Senior Consultant
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Helen has over 16 years experience in local government roles across the fields of community facilities, recreation, open space and sport planning and management services. She has held significant responsibility through the roles of Executive Manager Recreation and Open Space (Fraser Coast Regional Council), Manager Community Facilities (Narrabri Shire Council) and Manager Open Space and Recreation (former Hervey Bay City Council). Throughout her experiences, Helen has been committed to continual learning, personal and professional development.
Helen was born in Darwin and as a teenager lived in remote indigenous communities in the Northern Territory - this is where her love of the outdoors and the beauty of the Australian landscape first took hold. Playing sport as a child and teenager evolved into holding volunteer coach and sport administration roles, providing Helen with a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of sport governance structures.
Helen has well developed strategic asset planning and management abilities and understands the relationship between asset management, operational budgets and capital expenditure including whole of life asset management. Her detailed operational management experience extends to developing levels of service and analysing cost of services, resulting in a thorough understanding of the impacts of asset management and service provision on works programs for councils.
Helen has delivered a number of key planning documents including the Hervey Bay Sports Facilities Plan that led to the relocation and collocation of sports across multi-sport reserves and parks. She also played an integral role in developing the Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Priority Infrastructure Plan and Code relating to parks and open space infrastructure. Helen is skilled at negotiating having worked with multiple councils to develop a Regional Recreation and Open Space Strategy (prior to amalgamation).
Helen is an experienced project manager, able to research thoroughly and apply analytical thinking to interpret information. She has prepared strategic and master planning projects and business cases to secure community, political and funding support. Helen has comprehensive knowledge of methods to secure funding from a diverse range of sources including local government mechanisms, State and Federal Government and external funding bodies. She is particularly skilled at breaking down complex projects into clear steps allowing clients to achieve outcomes efficiently with a minimum of ‘red tape’. Helen has been praised for consistently delivering projects on time, within required budgets and to a high level of quality.
