LEADing Finance Program

LEADing Finance UPDATE - ISSUE 19

LEADing Finance UPDATE

Issued 19 - New team pic added!

Sent to all Finance staff
5 December 2024

In this issue...

Finance Town Hall: Re-live the experience! Too much FUN! First up? FSEA Team - your photo leads the pack!
Business Partnering: Highly engaging activation launch
Data Visualisation: Building story telling skills
Join the LEADing Finance Team: Passionate about making a difference?
Your feedback: Tell us what worked well and where we can do better
Corner of Inspiration: What has Paul Lui found for this issue?
Don't forget to check out our LEADing Finance photo galleries page.

Team photo - FSEA

Dear Finance colleagues,

As we step into December, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible memories we've created this year. Our Winter Wonderland Town Hall last week was a highlight! It was fantastic to see so many of you embracing the festive spirit and theme (yes, the life-sized Cookie Man was me – and yes, I managed to grab a selfie!).

The Christmas tree activity was a true testament to teamwork, as groups came together to assemble and decorate a tree in just 15 minutes. Moments like these remind us of the power of community and connection. I hope you had the chance to meet someone new or reconnect with a familiar face.

Business Partnering

I am thrilled to announce the launch of our new flagship Business Partnering program – a significant milestone for the LEADing Finance Business Partnering stream.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our FEARLESS leader Ricky and the dedicated team of Charlotte, Inna, John (Yoo Han), Ally, and a special acknowledgment to Petrus for his invaluable guidance. Your hard work and creativity have turned this concept into reality, and we couldn’t be prouder.

Skill-Up

Additionally, kudos to the Skill Up team for crafting innovative learning opportunities that immerse us in deeper insights and thought-provoking discussions this year. From building trust and collaboration to exploring topics like American politics, these workshops have challenged us to think differently.

A big thank you to our FEARLESS leader, Ragu, and the team - Stephen, Fiona, and Evelyn, for delivering such impactful sessions.

Reward & Recognition

The camaraderie and team spirit we've built this year are genuinely inspiring. Our Rewards and Recognition team have outdone themselves with initiatives like the SHINE Awards, Praise Gallery, Appreciation Wall, Superhero of the Month, and securing industry recognition with the Finance Team of the Year award.

A huge thank you to Shervina and the team – James, Irene, Sujin, and Zhuoran – for fostering a culture of appreciation.

Join Us in Shaping the Future

If you’re looking to step out of your comfort zone, meet new people, or make a meaningful impact, we invite you to join the 50+ volunteers of LEADing Finance.

An EOI link is below for those interested – this is your chance to help shape the future and contribute to our shared success.

Looking Ahead

As we approach the end of 2024, we’re already in full swing planning for 2025.

But we want to hear from you! What did you enjoy about the LEADing Finance program? What ideas do you have for improving and expanding our reach?

Please share your thoughts via the survey below.

Prefer a more personal chat? Email me, and let’s set up a coffee – yes, it’s on me!

Enjoy your read!

Team photo: AI Hub

Team photo: Corporate Finance

Business Partnering

The Activation Day for the Business Partnering Program was a highly engaging session designed to introduce participants to the core objectives, program structure, and essential skills needed to succeed as Finance Business Partners at the University of Sydney.

The LEADing Finance BP team celebrated the highly anticipated launch of the Business Partnering Program with a successful Activation Day event.

The day set an inspiring tone, introducing participants to the program’s innovative approach to enhancing strategic, consulting, and relationship-building capabilities.

Key sessions included insights into the partnering function, interactive resource tools like Padlet for collaboration, and an overview of the OPM Project—a practical initiative driving real-world impact.

Facilitators highlighted the program’s objectives, including fostering leadership, strengthening advisory skills, and building a unified Finance Business Partner community.

With a blend of workshops, digital learning, and hands-on projects, the program promises to empower participants to lead with confidence and innovation. Furthermore a digital badging in LinkedIn will be awarded upon completion which will showcase their achievements and expertise.

The Activation Day concluded with a vibrant networking session, marking the start of a transformative journey for all involved. We expect this program is set to shape the future of business partnering at the University.

Key Takeaways

The Business Partnering Program emphasises developing strategic, consulting, and relational skills through a mix of in-person workshops, digital learning modules, and real-world application via team projects.

Participants will earn a digital badge upon program completion, which can be displayed on LinkedIn to highlight their new skills.

The program runs from November 2024 to May 2025 and includes online pre-work, workshops, and a final project presentation.

The day laid a strong foundation for participants to be motivated and embark on this comprehensive journey to becoming impactful Finance Business Partners.

Team photo: FABULAS

Team photo: FCT

Building story telling skills

Data Visualisation

A very enthusiastic, and slightly nervous, cohort got together recently to showcase what they had learned on the Data Visualisation course, a developmental opportunity offered under LEADing Finance’s Learning & Development Stream.

A key advantage they had was they were doing this in groups of three of four, which meant built-in solidarity for the task at hand.

The outcome?

Simply marvelous and a showcase for the LEADing Finance Program, which is focused on helping Finance staff be the best they can be.

About the course

The Data Visualisation course aims to guide participants through the steps needed to build a cohesive visual storyline that brings data to life in support of a “pitch” or an argument being made.

Two full-day courses were offered to Finance staff, with three sessions available for both Day 1 and Day 2, maximising opportunities for staff.

Presentation Day

With 14 groups presenting, the whole event took an entire day broken up into three sessions.

In each session four or five groups presented their work to panels made up of the course leader, James Hall, and representatives from the Finance Leadership Team, including CFO Wayne Andrews.

Panel members assessed each group to score each group before choosing a winner from each session.

Questions the panel were asked to consider when assessing each group included:

Did you enjoy the presentation, if so, what did you enjoy most?
Did you understand the issue that was being presented?
Did you follow the ‘story’ that was being told?
Was there and did you understand the ‘call to action’ as part of the presentation?

More importantly, the feedback from the panels was invaluable, reinforcing the success of the day:

Being sure of your story,
Displaying confidence,
Leveraging the space/stage available rather than staying behind the lectern,
Presenting slides that are visual, easy to read and support your storyline,
Using straplines / taglines to clearly articulate key points,
Interacting with your co-presenters.

Winners!

The winners received a USU voucher to share and celebrate their achievement!

Session 1: The Data Doodlers – Vivian Wang, Wanxin (Wilma) Liu, Cassie Li. Vivian & Wilma were from FPAC and Cassie was representing AI Hub (pictured above).

Session 2: Dashboard Dynamos – Wendy Pearse, Tan Qu & Oliver Kennedy from OATS

Session 3: Pixel Pioneers - Davy Cheng, Ishan Pratap Kakkar, Jessica Wang & Priya Kannan from IMH

Team photo: FPAC

Team photo: IMH

Join the Leading Finance Team at the University of Sydney!

Are you passionate about making a difference in the University of Sydney's Finance community? Leading Finance is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our committee and help shape the future of professional development and team bonding for our finance staff.

What is Leading Finance?

Leading Finance is a dedicated committee of volunteers committed to supporting the professional growth and personal development of our Finance staff. We offer opportunities for both technical skills and soft skills training, empowering staff to excel in their careers while fostering cross-team connections through engaging social activities.

Why volunteer with Us?

Professional and Personal Growth: Contribute to meaningful initiatives that enhance the skills, knowledge, and self-improvement of your colleagues,
Networking Opportunities: Build lasting connections across different teams and departments,
Make an Impact: Help create a collaborative and vibrant finance community at the University of Sydney,
Enhance Your Skills: Gain valuable experience in event planning, teamwork, and leadership.

What we’re looking for

Commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive environment,
Interest in organising and promoting training programs and social events,
Enthusiasm for collaborating with a dynamic team.

How to Get Involved

If you're ready to contribute to the success and growth of our finance community, we want to hear from you! Please express your interest by emailing richard.aland@sydney.edu.au.

Let’s work together to create a stronger, more connected finance team at the University of Sydney!

Team photo: OATs

Team photo: Procurement

Give us your feedback!

Your experiences and insights are invaluable as we look to improve and grow

Thank you for being part of the LEADing Finance program this year! Your experiences and insights are invaluable as we look to improve and grow.

We’d love to hear your feedback—what worked well and what we can do better.

Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey.

Your input will shape the future of this program and ensure it continues to deliver value to our diverse team.

Thank you for helping us build a stronger, more inclusive program!

Also, there are two random $50 vouchers to be drawn so get in quick!

Deadline: 13 December 2024

Corner of inspiration...

Paul Lui, Program Lead
LEADing Finance Program

Insta Team Photo: scary laughing??? OATs delivers!

Keep in touch

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