Esther PALAU
Sydney
Summary
With a robust background in Governance within the NSW Police Force, I excel in fostering meaningful relationships and driving strategic decisions. My expertise in evidence-based quality assurance and governance, coupled with adept stakeholder engagement and highly professional communication skills, has significantly enhanced operational efficiency and compliance standards, and contributed to the NSWPF vision of 'A Safer NSW'.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Quality Assurance Manager
NSW Police Force
NWMR
12.2021 - Current
- Manage the development and maintenance of quality management systems (QMS), ensuring continuous improvement and efficiency.
- Lead cross-functional teams in conducting detailed audits, identifying quality issues, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, operating procedures, or corporate expectations.
- Provide Assistant Commissioner (Region Commander) with Briefings on Audit Findings, prepare reports and documents for COMPASS Forums collating the information from 12 Police Area Commands (PACs) within the North West Metropolitan Region (NWMR), provide follow-up reports on COMPASS Action Items Register for updates or resolution.
- Facilitate Business Planning Forums for Senior Leadership Teams, analyse data and present options to review performance for enhancement, and promote strategic decision-making.
- Review and facilitate Business Continuity Planning and Testing for Optimal Business and Operational Readiness.
- Create reports detailing quality reviews, providing insights, and recommendations for quality improvement.
- Provide training, guidance and develop quick reference guides to increase efficiencies and capabilities, promote best practices and reinforce corporate standards (e.g. CRAMS, CMF, COMPASS, Exhibits).
- Foster a culture of quality across the organisation by promoting awareness and understanding of quality standards and their importance.
Senior Project Officer
NSW Police Force
Transformation Office
02.2023 - 06.2023
- Four-month Secondment as a Senior Project Officer (Clerk 9/10), and then the role was reassigned as a Senior Program Coordinator (Clerk 9/10).
- Developed extensive Business Case for the proposed 'Core Resource Requirements' of a team of 15 additional positions. At the time I was on secondment, there were only six of us in the team, growing to a total team of eight in the final month I was there. (AC - Commander, two Superintendents, one Inspector Staff Officer, one Clerk 11/12 Change Management Manager, two Clerk 9/10 Senior Program Coordinators, one Clerk 3/4 Personal Assistant to the Commander).
- The Detailed Business Case utilised NSW Treasury Template and involved months of research, extensive consultations, writing of Role Descriptions, providing rationale and costings for the roles, gap analysis, benefit realisation and value hierarchy summaries. The entire document ended up at 157 pages.
- Contributed to the development of the proposed NSWPF Enterprise Operating Model (EOM).
- Prepared comprehensive briefing packages for the Assistant Commissioner Commander, including collating data from Interpol research, and extensive consultations with international law enforcement agencies Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to glean lessons learned and best practices. This research was then collated and presented for consideration to CET for potential benefit realisation for the NSW Police Force.
Quality Assurance Manager
NSW Police Force
State Crime Command
12.2019 - 12.2021
- Represented the Compliance and Special Projects (CASP) department in cross-departmental meetings, contributing to strategic planning and operational efficiency.
- Developed training packages in all aspects of Quality Management Systems (QMS) for the nine squads within State Crime Command (SCC) at that time; Child Abuse & Sex Crimes Squad, Criminal Groups Squad, Cybercrime Squad, Drug & Firearms Squad, Financial Crimes Squad, Homicide Squad, Organised Crime Squad, Raptor Squad, Robbery & Serious Crime Squad
- Created Business Plans, Business Continuity Plans, Performed Inspections and Negotiated appropriate Alternate Locations for Business Continuity.
- Designed and Conducted Audits and Presented Six-Monthly Squad Reviews for the Assistant Commissioner, Commander and the Squads Senior Leadership Teams.
- Reviewed, researched, analysed and provided cases for change, including the associated governance requirements for compliance (e.g. Development of the use of RPA or drones for SCC operations).
- Developed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) relevant to each crime type/squad and drove continual improvement and compliance in corporate system reporting.
- Compliance and audit services including all aspects of Business Plans, COMPASS reporting, CMF, Business Continuity Plans, Auditing, Squad Reviews, Monthly Reporting, Dip-Sampling, research, training, intranet updating, promoting best practices, developing Continual Improvement strategies, business registers & project management tools.
- Achieved development of ‘BIAS’ Business Improvement Activity Schedule for Safety and Quality Management Tracking Managerial Tool. This was later introduced and adopted within South West and North West Metropolitan Regions.
- Extensive Stakeholder Engagement. Developing professional relationships with Commanders and Senior Leadership Teams, fostering enhanced governance awareness, driving compliance and promoting best practices.
Senior Policy Officer
NSW Police Force
Office Of The Commissioner SPI Branch
01.2021 - 07.2021
- Seven-month secondment with Strategic Priorities and Identity Branch (SPI) located at the Police Executive Offices (PEO) in Sydney as a Senior Policy Officer (Clerk 9/10).
- Developed relationships across whole-of-government through the coordination of a Facial Recognition (FR) three-day training with Department of Home Affairs (DHA), LECC, NSW Crime Commission, NSW ICAC, AFP and NSWPF SIC & CT.
- Created Face Matching Services (FMS) training packages (for SIC FRU & PETE), Wrote SOPs for ‘Dealing with issues of FMS non-compliance’ (for SPI & SIC FRU)
- Designed a management tracking tool “CoRE” for transparency & accountability of recommendations and enhancements arising from privacy assessment & reports.
- Contributed to monthly, quarterly, and annual audit & compliance reports.
- Coordinated and liaised with stakeholders to develop FR training packages: Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), NSW Crime Commission (Intelligence, Capabilities, Criminal Investigations), NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Investigation Services, Australian Federal Police (AFP) Facial Identification Team Operational Science & Technology, Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Identity and Biometrics Division National Resilience and Cyber Security Group (Identity Matching Services, Governance & Compliance, Identity Security Branch, Biometric Resolution Section, Identity and Biometrics Specialist Services Branch), NSWPF Counter Terrorism & Special Tactics Command (Terrorism Intelligence Unit, Witness Protection Unit), NSWPF State Intelligence Command
(Assumed Identity Coordination Unit, Real Time Intelligence Centre & Intelligence Coordination Centre, Intelligence Operations, Facial Recognition Unit, Covert Services).
Education
Certificate in Quality Assurance Management - Implementing & Auditing Quality Management Systems
SAI Global
12-2022
Certificate in Facial Image Comparison - Principles And Application - Facial Identification
Australian Govt - Dept of Home Affairs
Facial Image Examination Unit Canberra03-2021
CPE Hospital Chaplaincy - Pastoral Care For Terminal And Transplant Patients
College of Pastoral Education (CPE)
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) Sydney12-2014
Master of Theology - Church & Biblical Studies, Ethics, Ancient Texts
Charles Sturt University
School Of Theology12-2013
Graduate Diploma of Theology - Research in Ethics And Morality in Film & Theology
Charles Sturt University
St Marks College12-2011
Graduate Certificate in Film & Video - Advanced Script Writing, Film Producer & Director
University of Technology Sydney
Broadway Campus12-2007
Master of Film And Digital Image - Film Production, Scriptwriting, Producing, Digital
University of Sydney
Sydney College Of The Arts12-2005
Graduate Diploma Design Science (Film & Digital Video) - 3D Animation, Sound Design, Digital Film Making
University of Sydney
School Of Architecture12-2004
Bachelor of Aviation Studies - Aviation Operations Management, Flying, Navigation
University of NSW / University of Western Sydney
School Of Aviation12-1999
Commercial Pilot Theory (CPL) - All Aspects of Air Navigation, Rules, Legislations
Sydney Institute of Technology
School Of Aviation12-1994
Skills
- Meaningful Relationship Building
- Strong Stakeholder Engagement
- Strategic Decision Making
- Evidence-based Quality Assurance Processes
- Broad Governance Experience
- Proven Communication Competencies (written & oral)
- Highly Advanced Technical Software Expertise
- Quick to uptake new technologies
NSWPF Professional Development
- NSWPF NWMR Female Leadership Program 2025
- NSWPF Influencer Leadership Program 2023
- NSWPF Commissioner Webb's Inaugural 'Catalyst' Women's Mentoring Program 2023
- NSWPF State Crime Command 'Remotely Piloted Aircraft' (RPA) Course 2019
- NSWPF 'PETE' online training in a diverse range of courses for professional development, including: Change Management, Decision Making, Emotional Intelligence, Coaching, Leadership Qualities, Leadership Philosophy, Managing Conflict, Mentoring, Teamwork, Work Readiness, Safety Matters, Incident and Emergency Management (Fundamentals, Intermediate & Advanced Courses), Intelligence Fundamentals, Insights into Statistics, EDW with PowerBi.
NSWPF Technologies
- Highly competent in all Microsoft Office suite of software (especially building excel spreadsheet for tracking management)
- COMPASS / CMF / CRAMS - expertise
- Edit+ Intranet software expertise - recently overhauled and upgraded the NWMR Intranet site, having managed the SCC intranet site previously
- COPS and CAD2 trained
Timeline
Senior Project Officer
NSW Police Force
02.2023 - 06.2023
Quality Assurance Manager
NSW Police Force
12.2021 - Current
Senior Policy Officer
NSW Police Force
01.2021 - 07.2021
Quality Assurance Manager
NSW Police Force
12.2019 - 12.2021
Certificate in Quality Assurance Management - Implementing & Auditing Quality Management Systems
SAI Global
Certificate in Facial Image Comparison - Principles And Application - Facial Identification
Australian Govt - Dept of Home Affairs
CPE Hospital Chaplaincy - Pastoral Care For Terminal And Transplant Patients
College of Pastoral Education (CPE)
Master of Theology - Church & Biblical Studies, Ethics, Ancient Texts
Charles Sturt University
Graduate Diploma of Theology - Research in Ethics And Morality in Film & Theology
Charles Sturt University
Graduate Certificate in Film & Video - Advanced Script Writing, Film Producer & Director
University of Technology Sydney
Master of Film And Digital Image - Film Production, Scriptwriting, Producing, Digital
University of Sydney
Graduate Diploma Design Science (Film & Digital Video) - 3D Animation, Sound Design, Digital Film Making
University of Sydney
Bachelor of Aviation Studies - Aviation Operations Management, Flying, Navigation
University of NSW / University of Western Sydney
Commercial Pilot Theory (CPL) - All Aspects of Air Navigation, Rules, Legislations
Sydney Institute of Technology
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