Taru Jain
Melbourne,VIC
Summary
Agile, innovative and strategic leader with 17+ year experience across government, universities and consulting; spearheading research, policy, data, process improvement, collaborations and stakeholder management. Demonstrated experience in driving organisational change in research processes in the Victorian public sector to meet policy and program needs in the transport sector.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager, Transport Research
Future Mobility, Department of Transport and Planning
Melbourne, VIC
04.2022 - Current
- Architect of DTP’s Strategic Research Agenda, driving organizational change in research processes, spearheading research partnerships and negotiations, improving research processes, and working towards a diverse leadership in DTP.
- Provided leadership during times of organizational change or crisis situations.
- Driving Organisational change in creation, curation, and use of research across the department, delivering a multi-disciplinary research program of over A$1.2 million dollars annually.
- Spearheading research partnerships and negotiations with over 7 universities across Australia and collaborating with other state government departments.
- Improving research processes across DTP through development of DTP’s first consolidated research intranet resource page and setting up research community of practice for better inter-team research coordination.
- As Deputy Chair of the CaLD Network, working towards identifying and removing systemic barriers towards a diverse leadership in DTP.
Strategic Research Lead
Transport Communications and Experience, Department of Transport
Melbourne, VIC
03.2021 - 04.2022
- Delivered TCE Research Strategy, building innovative DoT Research Repository, managing targeted research programs, ensuring successful scope setting, initiating and leading research + data masterclass, and improving team outreach.
- Building innovative DoT Research Repository, using Lean Six Sigma; improving accessibility to research products across DoT, delivering cost savings and efficiencies.
- Managed the delivery and design of 40+ targeted research programs for diverse policy teams (PPI, Wayfinding, Branding, Accessibility etc)
- Initiated and led research + data masterclass; training 60+ DoT staff.
- Improved team outreach; 100% increase in non-TCE projects in 1 year.
Team Leader (Secondment)
Active Modes and Amenity, Transport Services, DoT
Melbourne, VIC
01.2022 - 02.2022
- Coordinated technical advice wrt active mobility, partnering with local councils and internal DoT for customer-focused outcomes, and authored ministerial briefings.
Deputy Director
Public Transport Research Group, Monash University
Melbourne, VIC
02.2020 - 03.2021
- Set research priorities, managed research projects, established partnerships and collaborations, led DoT funded project on COVID-19 impacts, presented research in seminars, and advised Policy and Reform Team.
- Established partnerships and collaborations with national and international research groups and governments, aligning Monash Uni interests with partners, helping secure> $1M funding.
- Led DoT funded project on COVID-19 impacts- co-creating research framework with stakeholders, leading data collection, conducting advanced statistical analysis; delivering tailored high level advice for DoT rail operations teamand DELWP.
- Presented research to diverse audience in 10+ seminars- modulating presentation to match audience level/priorities.
PhD Research Scholar
Monash University, Australia
Melbourne, VIC
04.2016 - 12.2019
- DoT funded PhD on Carshare adoption and impacts, brokered partnerships, conducted statistical and spatial analysis, advised Policy and Reform Team, and presented research to diverse audience.
- DoT funded PhD on Carshare adoption and impacts in Melbourne; first in cohort of 18 to finish PhD.
- Brokered win-win partnerships with car share operators, local and state government, securing data access and tangible outcomes on emerging mobility policy (Port Phillip Car Share Policy, DoT Rail Station Car Park policy).
- Highly proficient in statistical and spatial analysis; presenting research to diverse audience; 5+ leading publications.
- Advised Policy and Reform Team (DoT), liaising with iMove, contributing to ministerial briefings and state-local government liaison.
- Invited for podcasts, local government advisory boardsand inaugural Policy Horizons Seminar (Qld Dept of Transport).
Assistant Professor (Transport Planning)
School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi
01.2009 - 01.2016
- Directed studios, raised research funding, led research projects, and consulted on transport policy projects.
Transport Planner
SYSTRA, Leeds, United Kingdom
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Wrote and reviewed transport policy and development control documents, and managed stakeholder relationships.
Education
PhD (Shared Mobility) -
Monash University
MSc Transport Planning and Engineering -
University of Leeds, United Kingdom
Bachelor of Planning -
School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India
Skills
- Green Belt- Lean Six Sigma
- Data analysis and management
- SPSS, R, GIS, PowerBI
- Agile manager; Lean Six Sigma
- Research design and governance
- Stakeholder management
- Policy/strategy writing and review
- Ministerial briefings
- Procurement and brief writing
- Consummate communicator
Accomplishments
- Winner of LXRP WiT Women in Transport Scholarship 2023
- DoT funded PhD on emerging mobility, with tangible policy impact.
- Thought leader (10+ leading journal publications) and invited speaker
- AECURN Emerging Victorian Researcher of the Year 2019; Best researcher award at TRB 2019, USA
- Won multiple merit scholarships (Commonwealth Scholarship UK, Monash University)
- Work profiled by Wall Street Journal
Pronouns
she/her
Certification
- Women in Leadership Executive Program 2024 at Melbourne Business School
Affiliations
- Yoga
- Gardening
- Cooking
Timeline
Manager, Transport Research
Future Mobility, Department of Transport and Planning
04.2022 - Current
Team Leader (Secondment)
Active Modes and Amenity, Transport Services, DoT
01.2022 - 02.2022
Strategic Research Lead
Transport Communications and Experience, Department of Transport
03.2021 - 04.2022
Deputy Director
Public Transport Research Group, Monash University
02.2020 - 03.2021
PhD Research Scholar
Monash University, Australia
04.2016 - 12.2019
Assistant Professor (Transport Planning)
School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi
01.2009 - 01.2016
Transport Planner
SYSTRA, Leeds, United Kingdom
01.2007 - 01.2009
PhD (Shared Mobility) -
Monash University
MSc Transport Planning and Engineering -
University of Leeds, United Kingdom
Bachelor of Planning -
School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India
- Women in Leadership Executive Program 2024 at Melbourne Business School
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