NSW SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE

NSW SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING Position Description POSITION DETAILS Position Title: Reports to: Location: Directorate: Chief Financial Officer Deputy Director-General, Finance and Infrastructure Bridge Street, Sydney Finance Date: February 2011 PRIMARY OBJECTIVES Lead, direct and manage the functions, staff and resources of the Finance Directorate to deliver cost effective and efficient financial accounting policy and performance outcomes and reporting practices to the Department of Education and Training and its supporting entities. Give direction to the ongoing implementation of the department s new finance system, ensuring the financial management needs of each area of the department are understood, and the system s functionality reflects these needs. Drive cultural and procedural change in the Finance Directorate to better understand the financial management needs of the Directorate s stakeholders and to provide a comprehensive financial management and reporting service to these stakeholders. Develop and implement culture and processes to drive continuous improvement to ensure the Finance Directorate s structure, processes and procedures continue to meet the needs of the department and responds to changing operating systems, funding models and government policy. Provide strategic advice to support optimum and equitable distribution and optimum utilisation of resources for the effective delivery of education and training services provided by the NSW Government to all schools, TAFE Institutes and colleges and community related education providers. Establish, implement and control the department s financial planning, reporting and performance strategies to support the achievement of government objectives in the delivery of, school education, vocational training and corporate services by the NSW Department of Education and Training. 1

Oversee and lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, monitoring, evaluation and associated decision support for the department and the Minister. Develop and implement financial policies that maximise the funding and financial assets of the organisation and lead the lodgement of all returns and reports to comply with statutory requirements and government legislation at the National and State level. ORGANISATIONAL ENVIRONMENT The Department of Education and Training is an innovative organisation focused on provision of service to the community through the delivery of quality education and training. It is the role of senior staff in the department to lead the development of an organisational culture which is focused on the work of staff in schools and TAFE Institutes. Senior staff serve and support students, staff and the community; promote the development of key relationships and values; and work collaboratively with interest groups. They also value team work, problem solving and strategic issues management; and promote the significant role of education and training for the social and economic future of NSW. More than 1.5 million students (in schools, TAFE and ACE) in NSW benefit from the services of the Department of Education and Training. To achieve this, the department has a recurrent budget of approximately $12.4 billion and a workforce of over 96,000 FTE. Its size and capacity for coordination provide opportunities to integrate the provision of education and training in ways that had not been possible traditionally. The challenges and opportunities facing the department are immediate and significant. Success depends on providing quality support to teachers in schools, TAFE Institutes, communities and industries; ensuring that high quality learning and teaching are everyone s central focus; providing students with the knowledge, understanding, skills and values for productive and rewarding lives; and providing vocational education and training of the highest quality. This ongoing focus is needed to meet the needs and aspirations of the community and industry, and to implement government initiatives in the provision of educational technology. The Department of Education and Training will meet these challenges and opportunities by strengthening its focus on support for teaching and learning; leading the growth of the market position of public schools; ensuring accountability to the Government and community; and implementing an ethos of customer service throughout the department. The department is committed to promoting public schools and TAFE and the teachers who work in them; and creating harmonious and productive relations with the teaching profession (and those who represent its members), the community and industry. Rapidly changing information and communications technology provides further opportunities for the Department of Education and Training to apply and adapt work 2

practices to e-business, online curriculum, flexible delivery of services and products, and strategic use of executive information to inform corporate and educational decisions. Provision of high quality public education and training requires the concerted effort of every senior officer of the department. These efforts require close alignment of policy and support through the department s directorates and portfolios with the needs of schools and TAFE Institutes. The staffing environment of the Department of Education and Training is diverse and complex. Staff are employed under a number of Acts of Parliament, with the majority being covered by the Teaching Service Act 1980 and the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 (this includes staff employed under Chapter 1A of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 in the Department of Education and Training, or the TAFE Commission Division, to enable the TAFE Commission to exercise its functions). Every senior officer of the department will ensure that all staff, regardless of the awards governing their employment, are committed to the corporate priorities. The Finance and Infrastructure portfolio, which has responsibility for the development of core corporate policies and services to the whole organisation in accordance with best practice in contemporary educational management and public administration, includes the Directorates of Finance, Administration, Asset Management, Finance Shared Services and Procurement. Collectively, these areas work with other areas of the department to drive, facilitate and support the department s strategic directions for the promotion of public education and training. In addition a major focus of the Finance and Infrastructure portfolio is to enable all areas of the Department to access the highest possible level of Commonwealth and State public funds and use these funds flexibly to deliver education and training in an intensely competitive market. The Finance Directorate has a pivotal role in coordinating the allocation, reporting and management of financial resources across the department. Changes in direction, especially the implementation of shared corporate services, policy shifts, cultural changes new initiatives, modifications to service delivery and structural changes need to be considered on an ongoing basis by the Directorate in terms of their resource implications and their implications for the role of the Directorate. There are very few areas of the department that can operate in isolation from the Finance Directorate which has an extremely important role to play in the overall management and operation of the department s $12.4 billion dollar budget. The Finance Directorate is made up of the: Financial Control and Reporting Unit Financial Performance Management Unit TAFE Financial Management Unit 3

Schools Financial Management Unit The CFO is responsible for these units working cohesively to provide an efficient, effective and comprehensive financial and reporting management service to the department as a whole, working within policy constraints and best practice guidelines and meeting the Government s and Treasury s financial guidelines for operating and reporting. REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS The Chief Financial Officer reports to the Deputy Director-General, Finance and Infrastructure along with the Chief Procurement Officer, Director Finance Shared Services, Director Facilities Management and Advisory Services, Director Planning and Delivery and, Director Strategic Resourcing. There are four (4) senior positions reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer and a further two hundred and one (201) positions reporting indirectly. Those reporting directly are the: Director, Financial Control and Reporting; Director, Financial Performance Management; Director, TAFE Finance, Director Schools Finance Executive Assistant. ROLE OF THE POSITION The purpose of the position is to develop the financial strategies and policies for the organisation and oversee the acquisition of funds from government and other public bodies to distribute to education providers across NSW. The Chief Financial Officer is accountable for the effective leadership and management of the Department s financial resources, planning and reporting procedures, policies and services, and ensures that all systems and processes are aligned to the corporate objectives, and are within internal and external policy constraints. The position leads and directs a large team of senior managers and professional financial staff to support the achievement of the Department s strategic objectives. It is responsible for the financial objectives of the department and to ensure the continuous improvement of financial processes and staff skills to meet future needs. The Chief Financial Officer achieves these objectives by: developing financial and resourcing strategies and plans both in the short and long term, in consultation with all areas of the Department 4

developing the financial policies for the department to reflect and support departmental and government policies; providing expert policy advice to the department s managers including the Deputy Directors-General, the Director-General and the Minister on all finance, financial services and resource issues affecting the department; implementing government policies and priorities on the resourcing and financial management of schools, TAFE Institutes and colleges, and related entities to enable the achievement of the department s strategic objectives; designing and implementing department-wide process to manage the department s budget to avoid over-expenditure and to manage the distribution of financial resources across publicly funded educational institutions in NSW; monitoring the financial and resourcing performance of the department to identify and address unfavourable trends; leading and managing the Finance Directorate to provide effective financial and management accounting and reporting services to the department, schools, TAFE Institutes and colleges, and related agencies, and high quality, professional service to all internal and external stakeholders; managing the Government s funding schemes which assist government and nongovernment schools and students; managing and extending key relationships and communication with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the Finance Directorate continues to fulfil its role in the Department and the wider government sector, and to ensure its activities remain current; managing and providing advice on the appropriate allocation and expenditure of financial resources and the provision of financial services throughout the department; leading the Finance Directorate staff, identifying development needs and opportunities, and encouraging active participation in decision-making. ROLE OF SUBORDINATE POSITIONS Positions reporting to the Chief Financial Officer are the: Director, Financial Control and Reporting This position leads and drives the development and implementation of the financial control and reporting functions of the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) including the NSW TAFE Commission (TAFE NSW). Director, Financial Performance Management The position develops and manages systems and processes for the sound corporate financial governance of the department by ensuring financial performance in capital and financial planning, government reporting, salary budgeting is within State budgetary and forward estimate parameters. Director of TAFE Finance The position provides management, direction and leadership of TAFE program related financial management and services (excluding shared services) and associated advice and support to DET and TAFE Executive. 5

Director of Schools Finance The position oversights, directs and leads the Government School program related financial management and services (excluding shared services) and associated advice and support to DET and Government Schools executive. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS The Chief Financial Officer has frequent contact with the Deputy Director-General, Finance and Infrastructure and the Director-General for reporting purposes and to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the financial and reporting strategies, plans and financial performance of the department, such as funding allocations, budgetary performance and financial policies. Within the department, the Chief Financial Officer liaises, on a needs basis, with the Minister for Education, TAFE Institute Directors and Managers, school principals, Regional Directors, School Education Directors, departmental Unit Directors and the other Directors in Finance for the purposes of budgetary reporting, discussions of fund allocation, financial policy and departmental issues arising. Externally, the Chief Financial Officer consults and negotiates funding submissions with various government agencies such as the Treasury, the Auditor-General, the department of Public Works and Services, the Australian Tax Office, Commonwealth government departments, public committees, councils and parent groups. The position meets with these groups, on a needs basis, in order to discuss the financial performance of the department, obtain budgetary funding, to discuss budgetary and other funding issues. CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS Major challenges and constraints currently faced by the position include: Continuing the implementation of a major restructure of the retained Finance Directorate in light of a recently established Shared Service Centre and the progressive implementation of SAP across the department. Leading, motivating and developing a team of finance staff as part of the new operating financial arrangements in conjunction with the shared services financial centre. Implementing a culture of continuous improvement to routinely review the Directorate s structure, processes and procedures to ensure it continues to meet the needs of its stakeholders and responds to changing operating systems, funding models and government policy. Balancing major shifts in State and Commonwealth government funding strategies and the introduction of new financial accounting and reporting legislation in NSW, whilst still trying to accommodate the required funding of educational and training programs and activities. 6

Managing the financial management model to ensure the integration of planning, resource inputs, program outputs and outcomes, performance evaluation and measurement, whilst still ensuring that each educational program/activity receives an appropriate share of the funding available. Managing the enhancement of budget and financial management processes to ensure maximum flexibility and ongoing funding for priority education and training programs and activities. Achieving savings and efficiency targets in alignment with the department s financial policy and other internal and external purposes, given the competing demands for funding from various sources across the department. Developing new resource distribution methodologies in the school and vocational education and training sectors consistent with the strategic objectives of the department, whilst still balancing the needs of each school and college, in an equitable manner. Balancing and meeting the needs and requirements of the key stakeholder groups within and outside the department, whilst maintaining external compliance with government policy and practice and public sector reform initiatives. DECISION-MAKING The Chief Finance Officer is fully accountable for decisions made relating to operational management of the Finance Directorate and for the provision of resource allocations, management of budgetary variations and financial policies, performance management and services. The position is also accountable for the formulation and provision of expert strategic advice and recommendations to the Deputy Director-General, Finance and Infrastructure, the Director-General and, in some cases, the Minister, in relation to finance and resources allocations and budgetary variations, financial performance, accounting policy and financial processes that have been set in place in the department. Consultation with the Deputy Director-General, Finance and Infrastructure takes place as necessary, on controversies or sensitive matters as well as those with political implications and/or media interest. The Chief Financial Officer refers matters requiring approval to the Deputy Director- General, Finance and Infrastructure, the Director General and/or the Minister. Such matters would include the department s financial and resource strategies and plans, annual budget, Ministerial budgetary submissions and any other matters outside approved delegations. The Chief Financial Officer has total authority in managing the staff and resources of the Finance Directorate to achieve the department s budgetary and financial objectives to deliver education and vocational training programs to the community. 7

POSITION DIMENSIONS Positions Reporting Directly: 4 Budget Reporting Indirectly: 201 Recurrent Expenses: $7.2 m The position has a financial delegation of $500,000 KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES Responsible as the penultimate point of contact for strategic financial matters to DET/ TAFE executives and senior government agency officials including the NSW Treasury, Auditor-General and other Government agencies. Provide strategic and expert advice to the Deputy Director Generals, Director- General and the Minister, ensuring informed decision making related to financial management across the department. Devise and achieve agreement on funding policies and support infrastructure requirements for appropriate levels of responsibility and control over specific budget items. Develop and implement solutions to mitigate significant financial risks and issues impinging on the department and its entities operational programs. Chair the Finance Leadership Team and oversee the role of the Finance Directors, including the setting of guidelines and appraising workplace performance. Determine the alignment of strategic priorities of the department with finance function objectives. Ensure the objectives and priorities of each finance group throughout the department are in accordance with the department s overall strategic aims. Develop and implement processes for the financial management of DET resources in a way that maximises educational outputs/ outcomes and value for money. Manage the development and maintenance of relationships with DET Executives and senior government officials affected by finance activities undertaken by the department. Undertake negotiations with Government and community sector stakeholders including the management of external contracts and service agreements to meet DET financial goals. 8

Enter into negotiations for the implementation of financial practices that ensure all DET programs operate consistently within policy and national best practice. Establish policies and procedures to ensure the sound and prudent management of financial resources and outcomes across the Directorates of the department. Lead the management of the production of accurate, timely and transparent financial information and reports to assist executive stakeholders in the decision making process. Deliver innovations and continuous improvement over financial policies, controls and risk management practices, finance process, procedures, information and reporting that meet user requirements. Achieve full utilisation of finance shared services, SAP (ERP) platform and improved capabilities delivered through LMBR. Develop and enhance the financial literacy and capability throughout the department. Attract, develop and maintain a team of professional financial staff, through the development of staff improvement programs and the opportunity to act in higher positions. Demonstrate commitment to core NSW public sector values of cultural diversity, equity and ethical practice, and a healthy safe and fair workplace; and lead staff in implementing these values. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED Extensive knowledge of public sector financial and performance management issues and developments, particularly those that directly affect the education and training sector. Strong general management and change management skills, with experience applying these skills in a large, complex, diverse and dynamic environment. Comprehensive experience in the development of financial frameworks, policies, practices and strategies for a complex and diverse organisation. Strong understanding of technological developments, particularly as they relate to finance systems, financial functions and corporate services delivery. High level negotiating skills for formulating and fulfilling funding submissions to various government departments. 9

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills for developing innovative financial strategies and solutions for a complex and diverse organisation. Substantial management skills and experience, particularly people management skills, in order to drive and maintain cultural and procedural change, and develop effective and motivated teams. Experience in leading staff to achieve objectives and to managing conflicting priorities, timeframes and complex financial issues. Formal qualifications in a finance discipline, such as business, commerce or accounting, and an in depth understanding of the range of financial processes undertaken in a large, complex government agency. In depth understanding of government policy, direction, objectives and service delivery functions, particularly in relation to education and the national training reform agenda. Highly developed written and oral communication skills. Capacity to lead staff in implementing the department s Aboriginal education and training policies and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people. 10