The Centre enjoys a strong positive cash flow and its cash management position is further bolstered by the extent of its cash reserves. V1.1 23/04/2014 12 P a g e
6.3 Current Financial Position The Centres financial position was impacted in 2013 by non compliance with the HESG 2012 Service Agreement and subsequent repayment of funds in 2013 relating to 2012 increased income. Performance was also impacted by substantial student withdrawals processed at the end of the year. A surplus has been projected for 2014, and 5% increases in income and expenses per year through to 2016. Balance Sheet 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Total Income 3,124,992 3,416,703 3,719,968 4,845,765 3,064,014 Total Expenses 3,265,707 3,464,221 3,719,968 4,814,697 4,492,113 Operating Profit (140,715) (47,518) 112,385 31,068 (1,428.099) Capital Grants 599,909 899,848 Reported Profit 459,194 852,330 112,385 31,068 (1,428.099) Growth Income -1.78% 9.33% 8.88% 30.3% -28.8% Budget 2014 2015 2016 Learning Programs 2,315,667 2,483,950 2,608,148 Community Projects 991,201 1,093,261 1,147,924 Operations 47,000 49,350 51,818 Board 100,000 Total Income 3,453,868 3,626,561 3,807,889 Salary Expenses 2,605,898 2,736,193 2,873,003 Non Salary Expenses 842,172 884,281 928,495 Total Expenditure 3,448,070 3,620,474 3,801,497 Operating Profit 5,798 6,088 6,392 Estimated Growth Income 11.3% 5.0% 5.0%. V1.1 23/04/2014 13 P a g e
7 RISK MANAGEMENT The Centre is currently mid-way through the implementation of a comprehensive risk management framework which when implemented will replace the organisation s current approach towards the identification and management of business wide risk. The Board has considered the draft framework and it is expected to be implemented within the second half of 2014. Key features of the new risk policy are: Principles Commitment risk management is the responsibility of all executives, managers and employees Risk management embedded into the organisational culture Risk management is integrated into all business activities and systems to add value Risk management is based on the generic AS/NZS 4360:2004. Objectives Maximising the achievement of organisational business objectives Effective allocation and use of organisational resources Deliver excellence in customer service Sound management practices; including innovation with a systematic and responsible approach to risk and opportunity taking. The Centre currently manages the spectrum of risks in a variety of ways which are outlined below. These will evolve in the context of the new risk management policy and framework as it is rolled out throughout 2014-15. 7.1 Insurance Most insurable risk events are covered by The Centre s extensive insurance coverage which includes: Public and Product Liability $20 million Industrial Special Risk including buildings and assets Professional Indemnity and Directors/Officers Liability $5 million for any one claim Volunteers aggregate limit $1 million Vehicle insurance WorkCover insurance premiums have increased over recent years due to the impact of an ongoing claim and will continue to impact on premiums for the next 5 years. In addition to the above, any significant contractors are required to nominate The Centre to be included and nominated in their own insurance arrangements (eg. cleaning contract). 7.2 Statutory Responsibilities Taxation All taxation obligations are met by reconciling and paying the Australian Taxation Office monthly. OHS The Centre operates an OHS staff working group and has policies and procedures in place to ensure appropriate compliance with OHS responsibilities. Human Interaction Working together or with external people where appropriate, The Centre addresses other statutory responsibilities such as: Duty of Care discrimination in all forms Equal Employment Opportunity paying WorkCover premiums annually V1.1 23/04/2014 14 P a g e
complying with compulsory superannuation all through a variety of mechanisms such as: 7.3 Financial Risks comprehensive induction all areas covered by policy and procedure regular staff updates. Financial risks are minimised by: Annual Operational and Capital Works Budgets These are developed at the commencement of the year, are formally reviewed (a minimum twice throughout the year) and are reported to the Board of Governance monthly. Reporting In addition to the Profit and Loss statement being reported against budget monthly, a full suite of financial reports is provided to monthly Board of Governance meetings and are subject to close scrutiny. Auditing In accordance with The Centre s fiduciary responsibilities, each year the Annual General Meeting appoints an audit firm to provide independent advice to the Board of Governance and Consumer Affairs Victoria about the state of The Centre s annual accounts and provides internal advice to management on financial policy and procedure. Delegations The Board of Governance has in place a Delegations policy that minimises financial risk by restricting the amounts staff, at various levels including the Chief Executive Officer, can authorise for payment. Reserves The Centre has a goal to maintain cash reserves to a level appropriate to the size and structure of its operations. 7.4 Other Risks Customer/Funding Base The Centre has over many years been subject to risk in this area. The breadth of our customer/funding base is broad in terms of numbers but only a small number of contracts account for more than 50% of the organisation s funding base. This is a two-fold risk: (i) The large number of small funding agreements are resource intensive to monitor, audit and report against, and (ii) Large contracts have some potential to be breached during the contract period but a more significant risk is the renewal of contracts on expiry. The non-renewal in 2015 of a significant contract such as the Higher Education and Skills Group would cause considerable disruption to The Centre as an organisation. The ability to directly manage this risk is limited; however The Centre retains significant reserves to ensure that it could orderly respond to a significant loss of a key income source. In addition within the 2013-2015 strategic initiatives the business is focusing on, amongst other things, broadening the sources of its revenue. V1.1 23/04/2014 15 P a g e
8 STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT 8.1 Structure and Management Objectives The structure and management objectives of the organisation are: Development and institutionalisation of a strongly shared set of core values for the organisation through a participative process with all staff and the community Improved staff engagement Increased empowerment and accountability Improved communication Having The Centre seen as an employer of choice by prospective employees. 8.2 Organisational Structure The organisational structure is at Attachment 3. Key features of this structure: flat structure three discreet departments, headed by Department Managers team approach within departments. Management Team The current management structure is: Chief Executive Officer Manager, Learning Programs Department Manager, Community Projects Department Manager, Finance and Operations Department Executive Support and Human Resources Officer 8.3 Organisational Values The organisation is strongly committed to developing a consistent set of shared values which form the core of all its engagement with staff and the community. A key part of the 2014 executive action plan is to increase awareness of the organisational values and build links between these and tangible expressions of the way the organisation lives to its values. 8.4 Internal Communication Department and Team level meetings are held regularly. The Centre also conducts an All of Staff meeting three times annually for a half day to which a guest speaker is invited to speak on relevant issues. The remaining agenda is a mixture of information sharing, general discussion, a feedback forum and team building activities. Department meetings incorporate cross functional team leaders and agendas focus on what others are doing in other departments as well as their own. 8.5 Employment and Staff Support The Centre is a respondent to the Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award 2010 and accordingly all staff except the CEO are employed under this award. The CEO is employed under a five year contract with conditions of employment largely based on the Educational Services award and the National Employment Standards under the Fair Work Act 2009. Staff are engaged on either an ongoing basis or on fixed term agreements, dependent upon the nature of the position, and funding to support the position. A significant underpinning philosophy in relation to employment of staff at The Centre is one of flexibility of work arrangements. This approach manifests itself in various ways on a daily basis but essentially comes down to staff managing their own time to achieve negotiated work targets and outcomes. V1.1 23/04/2014 16 P a g e
8.6 Ongoing Professional Development The Centre is committed to ensuring its staff have access to and take up additional learning opportunities to broaden their professional skills and knowledge. It must be acknowledged that the extent to which The Centre financially assists staff in this manner is always subject to budget limitations. 8.7 Performance Management Performance management includes a twice annual Work Plan and Performance Review process for all staff. The principal aims of that process are: i) to review key performance indicators (KPIs) for the ending period and set new KPIs for the coming period. These KPIs are directly linked to the organisational objectives and cascade from the CEO s organisational KPIs. ii) to ensure that staff position descriptions are current and that staff and managers have a clear understanding of objectives and targets iii) to ensure that any identified skill gaps are discussed and an agreed professional development plan put in place iv) to provide and receive formal feedback on staff performance and areas for improvement, and v) to provide opportunity for staff to assess and provide formal feedback on their manager s performance and the performance of the organisation. 9 BALANCED BUSINESS PLAN on a Page 2014 The Balanced Business Plan on a Page (BBP) is based on the Balanced Scorecard concept developed by Kaplan and Norton in 1992. This is a strategy performance management tool that uses financial and non-financial measures to track progress against the strategic plan. The BBP essentially summarises the business plan, showing the organisation s vision and values and goals. It contains targets that will measure progress toward achieving the goals, and a list of strategic projects to support the achievement of the goals, with nominated timelines and responsibility. The BBP is included as Attachment 4 to this document. 10 ATTACHMENTS 1 Capability Statement 2 The Centre A Snapshot 3 Organisational Structure 2014 4 Balanced Business Plan on a Page 2014 V1.1 23/04/2014 17 P a g e