Janet Schorer
Sydney,NSW
Summary
I am a trusted senior executive with 27 years’ public sector experience. I have held several senior executive roles within NSW Government including as a statutory officer, spanning strategic human services and vocational education systems, program planning and operational delivery. I have a track record for leading the sector by taking a whole of government approach with a strong reform agenda and customer focus enabling transformational change. I have a demonstrated ability to make tough decisions and holding positions in the face of strong opposition, in service of creating better and more sustainable growth. I am an authentic leader and have a reputation for leading negotiations which are critical to the success of the Sector as well as achieving successful outcomes on complex issues in a crisis environment, with a passion for culture change.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Learning and Teaching Officer
TAFE NSW
10.2022 - Current
- Company Overview: TAFE NSW is the state’s vocational education and training provider, with 400,000 students each year across 156 campuses, and 17,000 staff.
- Reporting to the Managing Director, I am responsible for all learning and teaching undertaken by TAFE NSW.
- This includes five regions, six faculties, TAFE Digital Campus, all student support services, and the Institutes of Applied Technology (IATs).
- Through 12 direct reports, this covers 13,000 staff and an annual budget of approximately $320 million, which encompasses commercial and government revenue, and program or grant funding.
- Achieved a six-point improvement in the People Matters Employee Survey (PMES) 2023 for my group.
- Successfully implemented business process reforms in how enrollments are offered to the market, in order to make the process simpler for students, and reduce the teacher's administrative burden.
- Led improvements to the governance of learning and teaching to support new ways of working in a faculty model.
- Driven a significant uplift in support for apprentices across all disciplines to deliver improvements in learner and employer experience, address compliance issues, and reduce the teacher administration burden.
- Established a new community engagement function within educational delivery to better serve the skills needs of regional and remote communities across NSW.
- Contributed to the recently released NSW Vocational Education and Training Review, with a focus on the need for reform in the TAFE NSW funding structure and delivery model.
- TAFE NSW is the state’s vocational education and training provider, with 400,000 students each year across 156 campuses, and 17,000 staff
NSW Children’s Guardian
Office of the Children’s Guardian
07.2017 - 10.2022
- Company Overview: The Office of the Children’s Guardian is an independent government agency that works to protect children by promoting and regulating quality child safe organisations and services
- As the NSW Children’s Guardian I reported to the Joint Parliamentary Committee for Children and Young People with a more day to day relationship with the Minister for Family and Community Services
- I led a workforce of over 300 people through 8 direct reports and a budget of $60m
- I was accountable for the performance of the OCG across its oversight, regulatory and service delivery functions and the way it exercised its powers and functions under its legislation
- The role leads and controls the affairs of the OCG consistent with the NSW Government’s strategic policy and direction in respect to the protection of children and young people, relevant statutory and regulatory requirements and community expectations
- Delivered culture change in the OCG, raising engagement figures from 50% to 72% in two years and improvements in all key staff engagement and performance metrics
- Appointed the state’s first Aboriginal Deputy Children’s Guardian
- The position was one component of a number of internal reforms to change the way the OCG worked with Aboriginal children and young people and communities
- Led reforms to integrate oversight of child safe organisations following the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, including introduction of a new Children’s Guardian Act
- Led the design and delivery of a new regulatory and audit approach for oversight of child safe standards in NSW, and review of Permanency Standards for Out of Home Care
- Expanded training and education on Child Safe standards including to the faith sector, sporting and voluntary sectors
- Successfully transferred the Reportable Conduct and Official Community Visitors Schemes from the NSW Ombudsman, and development of a Residential Workers Register
- Held accountability for the implementation of legislative and practice changes to improve the assessment of risk for individuals applying to work with children
- Owned key risks in order to adapt the application and assessment experience for Aboriginal people working with children, including staff workloads in delivering more tailored customer service
- Led the establishment of the NSW NDIS Worker Check, the first of its kind in NSW and nationally
- The Office of the Children’s Guardian is an independent government agency that works to protect children by promoting and regulating quality child safe organisations and services
Executive Director - NDIS Reform Group
NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet
11.2014 - 06.2017
- In my role as Executive Director I led a team of 25 and was accountable to the NDIS Board (Secretaries from DPC, Treasury, FACS, Justice, Health, Education)
- I led the NSW negotiation of NDIS Bilateral Agreement with the Commonwealth government to effect the transition of $3.2B and 95,000 clients into the Scheme
- The success of the reform was the facilitation of the relationships and information sharing across the NSW government executive, Board and Ministerial offices to sustain support and shared understanding of the NDIS reform agenda
- I led a team in the development of the NSW NDIS transition plan, a performance plan driving the within state transition effort and alignment with transaction process to divest NSW of state operated and funded disability services
- Critical to this was clear articulation and escalation of risk, driving necessary cross-sector policy and practice changes to support the Scheme success
- Oversight of the NSW relationship with the Commonwealth government on a risk basis, through direct relationship with Prime Minister and Cabinet and Department of Social Services, as well as informal relationships within the NDIA and jurisdictions
- Addressed critical challenges included driving NDIS readiness, change management and service redesign across NSW service agencies against an NDIS ‘end state’ for NSW
- This included a reform ‘health check’ to assess the depth and breadth of change across government and managing the review of ‘in scope’ services outside of FACS
Executive Director – Communities and Social Investment
NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet
01.2014 - 11.2014
- In my role as Executive Director I had leadership of a suite of reforms aimed at improving responses to Aboriginal communities including, establishment of OCHRE and the Local Decision Making, the development of options for reforms in community-based governance and development of options for reforms in community-based governance and pooled funding
- My role championed community governance within government, gaining the support of Secretaries for a change program and established with Aboriginal Affairs the structure for the first Accord negotiations in the Murdi Parki region of Western NSW
- I led a team that advocated for the development of a whole of Government strategic framework for the State’s response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse
- Managed DPC portfolio teams in health and education, with specific responsibilities around the medicinal cannabis trials and refugee resettlement
- Established a coaching program for the cohort of new Directors, with a particular focus on strengthening their resilience and courage and its relationship with their ability to drive results
Executive Director - Government Secretariat
NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet
05.2013 - 11.2014
- In my role as Executive Director I had leadership of the Intergovernmental Relations Branch, overseeing NSW positions and representation at all COAG meetings and negotiations, as well as Senior Officials, CAF and Ministerial Council processes supporting COAG
- Prepararation of the NSW submission to the National Commission of Audit and the White Paper on the Reform of the Federation
- Oversight of the eCabinet reforms, including the cross-government change program, management of the vendor relationship for the IT build, and the business analysis to establish the new system
- Oversight of the Cabinet Secretariat
- This branch has responsibility for the weekly Cabinet meetings and the preparation of the forward agenda, timeliness of submissions and the recording of decisions, as well as all Cabinet Committees
Director – Office of the Chief Executive; Communities and Early Years
NSW Department of Family and Community Services
01.2008 - 01.2013
- In my role as Director I led a team of 35 including regional and program staff for the successful expansion of the Staying Home Leaving Violence program from 2 to we locations statewide, with a budget of $5.4M
Manager – Community Strategy
NSW Department of Community Services
01.2007 - 01.2008
Senior Policy Roles
Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
01.2005 - 01.2007
Registered Nurse
NSW Health
01.1992 - 01.1997
Education
Executive Masters of Public Administration -
Australian and New Zealand School of Government
01.2010
Graduate Diploma Child and Adolescent Psychology -
University of Western Sydney
01.2000
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Macquarie University
01.1999
Diploma of Applied Science - Nursing
University of Sydney
01.1991
Awards
- Top 50 Public Sector Women (NSW) Award, 2018
- NSW Premier’s Award for Collaboration, 2011
References
Available on request.
Business Enablers - Financial Management
I have a depth and breadth of financial management experience, including managing program and agency budgets, P&L and financial reporting. I have a thorough understanding of governance, audit, risk and compliance frameworks that underpin good financial management. I have strong capability in managing contracts, including resources, budgets and timeframes.
Focus Capabilities
I model and champion professionalism and integrity as a public servant. My accountability to the people of NSW and the elected representatives is to act with integrity and professionalism and to drive a culture of integrity and ethics both across my Agency and in dealings with cross-government and jurisdiction. I have also proven this in my interactions external to government in driving sector wide reform. I create and promote a culture in which staff feel able to report breaches or poor behaviours and I act promptly to rectify issues., I thrive in tough situations, am comfortable with ambiguity and constant change and am adept at staying calm and steady under pressure. I remain even-tempered and am open to feedback and seeking out knowledge. I draw on my network to seek diverse perspectives and specific advice to keep a check on how I am tracking., I have a high-level expertise in the area of communication both internally with my staff as well as externally with stakeholder and community engagement, having worked closely with the non-government sector, service providers, community groups, industry heads, as well as state agencies and local government authorities, and across the Parliament. I have worked on highly contested policy issues and am adept at managing stakeholder relationships in this context while holding different perspectives. I have well-established and trusted relationships across NSW Government., I embrace and create a culture that is responsive to customer needs and central to the Agency’s strategic planning processes. I ensure a strong customer service focus both across the Agency and ensure the management systems and processes drive service delivery outcomes., I have a demonstrated track record as a results-oriented leader who understands the complexities associated with delivering on expectations where there are competing agendas. I take steps to balance these while seeking to deliver on the issues identified as most important and in line with the Agency/Cluster priorities., I am experienced in strategic human resource management and workforce planning as well as undertaking capability development projects across an agency or division. I am passionate in developing my people and am known for fostering teams that have a growth mindset and embrace diversity. I have significant experience in leading a workforce through change and transition where close working relationships with stakeholders, consultants and the community were key elements to the success of the project.
Timeline
Chief Learning and Teaching Officer
TAFE NSW
10.2022 - Current
NSW Children’s Guardian
Office of the Children’s Guardian
07.2017 - 10.2022
Executive Director - NDIS Reform Group
NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet
11.2014 - 06.2017
Executive Director – Communities and Social Investment
NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet
01.2014 - 11.2014
Executive Director - Government Secretariat
NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet
05.2013 - 11.2014
Director – Office of the Chief Executive; Communities and Early Years
NSW Department of Family and Community Services
01.2008 - 01.2013
Manager – Community Strategy
NSW Department of Community Services
01.2007 - 01.2008
Senior Policy Roles
Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
01.2005 - 01.2007
Registered Nurse
NSW Health
01.1992 - 01.1997
Executive Masters of Public Administration -
Australian and New Zealand School of Government
Graduate Diploma Child and Adolescent Psychology -
University of Western Sydney
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Macquarie University
Diploma of Applied Science - Nursing
University of Sydney