Melissa Farrow

• Provided leadership, strategic direction and team stability to successfully embed the merging of two teams with different capability sets, ways of working and strategic priorities.
• Took an evidence-based approach to our work and redesigned the staff experience insights framework that integrates culture and ways of working elements, opening opportunities for a wider scope of influence and cross-functional collaboration.
• Worked closely with ATO People Strategy leadership to guide operational strategy.
• Successfully lead the implementation of key priorities (e.g Census Action Plan, Culture Program of work), ensuring effective strategic positioning of each project and alignment to Corporate priorities and governance reporting requirements.
• Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
• Developed a high-performing team by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
• Built team cognition and meaningful understanding of our purpose and priorities, by facilitating intentional team-based development activities, team planning and a new intranet presence.
• Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.

• Evaluated existing business processes, recommending improvements that led to increased operational efficiency, such as recruitment and onboarding processes
• Assessed employee engagement levels through surveys and focus groups, implementing actionable feedback.
• Leveraged data and analytics to make informed decisions and implemented data-driven strategies for continuous improvements to the staff experience.
• Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
• Developed detailed plans based on broad guidance and direction, and defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
• Created and implemented forward-thinking initiatives to improve employee engagement such as;
• Evaluated the end-to-end staff and manager experience relating to long term leave. Led consultation and negotiation with stakeholders across ATO People, ATO Corporate and EST to develop an improved end-to-end process, make policy recommendations, drive manager capability improvements and behavioural change.
• Introduced a ‘moments that matter’ approach to the Staff Experience program of work, resulting in meaningful prioritisation of projects, establishing linkages with other strategic work (e.g Employee Value Proposition), and the shaping of the ‘employee lifecycle’ approach to the Employee listening strategy.
• Led a cross-functional collaboration between Staff Experience, Culture, Learning & Development, and Internal Communications teams to develop a suite of products and communications to support managers to effectively manage in a hybrid work environment following the return to office and end of lockdowns.

• Implemented innovative solutions to solve complex problems, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined operations.
• Proactively identified potential risks and implemented mitigation strategies to minimize negative impacts on projects or business operations.
• Trained and guided team members to present and influence at Senior leadership forums.
• Coached and supported a team member to facilitate a deep-dive discussion with the People Executive Team regarding complex systemic issues relating to large-scale new office builds and relocations, negotiating cross-team processes and accountabilities, such as WHS safety requirements, relocation/ hardship applications and people change management issues.
• Led the development of the 2023 Staff experience roadmap to promote upcoming initiatives to improve the staff experience, requiring stakeholder engagement and multiple approval processes across EST, ATO Property, Internal Communications and ATO People to capture all projects in a holistic employee centred view.

Provided leadership and strategic guidance to the Staff Experience team while Acting Director, including:

• Successfully managed a small virtual team to conduct the formal ATO wide staff consultation process for the ATO Covid Roadmap
• Prepared reports to ATO People Committee and the ATO Executive, and briefings with relevant executive groups, WHS and Union representatives the ATOs pandemic response.
• Made recommendations for the ATO return to office process and Pandemic management policy, ensuring ongoing compliance with government pandemic-related directions and workplace safety legislation, within very tight timeframes
• Coordinated internal communications to ensure staff communications were developed and updated, collaborating across a range of HR business areas to identify and address policy and communication risks, and address key staff concerns gathered through the consultation process.

• Mentored HR team members in their professional development, promoting continuous learning and skills enhancement within the department.
• Worked with external consultants to develop manager and staff learning products to improve mental health literacy.
• Worked with a small team of Organisational Psychologists to deliver mental health strategies under the ATO Thriving Minds Strategy.
• Developed the communications strategy for various internal mental health promotions, such as RUOK? Day and Mental health week.

• Provided strategic leadership to the Performance Reward and Recognition team, including team planning, performance and capability development.
• Reviewed and redesigned the ATOs Performance framework and policies to reflect contemporary best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Led the team in the design, and implementation of Compass, the ATOs refreshed Performance Experience and Recognition frameworks. Acting Director for extended periods (3+ months) at various times.
• Partnered with senior leadership to establish and develop corporate and HR policies and procedures.
• Prepared numerous papers for ATO People and ATO Executive Committees on Performance and Recognition strategies and change management proposals
• Led staff consultation and negotiation with key HR groups (Conduct and Performance, Business Partners, Learning and Development, Early Intervention, Employment Policy teams) throughout the design and implementation of the new performance framework, to resolve complex issues, policy and process ambiguity. This ensured Compass met all legislative requirements and was aligned with existing associated performance related management activities.
• Facilitated successful policy implementation and enforcement to maintain legal and operational compliance, including refreshed recording and reporting processes.
• Developed and delivered successful presentations and facilitated introductory workshops and webinars with Senior managers, ATO People Directors and HR teams, managers and staff on the new performance approach.
• Developed and implemented the annual evaluation process for Compass, including survey design, analysis and reporting.
• Presented findings and recommendations to executive-level stakeholders, effectively communicating key insights and action plans, and liaised with Senior Business Partners and Executive groups to implement findings.
• Led the redesign and implementation of the Best of the Best Award process, including a new enterprise selection process, and prepared Office Minutes to the ATO People Deputy Commissioner for distribution.

• Developed strong relationships with stakeholders through regular communication updates, fostering trust and confidence in the team''s ability to deliver results.
• Mentored junior team members in project management best practices and strategy evaluation and policy development
• Redesigned L&D policy documentation to conform with the new enterprise policy framework.
• Led the Education and Legal Practicing Certificates strategies redesign, requiring complex stakeholder management to negotiate new management practices, decision-making and compliance with enterprise learning and development policy to effectively manage the program budget.
• Conducted a robust evaluation of the suite of Education Programs, which included designing and delivering a staff survey, analysing study support access and making recommendations for the future sustainability of the program.

Strategic leadership of the Shared Services area, including a three EL1 team leaders, with teams of 6-8 staff members, responsible for Learning & Development logistics, administration, reporting and communications.

• Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
• Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
• Facilitated cross-functional collaboration for improved decision-making processes within the learning and development function.
• Shifted the culture of the leadership team from a team only view to a whole of function approach to decision making and strategy development, improving collaboration and improving resource allocation.
• Negotiated new responsibilities for Shared Services to increase the team influence in learning and development prioritisation and developed detailed processes within Shared Services that supported the end-to-end learning and development process.

• Strategic leadership and change management of the L&D Program Management team, following the centralisation of Learning and Development.
• Responsibilities included ATO Study support strategy, including Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Scholarships and the Registered Training Organisation, within budget.
• Systematically conducted evaluations of each Education Program to identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness of the programs, management of budget and resources, and alignment with enterprise workforce needs.
• Prepared papers for the ATO Exec on the redesign of the Tuition Assistance Program, introducing an enterprise-wide selection approach and priority areas for study based on ATO workforce priorities.