Managing MAF's Performance

MAF continues to make progress in its aim to become a "capable organisation" − continuously focused in equipping its people with the right tools and delivering the right solutions so they can deliver the required outcomes for New Zealand. Our medium-term organisational strategy continues to evolve with the focus being refined to three initiatives − leadership, people and support. This clarity will enable further progress in the areas which will make a real difference to MAF's performance.

Project Blueprint

Through Project Blueprint, we have rolled out a single, integrated approach to project management across MAF. Its objective was to develop a standard, scalable project management and governance methodology to assist project delivery in MAF. It emphasised spending more time analysing, problem solving and communicating at the project conception phase, i.e. before initiation.

Nominated staff underwent training in Project Blueprint methodology and since project completion in March 2006, our staff have continued to adopt its methodology (using templates, tools and knowledge). We are currently running an audit process to assess the benefits which have arisen from the project.

Corporate Capability

Over the past two years MAF has embarked on a corporate capability development programme. This programme has focused on ensuring appropriate capability to support MAF's strategic ambitions. There has been significant investment in the areas of assurance and risk, finance, human resources, information management, and strategic and business planning. This investment has involved an integrated approach involving improving people and culture, business processes and technology.

In the past year a number of projects have been undertaken to improve core management capability, systems and processes across MAF. These include:

The Enterprise Content Management System: Enabling MAF to manage and share its knowledge − documents, web, records, emails, images − in a single system.
The Financial Management Information System: Phase one has been completed to provide managers with robust and easily accessible financial information together with procurement and contract management modules.
Planning and Budgeting Process: A three-year programme to enhance this process.
The Leadership Development Programme: As part of a broader people capability programme this will result in clear role identification and competencies for all management roles.
An Information Systems Strategic Plan: Building on previous work in relation to the information technology architecture and telecommunications strategy.
Project Blueprint: This has formalised a new standardised approach to project management across MAF.
Governance Arrangements: We have strengthened our governance arrangements to better align corporate initiatives with business group needs and ensure appropriate control systems are in place.
Planning, Performance and Risk
This year we formed the MAF Strategy and Performance Group to co-ordinate the
MAF-wide approach to strategy development, business planning, and organisational performance measurement. The major work programmes for the group include enhancements to MAF's planning, budgeting and reporting process and the development of a performance measurement framework. Developing a performance culture is a priority for MAF but the lack of an overarching framework has limited progress. This work is a priority for 2006/07.
On an individual performance level, managers have undergone organisational competency training, linking with business group, team and individual competency programmes. Some business groups have also identified specific performance culture drivers for their group.
MAF has been enhancing our corporate assurance systems and our management and approach to risk:
We developed an integrated MAF-wide risk management framework which delivers a business-centric approach to managing organisational risk. After rigorous testing and analysis, the concept was approved and is now being installed into everyday business practice and planning.
The Control Self-Assessment (CSA) programme is being reviewed to deliver a more effective and efficient set of controls. The CSAs are being aligned with both a revamped Policy/Procedure process and a significant Delegations initiative − delivered in the context of the newly-introduced Assurance and Risk Committee made up entirely of elite organisational leaders external to MAF.

MAF-wide Risk Management Framework.

Initiating a MAF Approach to Organisational Risk Management enables us to develop and implement a consistent approach to identifying and assessing our key "organisational risks".

Our approach uses a consistent set of risk criteria to assess the relative significance of key organisational risks.

Organisational Risks can be broadly categorised as "Capability Risks" - dealing with people, systems and processes, "Contribution Risks" - addressing not contributing to our outcomes, and "Business Unit Risks" - affecting our Business Units' ability to achieve their specific objectives. Currently, the project is about 50 percent completed with a whole-of-MAF risk profile to be completed by November 2006.

Leadership

The formation of the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) represented a significant step in MAF's evolution. As the leadership team for MAF its focus is on ensuring the organisation continues to deliver value, remains relevant and demonstrates whole-of-government and sectoral leadership.
While MAF is doing a great deal better on many different fronts, we have yet to become the strategy-led organisation we need to be to really make a positive difference. This is the future challenge facing the SLT.
MAF has committed resource to a leadership development programme focused on developing competencies for effective leaders and implementing training and strategies to grow future leaders. In addition, across-MAF leadership initiatives have been undertaken including:
Development of MAF's three strategic priorities − sustainable development, regulatory philosophy and intervention and trading according to international "health" rules.
SPS forum with a focus on an integrated whole-of-organisation approach to our trade work.
Joint organisational approach to animal identification and traceability.

From a whole-of-government perspective MAF is the lead agency for the sustainable development component of the Government's economic transformation priority.

MAF also has leadership for biosecurity and continues to operate the Officials Committee on Food Safety.

Biosecurity System

Over the past year MAF has initiated a number of strategic work streams to address gaps in biosecurity and the need for capability building. Two significant initiatives have been:

Work on a comprehensive biosecurity information management strategy.
Review of capability requirements to effectively implement MAF's role in relation to major incursion responses and new functions in relation to national pest management.

Audits and reviews were carried out to assess capability needs across the organisation with the objective of creating a more responsive and robust biosecurity system.

MAF has focused on streamlining its management of the biosecurity system.

A list of requests for Import Health Standard related work across all sectors was compiled and used as the basis for MAF's biosecurity work programme for 2006/07. Work was undertaken within MAFQS to assess options to streamline current paper-based processes and resulted in initiatives, including the use of mobile technology, to enhance process efficiency.

Policy Capability

MAF's policy group increased staffing in its Management Services directorate during the year to ensure they contribute fully to requests and provide expert advice in areas such as staff learning and development, planning, prioritisation, business systems and processes and ministerial support. Other capability initiatives include the development of a prioritisation/work programme framework and process and the employment of a Development Advisor who is working with managers and their teams to review their leadership development needs.

Similar investment in business excellence has been made in other parts of MAF.

Our Staff

We are committed to the outcomes of the Government Pay and Employment Equity Plan of Action and will continue to evaluate pay and employment equity outcomes and develop an action plan to identify what steps are required. We are working in collaboration with the State Services Commission and the Pay and Employment Equity Unit in the development of pay and employment equity processes. We have also been consulting with the Public Service Association (PSA) through our joint Remuneration Forum on the implications and opportunities for pay and employment equity initiatives.

We are currently introducing a robust, systematic process for quantitative measurements of the extent of compliance with the full range of personnel policies. Pending the full introduction of this system we have reported no significant breaches of personnel policy.

State Sector Development Goals

MAF has responded to the State Sector Development Goals relating to its employees by developing a consistent set of staff competencies and conducting a staff engagement survey. The latter will provide a benchmark for measuring improvements over time. An Information Systems Strategic Plan has been developed which points the way to future development to improve our responsiveness to and connectivity with our stakeholders. We continue to work closely with our colleagues in central government and Crown entities. External surveying indicates a high level of trust in and respect for the Ministry.

Contact for Enquiries

Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington

Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738 Contact this person