Jarna Findlay
Woolgoolga,NSW
Summary
Experienced and inspirational executive leader with a proven track record of driving successful transformation in multi-sector organizations. Possesses a strong background in strategic planning, program management, Agile methodologies, operations management, leadership, and diversity management. Backed by a diverse range of post-graduate qualifications. Charismatic leader overseeing every aspect of operations, utilizing strong project management and decision-making abilities. Excels at coordinating production plans and efficiently allocating personnel resources to ensure timely completion of work, even under tight deadlines.
Overview
2025
2025
years of professional experience
1
1
Certificate
Work History
Director, Program Operations and Support, Curriculum Reform
NSW Education Standards Authority
09.2022 - Current
- Drives project delivery and support services for the NSW Curriculum Reform program, providing leadership, integration, and management of processes to ensure efficient delivery of a new curriculum for Kindergarten to Year 12.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
- Managed budgets effectively to ensure optimal use of resources while maintaining financial stability.
- Improved project efficiency with strategic planning, resource allocation, and time management practices.
- Proactively identified potential risks and implemented mitigation strategies to minimize negative impacts on projects or business operations.
Principal Project Manager
NSW Education Standards Authority
03.2022 - 09.2022
- Accountable for the project delivery of the K-12 Curriculum reform project for New South Wales, leading a team of Project Managers and ensuring adherence to project timelines.
- Conducted thorough risk assessments to identify potential obstacles, devising contingency plans to minimize disruptions to project timelines.
- Established clear performance expectations for team members, resulting in increased accountability and ownership of project outcomes.
- Monitored project progress, identified risks and implemented corrective measures to acquire success.
- Monitored project progress, identified risks and took corrective action as needed.
- Reported regularly to managers on project budget, progress, and technical problems.
- Analyzed project performance data to identify areas of improvement.
Program Manager, Technology & Knowledge
TAFE NSW
05.2021 - 03.2022
- Provided Program and Project Management of 11 technology enablers for the Organisational Design Project, ensuring on-time delivery and collaboration with stakeholders.
- Developed strategic plans, setting clear objectives and achievable milestones for the team.
- Managed cross-functional teams for successful project completion within deadlines and budgets.
- Facilitated workshops and conducted one-on-one training to educate team members.
- Managed multiple strategic projects with numerous sub-projects or workstreams.
- Identified program obstacles and communicated possible impacts to team.
- Utilized data-driven decision-making approaches to inform strategy development and optimize outcomes.
- Ensured regulatory compliance by closely monitoring adherence to industry standards and guidelines throughout the program lifecycle.
- Addressed and resolved technical, financial, and operational concerns by working with team members and directors.
- Built teams to address project goals and objectives for multiple projects.
- Delivered high-quality results by setting performance metrics and monitoring progress against targets.
- Spearheaded innovative problem-solving techniques that addressed challenges head-on, resulting in effective resolution measures.
- Collaborated with business leadership to set priorities based on business needs, resource capacity and risk exposure.
Director Quality School Systems and Support
Department of Education, Northern Territory
06.2019 - 05.2021
- Provided high-level strategic leadership and advice on policy and management of schools, coordinating services across government agencies to implement strategic initiatives.
- Project Managed the formation of the Language Centre in Ngukurr – a partnership between Ngukurr Aboriginal community and the school.
- Member of the Katherine District Emergency Committee, shelter delegate. Collaboratively managed preparation, response and recovery phases for cyclone Trevor, Mataranka Bushfires, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 wet season, population evacuations from Minyerri and Ngukkur due to community unrest and Katherine township’s “blackwater’ event pre the 2020 wet season.
- Big Rivers Region Coordination Committee member, NT government interagency committee.
- Project Lead for the Katherine Teacher Housing review project that led to a $1.3M benefit realisation.
- Project Lead for the development and implementation of school Pandemic Plans in response to COVID 19 that ensured continued education delivery in Northern Territory Schools.
Manager Student Services and Support North Coast
TAFE NSW
- Provided strategic leadership and advice to the Student Central teams, initiating cultural change and collaborating on budget repair.
- Resolved staff member conflicts, actively listening to concerns and finding appropriate middle ground.
- Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance.
- Reduced operational costs through comprehensive process improvement initiatives and resource management.
- Developed detailed plans based on broad guidance and direction.
Manager, Business Process Improvement
TAFE NSW
- Responsible for establishing a governance framework for new business processes to drive effective business process improvement across multiple systems.
Manager, Contact Centres Port Macquarie, and Kingscliff
TAFE NSW
06.2016 - 06.2019
- Responsible for service operations of the North Coast Customer Contact Centre, driving implementation of processes and managing call volume to meet customer service level KPIs.
- Built high-performing teams through effective recruitment, onboarding, and talent development initiatives.
- Managed budgets effectively, ensuring optimal financial performance while investing in necessary resources for business growth.
- Organized professional development programs for staff, leading to improved performance and skill sets.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Evaluated employee performance and conveyed constructive feedback to improve skills.
- Defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
- Managed senior-level personnel working in marketing and sales capacities.
Manager, Community Relations
Australian Red Cross Blood Service (now LifeBlood)
10.2013 - 06.2016
- Provided input into Community Relations Strategic plans, leading a team to deliver against blood collection targets and optimize donor acquisition and retention.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
- Developed a strong company culture focused on employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.
- Built high-performing teams through effective recruitment, onboarding, and talent development initiatives.
- Mentored junior team members for career advancement, fostering a pipeline of future leaders within the organization.
- Developed and executed marketing strategies that effectively communicated brand values, increasing brand recognition.
- Fostered partnerships with industry leaders, enhancing company's reputation and creating new business opportunities.
- Improved customer satisfaction scores by overhauling customer service protocols and training staff in customer engagement techniques.
- Implemented customer feedback mechanisms to gather insights, using this information to guide strategic planning and decision-making.
Education
Executive Master of Public Administration - Public Administration
ANSZOG And Sydney University
SydneyMaster of Business Administration (MBA) - Leadership
Southern Cross University
Coffs Harbour07.2020
Master of Clinical Science (MCSc.) - Leadership in Mental Health
Southern Cross University
Lismore11.2011
Graduate Certificate of Project Management - Project Management
Southern Cross University
Coffs Harbour02.2023
Bachelor of Health Science - Health
Southern Cross University
Lismore11.2008
Skills
- Program Management
- Critical Incident Response
- Change Management
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Governance
- Agile Project Management
- Strategic Planning
- Verbal and written communication
- People Management
- Operations Management
Certification
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) - scrum.org
- Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
- Certified Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) Certification - Scrum.org
- Certified Leading SAFe Certification – Scaled Agile, Inc.
Timeline
Director, Program Operations and Support, Curriculum Reform
NSW Education Standards Authority
09.2022 - Current
Principal Project Manager
NSW Education Standards Authority
03.2022 - 09.2022
Program Manager, Technology & Knowledge
TAFE NSW
05.2021 - 03.2022
Director Quality School Systems and Support
Department of Education, Northern Territory
06.2019 - 05.2021
Manager, Contact Centres Port Macquarie, and Kingscliff
TAFE NSW
06.2016 - 06.2019
Manager, Community Relations
Australian Red Cross Blood Service (now LifeBlood)
10.2013 - 06.2016
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) - scrum.org
- Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
- Certified Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) Certification - Scrum.org
- Certified Leading SAFe Certification – Scaled Agile, Inc.
Manager Student Services and Support North Coast
TAFE NSW
Manager, Business Process Improvement
TAFE NSW
Executive Master of Public Administration - Public Administration
ANSZOG And Sydney University
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Leadership
Southern Cross University
Master of Clinical Science (MCSc.) - Leadership in Mental Health
Southern Cross University
Graduate Certificate of Project Management - Project Management
Southern Cross University
Bachelor of Health Science - Health
Southern Cross University
References
- Dr. Paul Cahill, Executive Director Curriculum Reform, NESA, Contact details on request.
- Clare Cotton, Director Syllabus Development 11-12, NESA, Contact details on request.
- Hugh Greenough, Executive Director Student Services, TAFE NSW, Contact details on request.
- Tanya Pratt, Director Student Administration Services, TAFE NSW, Contact details on request.
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