Amy Leach
Newcastle,Australia
Summary
Dynamic professional with extensive experience at NSW Resources, excelling in budget coordination and strategic planning. Proven track record in stakeholder engagement and project management, delivering innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency. Adept at complex problem solving, fostering a culture of continuous improvement while ensuring timely and accurate executive communications.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Officer, Assessment and Systems
NSW Resources
Maitland, NSW
11.2024 - 04.2025
- Prepare, review, and manage high-level communications and correspondence, including briefings, reports, submissions, and notes, to ensure the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and timeliness of written information.
- Research and prepare strategic advice, information, and reports on diverse, complex and contentious policy, planning, and operational issues, often within tight timeframes, while maintaining confidentiality and exercising diplomacy to facilitate informed decision-making and planning by the Executive Director and Executive Leadership Team.
- Act as the Executive point of contact, liaise with stakeholders, collect and analyze incoming information, and action requests as appropriate, ensuring the Executive Director is aware of emergent and sensitive issues to ensure responses meet deadlines.
- Drive a continual improvement culture, facilitate evidence-based decision making, ensure optimal service delivery and provide operational and business support to the branch and wider NSW Resources.
- Work within relevant legislation, regulations, policies and departmental processes and systems.
- Coordinate the budget planning process and branch risk register.
- Provide high quality executive and operational project support services to the Executive Director and Executive Leadership Team including coordination of business papers, minutes and action tracking approvals to satisfactory completion.
- Coordinate the branch’s action plan to annual PMES results.
- Inception and implementation of the branch training strategy.
Senior Executive Coordinator, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Energy Climate Change and Sustainability
NSW
, NSW
03.2023 - 11.2024
- Provide high level executive support and advice to the Deputy Secretary on a range of management and operational issues to assist the organisation in meeting its business objectives.
- Liaise with a range of stakeholders both internal and external to government including Ministerial Offices, Secretary's offices and senior executive on a wide range of complex, strategic and confidential issues.
- Develop and maintain a range of collaborative networks across the Group, across Treasury and external agencies, including participation in Committees, to represent the Department's interests and facilitate the provision of information and advice to industry, Government, and the community.
- Coordinate and review submissions, briefing notes, reports and correspondence on complex, business priorities and operational issues, including matters for discussion with Ministers, Deputy Secretaries and other key public and private sector stakeholders, ensuring that departmental material can stand up to political and public scrutiny.
- Undertake research activities to contribute to the development of strategic and operational advice for the Deputy Secretary to undertake informed decision making and planning.
- Left due to headhunted by NSW Resources
Executive Support Officer, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Regional Development & Programs, Regional NSW
NSW
Newcastle, NSW
11.2022 - 03.2023
- Provide high level executive support to the Deputy Secretary Regional Development and Programs (RDP) - during this time I worked with three Deputy Secretaries.
- Secretariat for Executive Leadership Team (ELT) meetings.
- End to end processing including proof reading, CM9 processing and retrieval of further information of all Briefing Notes, Media Releases, Cabinet Submissions, Correspondence and Parliamentary Notes requiring Deputy Secretary Approval.
- Coordination of business support monthly team meetings providing advice on Office of the Deputy Secretary ways of working, administration, meeting, diary and secretariat processes and procedures intended to upskill and provide uniformity across the division.
- Left due to headhunted by ECCS
Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
City of Newcastle
Newcastle, NSW
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Manage the day-to-day operation of the CEO's Office. Inception of strategic projects as directed by the CEO; Councillor Induction Program, new Donations Policy, Business Process Improvement for media releases, Councillor Service Requests, Council Business Paper approval, IP&R Framework document approvals and update of CEO messaging to staff (video via EDM) and reward and recognition (CREW Award).
- Produce the CEO monthly Update to staff videos including inception of topic, script writing and directing, send to 1300 staff via EDM.
- Produce monthly CEO C.R.E.W (Collaboration, Respect, Excellence and Wellbeing) recipient videos. Staff are nominated via a QR Code.
- Produce NovoNews; a weekly internal staff newsletter using Canva and Campaign Monitor.
- Prepare speeches, briefing notes, responses to Media Enquiries and Media Releases. Provide advice and recommendations to the CEO on tactical and day to day operations to inform decision making.
- Research and develop all necessary briefing materials, notes, agendas required for meetings and functions attended by the CEO and provide information on all relevant issues.
- Initiate preparation of immediate responses and begin implementing appropriate courses of action to emergent issues as required in the absence of the CEO.
- Regularly review documentation to ensure consistent corporate branding and compliance with CN policies and procedures as well as in consideration of Federal, State and Local Government legislation. Ensure any outstanding matters or actions set by the CEO are met by appropriate stakeholders.
- Develop, review and update effective and efficient administrative and system procedures and practices within the CEO's Office and across the organisation, keeping abreast of developing corporate software systems.
- Ensure all Councillor enquiries are actioned and manage and monitor correspondence with State and Federal Government and elected members. Monitor the budget for the CEO's Office and provide reports to the CEO on the budget and other financial matters.
Chief of Staff to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle
City of Newcastle
Newcastle, NSW
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Prepare and manage the day-to-day operation of the Lord Mayor's Office.
- Prepare Lord Mayoral Minutes, Notice of Motions, correspondence to MPs and Ministers of Parliament.
- One direct report, undertaking annual performance development reviews.
- Coordinate Civic Events including three Citizenship Ceremonies per year, Australia Day Awards, International Women's Day events, Freeman of The City and Keys to The City events.
Council Executive Support Officer
City of Newcastle
Newcastle, NSW
01.2010 - 01.2015
- Provide high level executive and administrative support services to the elected Council and Executive Leadership team, including attending and coordinating the administration of Council and Committee meetings and providing direct support and assistance.
- Process, respond and document Councillor Service Requests and expenses within set timeframes. Implement CN's Public Voice and Public Briefing policy, process applications and presentations, briefings and workshops to the elected Council.
Manager Strategic Projects, Assessment and Systems
NSW Resources
Maitland, NSW
- Manage the Office of the Executive Director (two direct reports), setting team direction and priorities in consultation with the Executive Director for the delivery of projects and quick solutions to address operational risks.
- Coordinate the branch preparation for budget estimates, reviewing the House folder and supplementary notes for currency, and coordinating responses to questions on notice and supplementary questions.
- Deliver expert analysis, advice, and formulation of innovative business improvement solutions for the branch and broader division, as well as for our external customers and industry stakeholders.
- Contribute to high-level engagement with stakeholders, communication of new business processes, and oversight of training of the branch as required to ensure efficient roll-out of business improvements.
- Manage the delivery of the branch business plan, ensuring that project milestones remain on track.
- Manage financial and human resources in an operationally effective and efficient manner to facilitate the achievement of key business unit and branch objectives.
Education
MBA - Business Administration
University of Newcastle
Newcastle, NSWNewcastle, NSW
Diploma - Business Administration
Paignton Sec Info Tech
Devon, UK09.2005
Applied Project Management - Sydney, NSW
Australian Institute of Management
Sydney, NSW10.2011
Professional Development - Level 2 Team Leading
Institute of Leadership & Management
01.2008
Cert 4 in Business Administration - Practical Account Based Costing for the Public Sector
Skills
- Budget coordination and strategic planning
- Executive communication
- Project management and policy development
- Complex problem solving
- Coordination of Key Performance indicators
- Stakeholder engagement
- Verbal and written communication
- Business administration
Timeline
Executive Officer, Assessment and Systems
NSW Resources
11.2024 - 04.2025
Senior Executive Coordinator, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Energy Climate Change and Sustainability
NSW
03.2023 - 11.2024
Executive Support Officer, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Regional Development & Programs, Regional NSW
NSW
11.2022 - 03.2023
Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
City of Newcastle
01.2019 - 01.2022
Chief of Staff to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle
City of Newcastle
01.2015 - 01.2016
Council Executive Support Officer
City of Newcastle
01.2010 - 01.2015
Manager Strategic Projects, Assessment and Systems
NSW Resources
MBA - Business Administration
University of Newcastle
Diploma - Business Administration
Paignton Sec Info Tech
Applied Project Management - Sydney, NSW
Australian Institute of Management
Professional Development - Level 2 Team Leading
Institute of Leadership & Management