Melissa Sheppard
Iredale,Australia
Summary
I am an accomplished professional with solid experience in learning, stakeholder engagement and human resources. I excel in providing comprehensive project support and addressing critical business management issues. Throughout my career, I have consistently ensured that all project elements, encompassing planning, resource allocation, monitoring, reporting, and implementation are implemented with precision and within established timelines. I am an adaptable learner with a suite of transferable skills and I am committed to high standards of quality and performance.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Inclusion Teacher/Specialist Case Worker
Queensland Department of Education
Toowoomba
07.2023 - Current
- Plan and draft learning units, lesson plans, formative and summative assessments for students with diverse learning needs
- Provide support to individual teachers in identifying patterns of achievement and selecting evidence-based intervention strategies for students with learning needs
- Work collaboratively with specialists (guidance officers, speech language pathologists, psychologists, families) to coordinate services to improve students learning
- Collaborate and build stakeholder relationships with teachers, parents and external training and support professionals to improve student academic and social outcomes
- Provide detailed and comprehensive reporting to inform positive funding allocations to students with diverse needs
Communications Consultant (Inland Rail)
Self employed
Toowoomba, Australia
01.2021 - 07.2021
- Drafted and produced a comprehensive report for the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley sections of proposed rail, identifying and recommending targeted community funding and human services resource allocation to offset impacts of the project on the local community
- Research: conducted research to understand the needs of the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley regions; studying demographic data, community profiles, existing health and wellbeing initiatives, and relevant economic and social factors impacting local communities
- Partnership Identification: Identified potential partnership opportunities that aligned with the client consortium's objective of promoting community health and wellbeing
- Stakeholder Engagement: Identification of stakeholders, including community leaders, local government representatives, healthcare professionals, and relevant social, educational, and cultural organizations.
- Reporting and Documentation: Drafted research findings and partnership opportunities
- Tracked project objectives against budget
- Issued invoices and project variations to client
Portfolio Support Analyst
Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC)
Toowoomba
01.2016 - 12.2017
- Compiled and drafted comprehensive technical research report to provide to senior managers, in house consultants and employees, describing the key characteristics and constraints (environmental, economic, social) of the GRDC Queensland and Northern NSW grains regions
- Assisted the Regional Manager in researching and compiling information and briefing reports for ministerial updates, government bodies and tertiary institutions to assess and determine future research needs
- Analysed scientific reports and recommendations to categorise future R&D needs for senior management consideration
- Project managed GRDC’s attendance at Agquip (Gunnedah) and Henty Machinery Field Days in NSW, liaising with government partners to plan expert crop and weed updates to grain growers throughout the exhibit
- Attendance at field dates to connect with grain growers, producing stakeholder engagement report identifying engagement rates and key themes to inform future attendance and focus
- Daily liaison with tertiary and government led research organisations to assess contractual compliance of project milestones
- Development of assessment criteria to categorise tenders
- Participation in evaluation and moderations of tenders, providing recommendations to senior managers of the most capable and economically advantageous bids
Senior Stakeholder Engagement Consultant/Social Researcher
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Brisbane
01.2008 - 12.2012
- Professional first point of contact for project related enquiries (including impacted property owners, community members, media enquiries, elected representatives)
- Direct engagement with impacted property owners and communities to provide project updates, collate feedback and advise of process available to mitigate impacts where possible
- Drafted suite of project related communication materials (including newsletters, project website content, letters to stakeholders) for large scale projects (mining, road/rail, electricity) across Central and South East Queensland and NSW
- Researched and prepared comprehensive stakeholder engagement reports for inclusion in project Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA’s)
- Liaised with local media and government stakeholders to communicate project plans and timelines
- Planned and project managed community consultation events to gain community input to inform EIA
- Managed small team of stakeholder engagement consultants to provide streamlined support to clients
- Tracked project budgets on a weekly basis and adjusted project allocations accordingly to achieve budget, issued and justified contract variations due to a change in project scope to clients
- Managed project information emails and hotline to respond to and record community feedback
- Conducted comprehensive research and produced detailed reports on the social impacts to communities due to planned infrastructure projects
Human Resources Consultant
Parsons Brinckerhoff
01.2007 - 12.2007
- Managed the graduate recruitment program for Queensland to recruit 50 multi-disciplinary engineering and science employees within a three-month period
- Assisted in the planning of a graduate rotation and development program
- Responsible for providing employee relations advice to three Queensland offices
- Co-ordinated national and international employee relocations and transfers
- Conducted companywide compensation review and market analysis of compensation packages and provided remuneration recommendations to senior management
- Ensured compliance with labour laws and regulations by advising on HR policies, procedures, and practices
- Carried out workforce analytics and reporting to identify trends regarding employee engagement and turnover
Human Resources Business Partner
Air France
, United Kingdom
01.2005 - 12.2006
- Provided expert human resources advice including guidance in relation to leave entitlements, employment law, recruitment and exit interviews, employee grievances, performance management and performance review to 600 employees
- Worked in close partnership with U.K
- Based managers to align business objectives with human resources strategies
- Identified training needs (reskilling and upskilling), assisting the L&D function in aligning training programs to meet current and future business objectives
- Conducted weekly meetings with business leaders and provided HR advice and coaching where necessary
- Provided ongoing advice and updates to managers to proactively plan and embed changes in employment legislation (parental leave, grievance procedures, timeframes applicable for organisations to consult with staff to propose legislative changes)
Human Resources Officer
Spring Group Plc
, United Kingdom
01.2001 - 12.2004
- Provided generalist human resources advice and responsible for preparing employment contracts, co-ordinating employee inductions and responding to employee relations and payroll queries
- Provided legislative updates to senior management and board members, advising of changes to employee contracts and company handbooks
- Collated data during biannual employee performance review, identifying training needs for staff
- Coordinated recruitment processes, including job postings, candidate screening, and interviews
- Maintained accurate and up-to-date employee records, both in physical and electronic formats
- Selected to conduct off-site psychometric administration testing for a key client and travelled throughout the United Kingdom to co-ordinate assessment centres and recruitment days
- Co-ordinated payroll, ensuring accurate and timely payment to employees
- Ongoing consultation with finance to provide data for due diligence in a company acquisition
- Liaised with finance regarding employee bonus and commission payments and tracking data to identify errors or anomalies
Education
Master of Learning and Teaching -
UniSQ
ToowoombaPost Graduate Diploma - Human Resources Management
Middlesex University
London, U.K.Bachelor of Management - Tourism
UniSA
AdelaideSkills
- Stakeholder engagement
- Stakeholder engagement planning
- Data analysis and reporting
- Strong attention to detail
- Analytical and Critical Thinking
References
- Ms Julie Franklin, Head of Special Education Services, Department of Education, Jfran237@eq.edu.au
- Ms Naomi Cavanagh, Executive Advisor, Infrastructure Advisory Group, Naomi.Cavanagh@infragroup.com.au
Volunteer Experience
- 2023, Committee Member, Commemoration of Meerwah Committee, Participated in the committee responsible for engaging with First Nations communities, educators and schools to increase awareness and understanding of the Battle of One Tree Hill at Tabletop Mountain Toowoomba.
- 2022, Teacher Assistant, Harlaxton State School, Assisted First Nations and Refugee students to engage and complete learning and homework activities.
Timeline
Inclusion Teacher/Specialist Case Worker
Queensland Department of Education
07.2023 - Current
Communications Consultant (Inland Rail)
Self employed
01.2021 - 07.2021
Portfolio Support Analyst
Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC)
01.2016 - 12.2017
Senior Stakeholder Engagement Consultant/Social Researcher
Parsons Brinckerhoff
01.2008 - 12.2012
Human Resources Consultant
Parsons Brinckerhoff
01.2007 - 12.2007
Human Resources Business Partner
Air France
01.2005 - 12.2006
Human Resources Officer
Spring Group Plc
01.2001 - 12.2004
Master of Learning and Teaching -
UniSQ
Post Graduate Diploma - Human Resources Management
Middlesex University
Bachelor of Management - Tourism
UniSA
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