Leading service and innovation in healthcare food and nutrition services

Heading the community health, rehabilitation, mental health and medical alarms divisions

I lead the Healthcare of New Zealand division ensuring all financial, operational, project and business plans are achieved. This also includes leading the development of strategic and business plans. The division consists of 34 sites, and over 5000 staff working across New Zealand.I provide leadership and direction to staff to ensure that clients receive efficient high quality person centred services in accordance with relevant contractual and legislative requirements and sector standards.Another key part of my role is programme and project leadership, and I sit as project executive on a number of significant organisation-wide projects. I am also the chair of the Bay of Plenty Community Health Alliance, a joint venture of four community health providers across the Bay of Plenty

Governance role, providing advice and guidance to management of this not-for-profit organisation. I am currently the Treasurer for the Board.

Leading Healthvision New Zealand across all areas of the business. Strategy, business development, service delivery, quality and profitability. (National Operations Manager to June 2012)Healthvision is a privately owned company, operating in New Zealand and the UK. It has turnover of more than $10 m per annum, and has over 300 staff. Income is predominantly derived from contracts held with the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), the Ministry of Health and District Health Boards in NZ, and a number of Borough councils in London (UK).Responsibilities -Organisational leadership and management across multiple business units and locations-Leading and sharing the strategic direction of the company. Motivating direct reports and other staff, and working with the Board of Directors to achieve this-Financial Management of operational business units-New business development, account management, preparation and submission of tenders and bids for new business in NZ and the UK-Development and management of relationships at senior levels with DHB’s, ACC, MOH, NGO’s, Maori, and other organisations

ING is one of the largest companies in the world. Unique to the global operation, ING NZ invested in a number of retirement villages, with the view to upgrading these, investing in land and developing a number of greenfield sites, with the intention of eventually listing in the New Zealand Stock Exchange. My role was to lead these activities. Unfortunately the start of the recession in late 2008 saw the Australian shareholders of ING decide to withdraw support for this venture.

Summerset group is one of New Zealand’s largest Retirement Village operators with 11 villages, 500 staff, and over 1000 residents. It is currently New Zealand's second largest listed operator.My role with Summerset was to lead village operations, including 11 sites, and over 500 staff. I was responsible for a significant budget, and accountable for the profitable performance of each of the villages and care facilities within them.Key responsibilities were:-Director of operations (11 sites, 13 direct reports, over 500 staff nationally). This included rest home and hospital level care, as well as Independent living -Responsible for the formulation and implementation of strategy, and involved in the listing on the NZX-Developed and maintained relationships with government agencies, District Health Boards, Ministry of Health and other NGO’s-New business development, -Represented Summerset in disputes under the Retirement Villages Act and other legislation-Collective Employment Agreement Negotiations with SFWU and NZNO-Reason for leaving: I was headhunted for a significant role at ING NZ, which did not (in the end) live up to my expectations

Life Unlimited is a not for profit organisation which was contracted to the Ministry of Health to manage the placement of residents with intellectual disabilities from the Kimberley Hospital deinstitutionalisation. (this was an institution for people with Intellectual/learning disabilities, and was the last of its kind in New Zealand).My role was to lead all aspects of LIFE Unlimiteds role in this milestone projectAchievements:-Upon appointment successfully identified systemic inefficiencies, and developed a plan to address these and improve performance-Restructured the Levin office, reducing overall staff costs, setting accountabilities and objectives for management staff and creating a new position to maximise efficiency, within two months of appointment;-Successfully addressed long-standing delays in the Family Court process around the discharge of Kimberley residents-Resolved a number of long-standing funding disagreements with Service Providers and improved relationships with KPFA-Managed the project ahead of agreed timeframes and volumes

Key accountabilities were:-Responsibility for the operation and profitability of nine separate business units ($20 million t/o, 1500 staff) in the central region of NZ-Strategic and operational planning-Negotiation and relationship management with key government funding agencies, including the Ministry of Health, ACC, and DHB’s-Undertaking of projects as required-Led the development and start-up of a new business (Freedom Medical Alarms) - a joint venture with Wellington Free Ambulance Service-Management of quality, and organisational compliance with industry and sector standards -Planning and implementation of effective marketing strategies within the region-Preparation and submission of tenders and bids to Ministry of Health, ACC, DHB’s and other funders. -Involved in Collective Employment Agreement negotiation with Unions (SFWU, NZNO, PSA).-Reason for leaving: my role was disestablished as part of a restructure. I was offered an equivalent role but chose to broaden my horizons.