Item:
Regional Review Implementation Plan-on-a-page
To:
Electoral Commission
For:
ELT Meeting 27 September 2022
Prepared by: Ross McPherson, Acting National Manager Enrolment and Community Engagement
Grace Chiang, Business Improvement Manager, ECE
Recommendations
It is recommended that ELT:
•
note the new Enrolment and Community Engagement (ECE) regional structure was implemented on 22
August 2022 and that al necessary changes needed to ensure the Community Engagement and Enrolment
Processing Teams could operate effectively on that date, were implemented.
•
note that there is further implementation work to be completed in the medium term (to December 2022)
and the longer term (from January 2023) to fully realise the benefits from the ECE Regional Review.
•
note that the responsibility for delivering that further implementation work sist with ECE/Operations Branch,
with support as needed from the TOM and other parts of the Commission.
•
note the attached Regional Review Implementation Plan-on-a page that sets out, at a high level, the work
that needs to be completed (by workstream), expected timeframes for delivery, and the target state each
workstream will achieve.
•
note that the Regional Review Plan-on-a-page is supported by a detailed, task level project plan.
•
note that this is an ambitious programme of work and will need support and commitment from business
units across the organisation to ensure delivery, particularly People and Culture, IT, and Communications and
Education.
•
agree to socialise the Regional Review Implementation Plan-on-a page with the Board, at its meeting on 12
October 2022, for its information and comment.
Purpose
1. The purpose of this paper is to provide ELT with a simple and informative view of the plan for implementing
the medium and longer-term work needed to realise the expected benefits from the ECE regional review,
and to seek agreement to socialise that view with the Board.
Context
2. As part of the wider Commission’s Target Operating Model Programme, the Board approved the
implementation of a new ECE regional operating model, in the form of a dedicated Enrolment Processing
team and a Community Engagement Team. This resulted in the establishment of enrolment processing
centres in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, and nine community engagement hubs in Whangarei,
Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
1
3. This provided for two specialised functions within ECE, rather than staff being required to be competent in
both. This new regional structure, and the evolved ways of working that will come with it, are expected to
result in de-risking general election operations, strengthen operational efficiency and maturity, and increase
participation of priority communities.
4. The new structure was implemented on 22 August 2022, with the fol owing implementation tasks either
completed by that date, or currently underway:
a. Systems changes, particularly to MIKE role authorities and correspondence contacts.
b. Workload allocation changes, identifying where redirected workload from closing enrolment sites
will go.
c. External facing contact detail updates, including website, Google, Yel ow Book, etc.
d. 0800 services provider updates.
e. Community engagement relationship handover commenced.
f. Farewelling those staff who left us, and formally opening our new operating spaces.
g. Closing offices, equipment retrieval and cleanout the properties.
h. Investigating the correct split of budget across the two functions – enrolment processing and
community engagement.
Embedding the regional changes
5. It is critical to maintain a strong focus on embedding the regional changes in the next three months leading
to Christmas. This will ensure we support staff settling into the new way of working and enable us to realise
the benefits in a longer term.
6. To move to the target state by December 2022, ECE plans to take move through the consolidation, capability
development and delivery and implementation phases in the fol owing three areas.
a. Enrolment Process: The focuses will be on aligning processes across processing centres and increasing
visibility of data integrity activities and ensuring the necessary capabilities are ready to scale-up for
GE2023 delivery.
b. Community Engagement: We will focus on developing a clear vision for the function that is connecting
with Māori Strategy, implementing the evaluation and monitoring framework, introducing the best
practice for community engagement and progressing the recruitment of vacancies.
c. Working as a team: the regional teams will get together to develop goals, team charters and continue
the journey of developing a cohesive team culture. The National Office will facilitate the communication
channels and host monthly national “connection” meetings online.
Challenges
7. Recruitment is underway but may not be successful for all roles due to the current job market and resource
constraints, particularly the two outstanding management roles in community engagement. This may impact
on our ability to bring the teams together earlier.
8. Tight timeframe for the rebuild of enrolment support capability due to heavy LBE workload.
9. Given the high workload across the organisation, there may be challenges securing support from other parts
of the business to assist with the delivery.
Document Outline
