The Victorian Public Sector Young Leaders Conference

Rydges Melbourne, Thursday 17th May 2018 

09:10 - 09:40

Keynote Address 

Jeroen joined Public Transport Victoria in January 2015 as Executive Director, Performance & Contract Management, leading the management of franchise agreements and operating contracts for Metro Trains, Yarra Trams, V/Line and all bus contracts across Melbourne and regional Victoria. Jeroen also oversaw the introduction of Victoria’s successful Night Network, delivering all night public transport on weekends across the metropolitan network and key regional centres. Prior to joining Public Transport Victoria, Jeroen was Chief Operating Officer, UK Bus at FirstGroup plc, where he was responsible for the operation of over 6,000 buses and 17,000 staff operating across the UK and the turnaround of 40 regional bus businesses.​

Jeroen Weimar

Chief Executive Officer, Public Transport Victoria 

09:40 - 10:30

Development Session 

How you see yourself is linked to your identity, but how others see you is more closely aligned to your reputation.  There are always subtle differences between how we see ourselves and how others perceive us. However, if there is a significant lack of awareness or misalignment between the two then you could be doing yourself a disservice. The first session of the conference explores the concept of self-identity before turning towards professional reputation.

09:00 - 09:10

Welcome and Opening Comments 

Antony Maxwell

Senior Facilitator & Director of Learning and Development, ASAM

 10:30 – 10:50      Morning Tea

10:50- 11:20

Keynote Address 

Gillian is Victoria's Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability and also holds a portfolio of board positions. She has a depth of experience in the corporate and government sectors in a range of leadership positions in organisations including BHP Steel (now BlueScope), Brambles (Cleanaway), EPA Victoria, WorkSafe Victoria and South Gippsland Water.

As Commissioner, Gillian is leading reforms that encourage better community participation in the science of the environment, and advocating the need for government to better apply environmental economic accounting, data analytics and citizen science to environmental management issues and dealing with the challenges of population growth and climate change.

Dr Gillian Sparkes

Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability

11:20 - 12:20

Development Session 

Values based leadership considers the notion that both personal values and organisational values align. However, in reality this is rarely 100% accurate. During challenging times or in highly pressurised environments values can act as a powerful anchor allowing us to remain confident and decisive. This development session explores the concept of values based leadership and how as leaders we must find a path that aligns our needs with that of our organisations. Moreover, it peels back the layers of occupational ‘need’ to identify how values can play out in the workplace.

 12:20 – 13:00      lunch

13:00 - 13:30

Keynote Address 

Tracey Slatter commenced as Managing Director on January 16th, 2017. Before joining Barwon Water, she spent almost four years as Chief Executive Officer at the City of Port Phillip. Tracey has extensive leadership experience in the health, community, government and local government sectors. She enjoys leadership challenges and is passionate about achieving excellent outcomes and improved value for the community. Tracey holds post graduate qualifications in Business Leadership and a Master of Commerce and is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Tracey Slatter

Managing Director,
Barwon Water

13:30 - 14:30

Development Session 

Leading with mindfulness and presence explores the importance and impact of emotional health. Indeed, when we are ‘operating’ at our best we find that we build strong relationships across the organisation, have a comprehensive overview of the work, tasks and projects are completed and there is a true sense of excitement and achievement. This development session will explore the framework of vertical levels of development and the impact of emotional health.

 14:30 – 14:50      Afternoon Tea

16:20 - 16:50

Keynote Address: My Leadership Journey

Steven Warrington has forged a long and successful career in CFA, beginning as a volunteer in the late 1970s rising to the post of Chief Officer in June 2017. He has played leadership roles during most of Victoria’s worst fires over the last 20 years, including Black Saturday. Highly respected within the sector, Steven became a recruit firefighter in 1983. He worked his way through the ranks and became Operations Manager for the CFA Westernport Region overseeing 69 career and volunteer brigades. In 2013 he became Deputy Chief Officer Emergency Management and has since led a range of key initiatives including the rollout of Emergency Medical Response.

Steve Warrington

Chief Officer, Country Fire Authority

16:50 - 17:00

closing Comments 

Antony Maxwell

Senior Facilitator & Director of Learning and Development, ASAM

14:50 - 15:20

Keynote Address 

In March 2017, Katherine Whetton was appointed Deputy Secretary, Strategy and Performance Group (SPG) after acting in the role since April 2016. The Group provides an integrated approach to strategy, governance, planning and performance, therefore enabling the Department to make evidence-informed decisions that improve outcomes for all Victorians. Katherine was previously the Executive Director, Education State Policy and Design, where she was responsible for leading development and policy coherence of the overarching Education State agenda across the Department’s three portfolios—early childhood development, schools, and training and skills—and across government, including economic development, health and human services, justice and police. 

Katherine Whetton

Deputy Secretary, Strategy and Performance Group, Victorian Department of Education and Training

15:20 - 16:20

Development Session 

An ability to redefine our value and take ownership of our role, whatever our current level, is a critical skill in the modern working world. Indeed, if we are not making decisions ourselves, then somebody else is surely making them for us. The final development session explores our own career direction and how the decisions we make enable us to follow our chosen pathway. It considers how we can develop a ‘stepping up’ mindset, actively develop advantageous relationships and prioritise brave, adaptive thoughts and action.

SESSION 4: ELEVATE YOUR CAREER: IF YOU ARE NOT MAKING DECISIONS FOR YOURSELF, THEN SOMEONE ELSE IS DOING IT FOR YOU​

SESSION 3: LEADING WITH MINDFULNESS AND PRESENCE: SUPPORTING EMOTIONAL HEALTH​

SESSION 2: VALUES BASED LEADERSHIP: STANDING FIRM ON ROCKY GROUND​

SESSION 1: LEADERSHIP IDENTITY: HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF AND HOW OTHERS SEE YOU​