Executive Director Finance and Assets Services

Executive Director Finance and Asset ServicesAbout the Executive Director

The Executive Director Finance & Asset Services, Rob Brelsford-Smith, has overall responsibility for the effective and efficient management of an extensive range of non-academic functions relating to the management of the University’s finances and assets. He leads a very diverse workforce totalling approximately 165 people spread over four campuses throughout the Territory.

Rob’s philosophy is to focus on the following:

People factors:

    • Maintaining a high performance culture
    • Exhibiting professionalism and leadership and encouraging others to exhibit the same
    • Nurturing positive change through engagement and understanding
    • Encouraging entrepreneurship and a desire to add value
    • Attracting and retaining talented professionals
    • Providing a conducive environment for indigenous people to participate and realise their desired level of attainment

Process factors:

    • Automating manual processes and avoiding duplication of effort
    • Maintaining a holistic approach to change
    • Ensuring compliance with policies and alignment with the University strategic plan
    • Encouraging an appetite for continuous improvement and innovation
    • Consulting and engaging with key stakeholders thus ensuring valuable partnerships are developed
    • Benchmarking to ensure service standards are maintained / improved

Technology factors:

    • Ensuring sustainability through appropriate investment
    • Ensuring systems are up-to-date, fully integrated and responsive to the functional needs of clients

Physical factors:

    •  Ensuring the university’s physical infrastructure provides the best environment for teaching, learning, research and service to the community.

Prior to joining Charles Darwin University, Rob worked for nine years at AUT University in Auckland, New Zealand, the last four as Director of Financial Services. Having gained a BSc. majoring in mathematics, Rob trained as a Chartered Accountant in the UK with Touche Ross (now Deloitte) and worked as Group Auditor for APV plc (an engineering group) and as Financial Accountant for British Airways Travel Shop Ltd. Rob is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia.

Rob is married with two young children and is a regular attendee of the University gym.

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