Pashnie Abeysinghe (MCIPS)

• Commercial Manager drives commercial activity throughout the Procurement lifecycle across a wide-ranging portfolio of sourcing events and contracts
• In line with the Transport Contract Management Framework this role drive the delivery of financially sustainable, value adding outcomes in both sourcing and contract management environments
• The role review existing and proposed commercial arrangements, align leading private sector practice and NSW government agency practice and guidelines and obtain approval for recommended improvements
• Resolve issues whilst keeping management informed of political sensitivity, issues attracting media or community attention and other emerging issues

Key accountabilities - Procurement Commercial Manager

• Develop, implement and manage commercial frameworks across various sourcing activities and contract variations, including providing support in negotiations, legal dispute management, insurance management, financial capacity, fraud and corruption prevention and probity management
• Lead and manage commercial activity across various projects. Advising on commercial matters, contract negotiations, market acceptable contract risk allocation, cost benchmarking and reporting and value for money measurement to support the delivery of sustainable outcome.
• Process the Commercial Benefits Framework ensuring full visibility of financial benefits derived from Procurement activity to Finance Business Partners across the organisation, and drive key outputs including adoption / enhancement of sourcing benefit submissions
• Monitor and review procurement commercial processes to ensure their compliance with NSW treasury guidelines and any other relevant policies and aligns with industry best practice
• Assist in project dispute prevention and resolution strategies. Provide dispute resolution leadership to implement best practice. Minimise costs and project issues arising from disputes
• Act as a key Procurement/Contract Management relationship interface with the Finance and Legal (internal and outsourced) functions with the aim of becoming a trusted advisor to all parties
• Demonstrate the five ways of leading behaviours to deliver organisational outcomes for our customers, our people and communities for the greater good.

Key achievements - Procurement Commercial Manager

• Project lead for developing the Contract Management Framework for Transport agencies. Transport contract portfolio consists of 7,724 contracts with 6,502 suppliers valued at approximately $73.89 billion per year

Commercial Contract Manager provides commercial and contract management support for specified programs of work within the Major Works Division of Sydney Trains. The role interface with the relevant internal commercial, procurement, finance and legal teams on a range of commercial activities and will personally carrying out tasks or ensure delivery as appropriate.

Contract Manager assists the Associate Director Commercial to maximise the commercial potential and minimise commercial risks in the division by working with business units to rapidly implement commercial initiatives and complete commercial activities.

Key Accountabilities – Commercial Contract Manager

• Drive the procurement processes to ensure the appropriate supplier capability is available to deliver the program of works.
• Manage the contracts to deliver projects and programs including contract variations and disputes, escalating issues.
• Facilitate supplier performance reviews in order to provide feedback, drive performance and continuous improvement;
• Liaise and escalate to legal as required to ensure legal risks are managed for the project and program.
• Develop the Financial Management Plan, defining how the program will be managed financially including methods for capturing and reporting all costs for the program.
• Document the Financial Control Processes for the program, including validating the appropriateness of the expenditure, available budget and expenditure approval levels
• Develop financial models, identifying cost capture categories
• Document and administer the Program Budget, detailing the costs and timing of costs to be incurred by the program. Accordingly develop program budget tracking and reporting processes to track and report all costs against the budget and estimates to completion.

Key Achievements - Commercial Contract Manager

• Amalgamation of Electrical Isolation Improvement Programme (EIIP) contract suite under one contract manager, to minimise commercial risk. (projected value $400M)
• Engage in the procurement process and Institute Project Implementation and Payment Plan (PIPP) into all high value – high risk contracts.
• Establish robust performance management criteria in contracts with the collaboration and engagement of primary business stakeholders to collate supplier data, establish performance reports, monitor and manage performance.
• Assimilate specific delivery schedules for all contract variation, to facilitate distinct administration of the program budget through detailing and timing of costs. Consequently develop program budget tracking and reporting to track and report all costs against the budget and estimates to completion.

• Civil Construction and Building works
• Strategic Procurement – Sydney Trains

• Stakeholder Management - Develop and maintain value-based stakeholder and strategic supplier relationships to ensure that category strategies meet business needs, enhance stakeholder engagement, and challenge and motivate providers to optimise service outcomes
• Lead negotiations on supply arrangements and contract issues to deliver better category outcomes
• Performance Management - Implement performance standards and evaluation processes to assess and report on procurement activity in terms of progress, results, customer satisfaction, value and cost
• Develop and maintain effective professional working relationships with suppliers to facilitate the delivery of goods and services to NSW Trains and to ensure that suppliers adhere to contractual terms and conditions, including administration of internal customer environment and audit regime
• Project Management – Develop and manage project plans that meet agreed objectives by engaging and communicating with stakeholders on roles and responsibilities, tracking of performance against assigned activities and taking appropriate actions to enable agreed objectives are met
• Category Management – Under the guidance of the line manager to implement category plans and strategies, including market approaches, procurement analysis, supplier development, contract management, performance reporting and evaluation to optimise value for money outcomes and meet stakeholder needs and expectations for allocated category activities
• Support the Portfolio Category Manager in establishing a category management process that applies appropriate risk management and provides ongoing value for money through effective supplier management within the Portfolio
• Key Achievements - Category, Streamlined and successful management of the Intercity Coaches and Busses category (annual spend $30Million) which accounts for one third of the business value of NSW Trains
• Rigorous performance management of fifteen Key Suppliers and sixty Panel Contract Suppliers through monthly KPI reports and exception reports
• Developed the principles for an allocation tool for the Panel Suppliers enabling transparency and governance and promoting the general health of the Panel
• Documentation of critical procedures to provide a guidance and structure to the Coaches and Busses Category

• Commercial Contract Manager provides commercial and contract management support for specified programs of work within the Major Works Division of Sydney Trains
• The role interface with the relevant internal commercial, procurement, finance and legal teams on a range of commercial activities and will personally carrying out tasks or ensure delivery as appropriate.

• Civil Construction and Building works
• Sydney Trains operates one of the geographically largest metropolitan rail systems in the world
• An average of one million rail journeys are made each day
• Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink will continue to undertake an extensive civil renewal program in support of the charter to provide the public with a safe and reliable train service
• The Construction and Building panel (“Panel”) consists of the preferred contractors (Panel Members) that may be invited on “as required” basis to provide associated services at various locations throughout the NSW Metropolitan Rail Network
• Estimated value of works is 250 million over 7 years
• Key Accountabilities – Panel, Oversight of RFQs that are issued, evaluated and awarded under the Panel to ensure they follow guidelines of this PMP, procurement policies and procedures
• Monitor the performance of the contract and where necessary escalate issues and/or take corrective action
• Establish and maintain relevant contract specific insurances and performance guarantees
• Provide advice to the program team in relation to contract rights and obligations and Intellectual Property (IP)
• Conduct contract strategy meetings to identify issues and client requirements, facilitate pricing discussions, and obtain management input on timelines and deliverables
• Serve as primary organizational contact during negotiations and strategy discussions
• Administration and distribution of Panel funds and initiation of FIC (Financial Investment Committee) approval to replenish Master contract
• Collate supplier KPI data, monitor and manage performance
• Conduct yearly performance review meeting with the Suppliers with the objective of collaborative working and to feedback on performance, to help improve performance and/or competitiveness and/or value for money
• Checking for insights and market research regarding Panel Member mergers, restructures, insolvencies, or any ongoing investigations and coordinate necessary actions in collaboration with the Business Units, Procurement and Legal Services
• Key Achievements - Panel Contracts Manager
• Establishment of Building and Construction Panel Management Plan and Panel Rules for Operations delivery for Sydney Trains
• ($250 million over 7 years)
• Institution and design panel engagement guidelines and templates for the Request for Quotation process
• Design Panel KPI’s, Formation of a methodology to collate supplier data, establishment of panel performance reports, monitor and manage performance
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative through the introduction of Aboriginal Participation scheme through nominating at least one company in the supplier selection for sourcing events below $250K in the respective sub categories.

• As the Strategic Sourcing Specialist I am accountable for developing and refining sourcing strategies for major and general suppliers (at both the enterprise and business unit level)
• Provide advice on the strategic and transactional aspects of sourcing to business unit leadership team and be accountable for end-to-end sourcing activities, providing leadership and expertise in strategic sourcing to achieve outstanding outcomes for the organisation and customers
• Key Accountabilities –, Leadership in Procurement – Manage end to end procurement process to meet agreed objectives by engaging and communicating with stakeholders to drive and implement change
• Tracking of performance against assigned activities and taking appropriate actions to enable agreed objectives are met
• Model sound leadership to achieve outstanding value for money outcomes for the organisation
• Procurement Program/Project Management - Delivering value through collaborative relationships with the Procurement Cross Functional Team (PCFT) in compliance with the appropriate standards, policies, procedures and NSW procurement framework
• Compile and ongoing management of project risks and probity plans
• Develop tender documents and manage a transparent and impartial tendering process
• Prepare tender evaluation methodology and participate in contract negotiations to ensure timely delivery and sustainable commercial outcomes
• Category Management –Implement category plans and strategies, including market approaches, procurement analysis, supplier development, contract management, performance reporting and evaluation to optimise value for money outcomes and meet stakeholder needs and expectations for allocated category activities
• Support the Senior Business Category Managers in establishing a category management process that applies appropriate risk management and provides ongoing value for money through effective supplier management within the Portfolio
• Performance Management – Prepare contracts in collaborate with the PCFT and supplier performance teams to implement performance standards and evaluation processes to assess and report on procurement activity in terms of progress, results, customer satisfaction, value and cost
• Provide post-award feedback to unsuccessful tenderers to develop and maintain a competitive and competent supply chain
• Facillitate and lead contract handover to the Contracts management team
• Key Achievements - Strategic Sourcing Manager
• Establishment of Building and Construction Panel for Operations delivery for Sydney Trains
• ($250 million over 7 years)
• Establishment of Timetabled (pre-planned) and Emergency Coach contract panels for NSW Tains ($90 million over 7 years)
• Engaging industry and delivering work under Master Services Agreement (MSA) in collaboration with Commercial and Supply Chain (CSC)
• Consolidated project value for civil works is around $120 million per annum
• Establishment of Telecommunication Cable and Route rectification (supply and installation) panel for Operations delivery for Engineering and Maintenance Directorate, Sydney Trains
• ($70 million over 5 years)
• On-going replacement and upgrading of lifts and escalators with in Railway stations in Sydney Metro region (Combined value $60 Million)
• Strategic Procurement NSW Trains

• As the Category Performance Manager I was accountable for implementing the end-to-end procurement process and approved category strategies that realise value for money and high service levels for their assigned procurement category
• This role also develops and manages sustainable relationships with stakeholders, internal customers and suppliers that enhance business performance and drive procurement service and compliance levels within NSW Trains.