“I love the fact that Treasury is willing and looking continually improve the way we work. The right tools are there for staff to easily work from home and the office.”
I'm currently in the role of Assistant Director, Projects & Improvements helping to drive business improvement and new ways of working through technology. Once an opportunity for improvement is identified, my team will work with relevant stakeholders such as business, IT and external partners to manage the change from planning through to implementation and training. My role allows me to help bridge the gap between the business and technical teams.
I studied a Bachelor of Information Systems at UTAS before moving to Sydney soon after graduation. Limited opportunities for new graduates in my field at the time motivated me to move. In Sydney I worked in IT projects for some of Australia's largest retailers, progressing from Business Analyst to Project Manager and PMO Manager. I enjoyed using technology to improve processes in the workplace and the opportunities to work with various systems and business departments. It has always been a bit of an adrenaline rush to implement a new system after overcoming project roadblocks both big and small along the way. While I enjoyed living and working in Sydney, having a young family made me reconsider priorities. I was spending up to two hours a day commuting and that wasn't something I wanted to keep doing. My wife was in a similar space and we both wanted to find somewhere we could both spend more time together as a family whilst still being able to have meaningful careers. Tasmania had transformed in the 15 years I had been away and there were more opportunities available. My wife found a job first that ticked all the boxes for her and luckily for me I found this role at Treasury.
The thing that struck me on my first day at Treasury was the number people telling me that I had come to the best agency. It wasn't something I was expecting, and it shows the type of positive culture that exists here. The second thing I noticed was people's openness to improvement and an openness to discuss any challenges they had identified. The size of Treasury means that you have to ensure closer alignment of various business and IT teams to get projects done amongst the usual work that needs to happen. The IT team I work in is a lot smaller than those I have been used to, but the amount of new or improved solutions that are deployed, the care for end users and the team cooperation is second to none! There is a lot of scope for further improvement, and I love the fact that Treasury is willing to continually improve the way we work. The final thing I would like to add is the flexibility that staff have in where they work. Treasury provides the rights tools for staff to easily work from home and the office.
I grew up in Sri Lanka and moved to Hobart when I was seven. It didn't take long to make friends and settle into school. I had a great childhood in Sri Lanka and Hobart and feel very lucky for the memories I have and for the people in my life. Moving to Sydney was a big move for me and while I was always busy and surrounded by people, the first few years always felt a little lonely. Hobart certainly has a more homely vibe. One of the biggest development learnings for me came after a long multi-year project implementation where on the face of it the project was a success, as timelines and budgets were met. However, reflecting on that project with a colleague afterwards highlighted that a successful project needs to prioritise people first. I've always tried to put people first and may have lost my way a little on that project. Since I've been at Treasury, I've noticed the effort and investment being put into staff, courses for managers on coaching, training staff on how to provide upward feedback to managers, support for women in the workplace and an emphasis on mental wellbeing. We all have a common goal in helping to progress our state and community and to have Treasury focusing on its staff is great to see.
While I'm not the best swimmer in the world I've always enjoyed the water. I've kept aquariums since I was five years old and it didn't take long before I had set one up here once I moved from Sydney, I've kept every type of underwater plant and fish that you could probably think of. I also developed a passion for scuba diving over 10 years ago while on holiday in Hawaii. My favourite dive trips have been on a boat for seven days in the far north Barrier Reef spending more than four hours a day under the water - that's my idea of a cruise! I haven't quite braved the cold water around Tasmania just yet but am planning an underwater adventure soon.