Strategic Portfolio & Performance Manager
0.6 - 1 FTE
The Organisation:
The Uniting Church in Australia (the Church) is a large uniquely Australian Christian denomination in Australia with heritage from historical reformed evangelical denominations. In Queensland, the Uniting Church has around 250 congregations and has early childhood & care services, schools, colleges and large community services (such as UnitingCare Queensland and Wesley Mission Queensland).
The Uniting Church is multicultural, committed to reconciliation with First Peoples, calls for reconciliation across its communities and aims to use its people and property resources wisely and in the furtherance of God’s mission in the world.
Position purpose:
The purpose of this role is to lead and oversee the Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod’s strategic planning processes and systems, strategic performance reporting, drives delivery of strategic initiatives and projects, and builds project management and continuous improvement capability across the organisation.
The position provides strategic support to the Synod Leadership Team and key change leaders in the organisation and provides leadership and oversight of the organisation’s project portfolio and budget, ensuring initiatives are aligned with strategic priorities and delivered to agreed outcomes.
Key responsibilities:
- Oversee and manage the Strategic Planning & Performance function to ensure that the strategies, plans, capability development and operational activities meet both the current and future requirements for the Synod office. In addition, key responsibility for the annual reporting to the Synod Standing Committee and every 18mths to the Synod in Session as identified in the FY25-28 Renewal & Growth Strategy of the QLD Synod.
1. Strategic Planning & Governance
- Lead and facilitate the annual strategic planning process and review, ensuring alignment with vision, purpose and strategic foundations.
- Collaborate with senior leaders to translate strategy into actionable projects and initiatives.
- Establish and maintain strategic planning & governance frameworks, policies, and reporting mechanisms to support informed decision-making in relation to the strategic change portfolio
2. Project Portfolio Leadership
- Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of all projects within the portfolio.
- Ensure projects are prioritised, resourced, and aligned with strategic priorities and outcomes.
- Monitor project performance and proactively address risks, issues, and dependencies.
3. Performance Reporting – strategy & portfolio of change
- Prepare and present clear, concise, and accurate reports for the governing bodies and Synod Leadership Team.
- Provide insights, analysis and recommendations to support strategic decision-making and dynamic portfolio planning and change.
- Align strategic and operational reporting frameworks, measures and reporting deliverables.
4. Continuous Improvement & Capability Development
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and value delivery of strategic initiatives and actions.
- Lead initiatives to build project management, continuous improvement skills and capability across the organisation.
- Lead the development and optimisation of a continuous improvement and innovation framework for the organisation.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
5. Leadership & People Management
- Manage, mentor, and develop team members to achieve individual and organisational objectives.
- Foster collaboration and high performance across business units – in particular via the Synod Collaborative change leadership forum as administrative lead and chair.
- Maintain an in-depth understanding of all culture elements and values. Embody and continually demonstrate the value-based behaviours by setting a clear clean and consistent example for others.
- Provide leadership, perform day to day supervision, inspire others to perform, build trusting relationships, conduct performance appraisal/management and facilitate professional development of direct reports.
General
- Model the values of the Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod in day to day work including interactions with managers, lay staff, ministry agents, clients and stakeholders.
- Compliance with Queensland Synod policies, procedures and relevant legislation.
- Comply with Health and Safety directions and Public Health directions.
- Undertake other duties as and when directed within the scope of the role and the capabilities of the incumbent.
Key performance indicators:
- Strategic and capability development – advancing business excellence in Strategy & Planning delivery, Continuous Improvement, Portfolio Management, Change Management, Performance Reporting & Analysis.
- Operational service delivery - Implement operational plan initiatives to achieve targeted outcomes within quality levels, budget and timeframes – including system leadership and administration of strategy tracking system.
- Continuous Improvement – Lead the implementation of a fit for purpose continuous improvement framework and culture change in the organisation around agility and adaptivity
- Financial management - manage the cost centre budget to target
- Team leadership - demonstrate leadership capabilities resulting in a highly engaged team
- Stakeholder engagement – high levels of stakeholder trust, commitment and satisfaction
- Risk & Compliance - ensure that sufficient risk management and controls are in place to manage risks and compliance obligations.
- Comply with delegations of the Office of Synod where delegations have been permanently or temporarily assigned to the position.
- Maintain alignment with the Office of Synod purpose, culture and values (values referenced under additional requirements).
Reporting relationship and delegations:
- The Business Analyst reports to this position.
- This position reports to the Executive Director Secretariat.
Selection criteria:
Qualifications:
- Post graduate qualifications in a relevant field an advantage.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, management, or a related.
- Project Management, Change Management or Human-centred design qualifications desirable
Experience and skills:
- A commitment to, and understanding of, the ethos of the Uniting Church in Australia (for a fuller understanding of the ethos of the church, refer to The Basis of Union).
- Demonstrated experience in engaging, influencing and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels including Governing Bodies, Executive Leadership Teams, operational and functional team members across an organisation in other specialist teams.
- Proven experience leading a Planning & Project Management Office or similar function.
- Strong track record in strategic planning, governance, and delivering complex projects.
- Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.
- Strong leadership and coaching abilities.
- Effective communicator with excellent presentation and reporting skills.
- Adaptable, proactive, and results-oriented.
- Demonstrated ability to implement process improvements and enhance organisational capability.
Additional requirements:
- Membership or involvement in a professional body relating to your area of functional expertise
- Inter/intra state travel, working out of hours, attendance at Synod in Session.
- Suitability Card for Child Related Employment (Blue Card) – All adults who work with people under 18 years in QLD in regulated employment are required to undergo a “Working with Children Check” under the screening provisions of the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act. Presentation of a current Suitability Card must be made before appointment to the position can be confirmed.
- The successful applicant must be eligible to legally work in Australia and proof of eligibility may be requested.
Behave in accordance with accordance with the values of the Synod Office.
