Michael Neumann

Team Leadership: directed a team of APS6 Disability Liaison Officers providing guidance, coaching, and mentoring to enhance overall performance and foster a culture of excellence.

Specialist Advisory: expert advice on workplace adjustments and support mechanisms for employees with disabilities, ensuring a more inclusive and accommodating work environment.

Legislative Compliance: applied APS and HR legislation including the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1998, Work Health and Safety Act 2011, and Fair Work Act 2009 to inform decision-making and implement employee adjustments effectively.

Proactive Issue Management: monitored emerging issues across the organisation, anticipated potential challenges, assessed risks, and directed issue resolution to mitigate impact.

Policy & Process Enhancement: adapted and refined established methods, systems, and policies to effectively respond to new or evolving challenges.

Stakeholder Engagement: anticipated and addressed stakeholder needs by providing targeted advice and support to various NDIA functional areas, successfully navigating complex issues.

Continuous Improvement: conducted regular process reviews to identify additional services or resource needs, aligning enhancements with branch objectives.

Evaluation Framework Implementation: developed and implemented a robust evaluation function using program logic modeling to assess the efficiency of six entry-level programs, driving continuous improvements and data-informed decision making.

Diversity Program Leadership: spearheaded the rollout of the Opening Doors initiative in 2023 by incorporating Veteran and Neurodiverse cohorts, enhancing inclusivity and broadening the diverse talent pool.

Operations and Team Management: managed a portfolio of over 250 program participants and led a team of more than 10 Program Managers across the Sydney and Adelaide regions. Oversaw key strategic portfolios including Placements, Call Centre Rotations, and Documentation, ensuring consistent quality and achievement of program objectives.

Graduate Program Expansion During COVID-19: Directed the expansion of the NSW Graduate Program intake during the 2020 COVID restrictions by implementing effective work-from-home strategies and orchestrating a phased return-to-work model for the Contact Centre rotation, including the management of travel exemption documentation for the NSW Graduate cohort.

Portfolio Management & Strategic Leadership

• Managed diverse portfolios including Adaptive Technology, Reasonable Adjustments, Indigenous Employment (Evergreen Indigenous Development Program), Gender Equality, and Learning and Development, ensuring robust integration and streamlined operational alignment.

Diversity Strategy & Program Delivery

• Spearheaded diversity strategies and high-impact initiatives, such as delivering the 2019 IDAHOBIT livestream featuring keynote speaker, former High Court Judge Hon. Michael Kirby.
• Launched innovative Indigenous cultural training programs in 2019, offering both online and face-to-face learning modules to enhance cultural capability.

Innovative Engagement & Network Development

• Established and delivered the inaugural Indigenous Employee Roundtable Conference in 2014.
• Developed strategic employee networks including National Disability, ATOMIC (ATO Making Inclusion Count), and CHIATO (Carers, Helpers and Interested Others), fostering robust internal support systems.

Diversity & Inclusion Roadmap

• Developed and implemented the forward-thinking Diversity and Inclusion plan (2015–17), driving cultural change and advancing organizational inclusivity initiatives.

Temporary Project Manager – People Services Branch

• HR Restructure & Helpdesk Implementation: Led a temporary project to restructure the People Services Branch, establishing a dedicated first point-of-contact HR Helpdesk function. Adapted the strategy effectively when budget constraints prevented the planned IT solution purchase.

• Team Leadership: Managed the Workforce Capability & Culture Capability team, driving Corporate Learning & Development initiatives and spearheading strategic Diversity programs.

Manager, Employee Complaints

• Oversaw the employee complaints function by receiving, assessing, and resolving workplace allegations and grievances.
• Employed a blend of alternative dispute resolution strategies and formal investigation processes to ensure impartial and effective outcomes.
• Collaborated with leadership and stakeholders to foster a fair, transparent, and supportive workplace culture.

Workplace Ombudsperson

• Confidential Employee Support: Provided an internal, confidential, and impartial service for employees to voice workplace issues and concerns, fostering an environment of trust and open communication.
• Conflict Resolution Expertise: Employed advanced alternative dispute resolution techniques—including mediation, conflict coaching, and facilitated discussions—to resolve conflicts and maintain a harmonious workplace.

Employee Services Redesign & National Payroll Operations Manager

• Strategic Implementation: Spearheaded implementation of Employee Services redesign recommendations to establish efficient, task-based payroll functions across two national sites.
• Team Leadership: Directed daily operations of three specialised payroll-processing teams responsible for ATO First Day, Last Day, and Compensation payroll functions, ensuring accuracy and timely execution.

People Helpline Operations Lead

• Operational Transformation: Led the transition of the People Helpline from a project pilot to full-scale, business-as-usual operations.
• Business Model Development: Established a comprehensive operating model that defined roles, responsibilities, and integrated technical training to support service excellence.
• Service Standards & Frameworks: Developed rigorous service standards and online scripting frameworks while implementing effective delegation protocols.
• Quality & Resource Management: Designed a robust quality assurance and coaching model, alongside an optimized staff scheduling system to maintain high performance.

• Project officer developing a business case for the establishment of help desk for manager and employee Human Resources enquires

• Manage a team of 15 Customer Service Representatives answering inbound personal tax telephony enquiries