Business Enabling Services

Chief Financial Officer

Assistant Secretary, Chief Financial Officer: Neil Dawson
Phone: 02 6215 3805

Chief Financial Officer contributes towards the outcomes of the Department by providing reliable and timely financial information that supports decision making and seeks to drive improved organisational performance. In addition, the Procurement and Contract team sits within the Finance Chief Financial Officer Branch and is responsible for the central oversight of all Departmental procurement processes. They also provide procurement data analysis and reporting, delivery of procurement learning and development and conducts procurement quality assurance reviews.

Communications

Assistant Secretary: Sally Harris
Phone: 02 6215 2503

The Communications Branch provides advice and assistance on the department’s internal and external communication activities, including coordination of media enquiries and management of key intranet and external websites. It is also responsible for the whole-of-Government co-ordination of advertising campaigns including policy advice, governance, procurement arrangements and campaign development support. 

Parliamentary, Governance and Strategy

A/g Assistant Secretary: Vanessa Boyley
Phone: 02 6215 1611

The Parliamentary, Governance and Strategy Branch provides advice and support to our Ministers, the Department and portfolio entities to fulfil their responsibilities to the Parliament, including management of parliamentary processes (e.g. Senate Estimates, QTBs, ministerial correspondence and briefings) and Cabinet support. The Branch also delivers secretariat services to Finance’s governance committees and coordinates the preparation of Finance’s corporate plan and annual report. The Branch further supports a range of capacity building projects under DFAT funded Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, and supports the Department hosting visiting foreign delegations. 

Business Services and Support

Assistant Secretary: Brent Heaver
Phone: 02 6215 2550

Facilities Management delivers a range of workplace services to the department including:

• Property and facilities management
• Office services
• Protective security management
• Information and records management

Human Resources

Assistant Secretary : Abby Whiting
Phone: 02 6215 3197

HR Assist
Phone: 02 6215 3937

Human Resources delivers a range of human resource services to the department including:

• recruitment and payroll services
• advice and support on employee relations and conditions
• work health and safety services
• assisting the department to embed its strategic goals through workforce planning, staff surveys and targeted recruitment programs, including the Graduate program
• advice and support on HR policy and programs
• management and provision of learning and development opportunities.

For more information, feel free to contact the friendly staff at the HR Assist.

Legal and Assurance

Assistant Secretary: Kelly Hoffmeister
Phone: 02 6215 2594

Legal and Assurance Branch provides the Department of Finance with audit, risk, internal financial governance, and in-house legal advice and assistance including on:

• commercial and public law matters
• assistance in the management of litigation
• drafting commercial and other instruments
• co-ordination of FOI, privacy and lodging Finance Legislative Instruments for registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

The Legal and Assurance Branch is also responsible for:

• supporting the Audit Committee including the provision of internal audit services
• liaison with the ANAO as the department’s external auditors
• implementing the Enterprise Risk Management Framework
• implementing the Fraud Control Framework including fraud and corruption
• internal financial governance including PGPA compliance, maintaining the Accountable Authority Instructions and internal financial delegations.

CBMS Operations

Assistant Secretary: Cathryn Martin
Phone: 02 6215 2285

The Central Budget Management System (CBMS) manages the flow of financial information between Finance and Commonwealth Government entities to facilitate cash and appropriation management, preparation of budget documentation and financial reporting.

The CBMS branch is responsible for providing support for CBMS users, in both Finance and Entities, including second and third level service request and incident resolution, problem and change management, quality control, training development and delivery, communications to users (including the management of the CBMS GovTEAMS community) and managing the vendor contracts for system development and maintenance. In conjunction with ICT’s Internal Services branch, the CBMS branch manages the CBMS solution and the PaaS ICT infrastructure.

Governance and Procurement

Assistant Secretary: Marc Vickers
Phone: 02 6215 1641

The Governance and Procurement Branch (GPB) consists of the  Office of the CIO (OCIO)Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), the IT Security Team, the Governance and Strategy Team and the Budget, Reporting and Procurement Team incorporating the Central Procurement Team (CPT).

• The Governance and Strategy Team develops and maintains Finance’s ICT Strategy and ICTD’s Front Door function to manage demand for new and improved ICT services.
• IT Architecture supports the implementation of the ICT Strategy and provision of these new services through the provision of ICT architecture advice.
• The IT Security Team is responsible for ICT security operations, policy, advice, certification and compliance across the internal and external ICT systems provided by Finance and for supporting the CISO.
• The CPT conducts all ICT and labour hire contract procurements valued at $10,000 or more for Finance.

Government Services

Assistant Secretary: Marcel Gabriel
Phone: 02 6215 1592

The Government Services Branch (GSB) delivers Whole-of-Government services to Commonwealth agencies, including developing and supporting the secure telecommunications and digital collaboration needs of the Australian Government.

The branch is responsible for providing and managing:

• GovTEAMS, a comprehensive whole-of-government collaboration service for the Australian Public Service.
• The Intra-government Communications Network (ICON), an optical fibre network that links Commonwealth offices throughout Canberra.
• GovLINK, a secure inter-agency communication service that encrypts all nominated traffic classified up to the PROTECTED level, between agency Internet gateway.
• The Parliamentary Document Management System (PDMS), delivering services to support the management of parliamentary workflow across government.

Internal Services

Assistant Secretary: Patrick Roberts
Phone: 02 6215 1792

The Internal Services Branch is responsible for managing the Service Centre, application support, quality assurance and testing, minor projects, and the Finance information environment and its supporting technology.

The priorities of Internal Services Branch are to:

• Deliver a high standard of support to clients through the Service Centre and Self-Service Portal.
• Maintain and enhance the end user desktop environment and its supporting services.
• Maintain and enhance both core Departmental and business specific applications and the Finance information environment.
• Maintain and enhance core departmental IT hybrid infrastructure and supporting technology platforms.
• Deliver business analysis and testing services.
• Deliver ICT projects and technology for business projects.
• Manage key ICT contracts.

Online Services

Assistant Secretary: Sharyn Clarkson
Phone: 02 6215 3339

Online Services delivers whole of government digital services and platforms to address the needs of entities. Online Services is responsible for:

• GovCMS, built by government as a whole of government service, is available to organisations of any size. It is suitable for websites containing publicly available information up to OFFICIAL: SENSITIVE. Using open source technology (Drupal) on a public cloud platform, GovCMS also provides cyber security protection services.
• directory.gov.au  provides information about government structures, organisations and key people in a single place, making it easier to find and update information. OSB also manages the back end application on Salesforce cloud that enables agency updaters to update portfolio information into the Organisations and Appointments Register (OAR).
• OSB Jira service provides tools for Agile teams in Finance to plan, assign, track, report, and manage work.
• Bulk Email Distribution service enables Finance business areas to manage email subscriptions and bulk emailing of newsletters and advisories.
• OSB Service Design provides user centered design advice, training and services to OSB products and other business groups.

COMCAR and Programs

Assistant Secretary: Alex McKellar
Phone: 02 6215 1609

COMCAR provides secure and confidential ground transport to a number of office holders across Australia. Reservations for can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The branch is responsible for:

• Ground transport services to the governor-general, current and former Prime Ministers, parliamentarians, members of the Federal Judiciary and other office holders.
• Ground transport to visiting Guests of Government including Royalty and other foreign dignitaries.
• Transport support during major international events including the ASEAN Special Summit and G20, as well as various Ministerial forums hosted in Australia.
• Administering the Australian Political Exchange Council and the Australian Political Parties for Democracy Program.
• Supporting the delivery and management of the Parliamentary Expenses Management System (PEMS) including governance, strategy and assurance. 

HR Frameworks

Assistant Secretary: Amanda Bruce
Phone: 02 6215 1499

The Human Resources (HR) Frameworks Branch is responsible for HR service delivery including policy development and advice in relation to the MOP(S) Act employment framework.  

The branch is responsible for: 

• Providing payroll services to approx. 2300 MOP(S) Act employees throughout Australia, including HR Helpdesk and IT systems support.
• Developing and delivering the MOP(S) act employment framework, in consultation with relevant agencies and employees. 
• Administering other HR services for the MOP(S) workforce.
• Advising the relevant Ministers, and other stakeholders on policy matters relating to various pieces of legislation administered by the Department. 
• Providing policy advice on reforms to Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces Including contributing to the implementation of recommendations of the Set the Standard: Report on the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces.

PBR Framework

Assistant Secretary: Sally Bektas
Phone: 02 6215 1444

The Parliamentary Business Resources (PBR) Framework Branch is responsible for policy development and advice in relation to parliamentarians' work expenses and the delivery of services, including office accommodation and support.

The branch is responsible for:

• Providing advice to our portfolio Ministers regarding parliamentarians’ access to work expenses.
• Advising parliamentarians and their employees on the PBR framework, including work expenses, and administering work expense claims.
• Liaising with relevant stakeholders in relation to the development of, and changes to, the work expenses of parliamentarians.
• Providing facilities and services to parliamentarians, including office accommodation and property services, equipment, and vehicles.
• Managing the provision of services in the Ministerial Wing of Parliament House and the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in State/Territory capital cities.

Digital Services

Assistant Secretary: Laura Sham
Phone: 02 6215 2813

The Digital Services Branch provides project management, client engagement, and service delivery IT capabilities to our client agencies. The Branch is also responsible for the Parliamentary Expense Management System (PEMS) platform.

Operation and Service Management

Assistant Secretary: Helen Martin
Phone: 02 6215 3508

The Operations & Service Management Branch, in the SDO, provides a range of corporate transactional services to Australian Government client agencies in the areas of Human Resources, Financial Operations, Credit Card Management and Service Management solutions. The Branch works collaboratively with client agencies on delivering services more efficiently, through streamlining processes and systems, and using automations to allow staff to focus on high-value, customer service-based activities.

Policy and Governance

A/g Assistant Secretary: Laura Sham
Phone: 02 6215 2813

The Policy & Governance Branch provides policy advice for whole of government corporate and shared services and leads the implementation of the Australian Public Service (APS) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) approach. The branch supports smaller APS entities to choose the right ERP uplift to meet their needs and budgets. The Branch is also responsible for the financial management, performance reporting, internal audit controls, and assurance for the Division and the delivery of corporate shared services through the Service Delivery Office.