Policy and Procedures for Operational Planning at Blue

Tongue College

Policy 1

Strategic Plan at Blue Tongue College 1

Link between strategic and operational planning 1

The organisational functions that an operational plan can cover 1

Difficulties 2

Risk management planning 2

Procedures to manage Potential Risks and create Contingency Plans 2

Writing an operational plan 3

Monitoring performance of your operational plan 3

Consultation 4

Budgeting 5

Writing a proposal for resource acquisition 5

Resource acquisition – personnel 5

Questions to consider in interview 6

Resource acquisition 7

Protecting intellectual property 8

Application of intellectual property laws 8

WHS and your operational plan 9

Policy
To provide quality training and assessment to our students that ensures that they are job ready with
their careers.

Strategic Plan at Blue Tongue College

The intent of our Strategic Plan is a plan to deliver our training blue print - Our priorities are to provide:
1) Customer – customer services that continually meet or exceed customers’ expectations.
2) Value for money – organization managed in a financially sustainable way.
3) Assets – effective management and stewardship of its assets.
4) People – a customer focused workforce that is empowered, accountable, committed and proud
of its achievements.
5) Growth – assure our growth program provides for sustainable capacity and service improvement.
6) Safety – a healthy learning environment that is free from harassment so that our student can focus
on their study.

Link between strategic and operational planning

Strategic Plan outlines a company’s objectives/methods of achieving this objectives and timeframes
(2 – 5 years).
Business Plan is used to procure loans for the business. It contains returns of investments, forecast of
revenue and business development schedule (5 years plan).
Operational plan details how aspects of the strategic plan will be achieved in 1-2 years but can be less
if the business is operating in unstable environment. It details scope of works, resources allocated to
do this work and outcomes expected at the end of the period.

The organisational functions that an operational plan can cover

 Finance
 Maintenance
 Research and Development
 IT
 Operations
 Customer Service
 Safety, Environment, Quality and Risk
 Procurement
 Production
 Human Resources
 Marketing and Communications (including Public Relations).

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Difficulties
Difficulties that our organisation could experience with planning, implementing and controlling plans:
 During times of restructure/change/change of direction these can be difficult to get off the ground
 Quantifying goals and objectives
 Inconsistency across the business
 Sheer volume of administrative work to implement and monitor
 Incorrect allocation of tasks
 Political Pressures
 Silos – losing intent, lack of communications, dilation
 Incorrect / lack of monitoring plans
 Use of too many lag indicators – if too many KPIs are lag indicators they may not be effective
enough
 Inexperienced staff
 At times, failure to adequately measure KPIs.

Risk management planning

Given the potential issues to planning all operational plans will have:
 the identified risk
 what is the likelihood of this happening (Rating system looking for level of likelihood of this
happening)
 what is the consequences or impact of this risk (rating system determining the severity of this
happening)
 and if rates high, the strategy to address the issue. This could sometime be long term strategy.
 the ranking system can be either be a number between 1-9 for impact and 1- 5 for likelihood with
1=low and 5/9 =high and or a colour coded system from green (low), to orange to red (high).

Procedures to manage Potential Risks and create Contingency Plans

A Contingency Plan is designed to reduce the impact if a risk does materialise.

 Assess the risk - Some factors to keep in mind are – Political (Government legislation with
education and training) and labour issues (use of casuals on VISA restrictions), as well as economic
risks.
 Delegation – identify who has the authority to be responsible for making decisions.
 Review plan regularly – test the worthiness of your contingency plan on a regular basis to ensure
that the mitigation strategies are feasible.
 Track current events – Continually monitor the progress and conditions that are affecting your
service.
 Be knowledgeable and prepared – Have contact numbers of suppliers / locations maps / Blue
Tongue College personnel and relevant services.
 Back up you file - Ensure that all correspondence with this event is documented and stored for
future access.
 Keep documentation up to date.

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Writing an operational plan
 All plans must have an objective.
 This objective must be tested against SMART criteria.
 You can have more than one objective.
 All strategies must relate to the achievement of the objective.
 Each strategy must have a set of actions or tasks that describe in detail what needs to be done to
achieve the strategy.
 Each action can be further subdivided to provide more specificity.
 All actions must be written in current tense such as “to develop a list of current users…”.
 Every action must be accompanied by an outcome.
 Every outcome must be written in past tense to express the end result; e.g. “document produced
listing current users”.
 Every outcome must be measurable and specific with a quality statement; e.g. “document
produced that contains an accurate and current list of users”.
 do not list any actions or tasks that cannot be measured.
 All actions must be time framed with an actual date; e.g. May 1st, 2016”.
 All actions should have a list of resources that carry either a reasonable cost or effort to access
such as “computer software version 1.2.133 or later”.
 All actions where possible, should have a role attributed to them by title not name.

Monitoring performance of your operational plan

 All plans must have strategies and actions that are measurable.
 Do not include any actions that cannot be measured.
 All actions must have an outcome (see above).
 All actions must be monitored on a regular basis. Rule of thumb is daily.
 All results produced must be entered into the results section of the Implementation Monitoring
Template.
 All results must be accurate and not modified.
 Where there are no results then this must be entered.
 All plans must list variances with outcomes planned and results achieved.
 Where there is variation that is significant then management must be included in the consultation
before mitigation can be implemented.
 Where there is significant variance, then this should receive a comment as to why.
 With significant variance, a mitigation should be tabled on how it was addressed.
 When implementing mitigations, please refer to your risk or contingency management plan.
 No staff member is to go outside their duties statement when making adjustments to operational
plans.
 If in doubt about your authority then you must seek input from your direct report.

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Consultation
a) communication is important consultation is vital if the Operational plan is to achieve outcomes
b) the key outcome of an Operational Plan is to inform and provide a level of ownership to all staff
c) this can only be achieved if the progress of the Operational Plan is communicated on a regular
basis
d) to assist in this, key staff are to develop a consultation by using the Consultation Plan Template
provided below
e) then the person identified as responsible for the consultation process must follow the
requirements entered into the Consultation Plan Template
f) this person must ensure that the sharing of the Operational Plan is not solely communicated but
an opportunity for consultation
g) for this to happen the weekly meetings must engage stakeholders so that they can contribute to
the discussion and where appropriate make recommendations for any adjustments to the
Operational Plan.

Consultation Template

Stakeholder Stakeholder Stakeholder Stakeholder Stakeholder

1 2 3 4 x

Outcomes What do you want to achieve with this consultation?

Key Message What do you want to consult?

Channel What are the methods you are going to use?

Responsibility Who will coordinate this consultation?

Frequency How often will each stakeholder be consulted?

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Budgeting
Budgeting for all operational plan will include items as follows:
 Lines of Revenue
 Costs/ Expenditures including:
 Labour – Full time, Part time, Casual, Contracts, Temporary Full time, Temporary Part Time
 Plant (including site costs)
 Facilities
 Equipment
 Materials
 Utilities (Energy, water)
 Forecasts
 Actuals
 Variance of all these costs
 Commentary about each item.

Writing a proposal for resource acquisition

Writing a proposal for resource acquisition must include:
 Project Title
 Project Team
 Current situation / issue to be addressed (background statement)
 The Impact of the Proposal
 Options to address the current situation and an evaluation of issues, including consideration the
result if we were to ‘do nothing’
 Preferred option
 Identify Risks involved in the implementation of the preferred option
 Identify Resources required
 Return on Investment Statement, i.e. The costs versus the benefits
 Budget Forecast
 Recommendation.

Resource acquisition – personnel

 Blue Tongue College Policy ensures that all decisions made in relation to the Selection and
Appointment of all its staff and employees are just, impartial, and reasonable.
- The merit selection process will need to be followed. This involves development of a set
of interview questions, procedure for ranking responses, methodical reviews of
applications and resumes. Each panel requires an individual independent to Blue Tongue
College to partake in the selection process.
 Diversity in the range of applicants

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 - The interview panel is required to be representative of the applicant group and a direct
reflection of the community. The requirement is for at least one male and one female
member of the panel.
 Adhere to Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.
- The selection process will be conducted and the candidates selected on merit alone and
not discriminated against on the grounds of Age, Sex, Race, Religion, Marital status, Sexual
Orientation, Union Activity/Inactivity, Pregnancy or potential pregnancy or Cultural beliefs.
 HR Processes are clear and unbiased
- Established position descriptions, pay grades or Remuneration packages determined
prior to recruitment and based on the requirements of the position. These are to be
available at the application process. During the process, feedback sought will be given,
and applicants reserve the right to appeal appointments on just grounds.
 Applicants are kept informed and are given ample time to submit their application
- Where jobs are to be advertised internally, this is via advertisement in the ‘Your Careers’
newsletter and the Careers portal, with clear information around closing dates. Where
jobs are advertised externally, this means allowing reasonable time to complete written
applications.
 HR Forms are used in every point of the process to ensure compliance checks. The selection
process and documentation is a standard format that is consistent throughout the organization
allowing the audit ability of the process.
 Aligned to comply on all applicable State, Federal, and International Laws and agreements.

The HR Remuneration Policy will also play a part in the recruitment process. It states that jobs are
evaluated fairly and equitably, salary administration arrangements are clearly defined, employees
are provided with flexible arrangements, and clear procedures for remuneration issues. In order to
comply with this, we will need to ensure that the positions are scoped with the assistance of HR to
place them within the current Blue Tongue College classification structure to ensure the
transparency required.

Questions to consider in interview

1. Please detail your previous experience in the Rail Industry or an equivalent Heavy Vehicle Industry.
Could you briefly outline the roles and duties you were responsible for?
2. Please explain previous experience and your involvement in Project Teams and delivery of both
large multidisciplinary and small-scale projects.
3. Please give us an example of a problem that developed that may have had an adverse effect on
the completion of the project. How was the problem identified? What type of problem solving

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 methodology was used to overcome the problem, and how did you risk manage any further
potential issues?
4. Outline your knowledge of and experience in Budget Monitoring, Cost Analysis and Resource
Management and how have you utilized these skills to ensure targets have been met.
5. As a team leader or as a team member, how you would promote a good culture within a team and
what do you believe are the key elements to a successful team that achieves its goals.
6. What can you identify as the major challenges or issues that this team and project will have to
overcome in delivering this project.
7. Please demonstrate your understanding of (WHS) WSA, EEO Policies and a explain your
commitment to Ethical Practices.
8. What style of team do you work best with and why?
9. What is your availability for this operation?
10. What level of motivation do you have with this operation and why is that?
11. What difficulties do you think you will have in terms of accessing technology and what could you
do to address these issues?
12. What level of quality would you like to achieve with this operation?
For more detail of the recruitment, selection and appointment refer to the Recruitment, Selection
and Policy and Procedures document.

Resource acquisition
 Blue Tongue College requires all employees of Blue Tongue College to carry out their tasks that
requires procurement of goods and services in an honest manner.
 Transparency in all aspects of their tasks.
 Supports Blue Tongue College in achieving its goals through a responsible behavior.
 Procurement encourages the use of the tender evaluation methodology through non-panel
tender processes. Conflicts of interest should also be identified and declared for panel members.
 Procurement strategies that will help Blue Tongue College conduct its business and award tenders
based on merit and ensure winning tenders must always represent good value for money to the
College. In order to comply with this, clear scoping requirements shall be set out by the project
team in developing the contract. This will be aided by the development of the technical
specification. The development of clear criteria should be reflected in the tender documents. In
order to evaluate the tenders, a tender evaluation methodology will be developed by the tender
committee (three members,) and agreed prior to reviewing tenders. This report determines the
marking criteria. On review, the non-panel tender evaluation report in conjunction with the tender
evaluation methodology document is required to assess each tender. The standard Blue Tongue
College requirements, such as that around insurance, is also covered off in this evaluation report.
Submission of the evaluation to Procurement will result in the award.
 For acquisition of resources under a value of $10,000, the manager or their assistant will obtain
three quotes and include in this quote:
- price
- discounts or promotional offers
- the specification and or requirements of the product or service
- availability
- warranty.

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Protecting intellectual property
We have summarised the key issues with intellectual property. Note this was sourced from Stanford
University Libraries. Read the summary below then consider the dot points as procedure for Blue
Tongue College.
A wide body of federal and state laws protects creative property such as writing, drawings,
photography, and films. Collectively, this body of law is called “intellectual property” law, which
includes copyright, trademark, and patent laws, each applicable in various situations and each with its
own set of technical rules.
When obtaining permission to use creative works, you’re concerned primarily with copyright law.
However, trademarks, trade secrets, and publicity and privacy rights sometimes come into play when
permission to use certain types of works is sought. Below is a summary of the various types of
intellectual property laws that are relevant to the permissions process.
 Copyright. Original creative works such as, written documents, software, photos are protected by
federal copyright law. A work must meet certain minimum requirements to qualify for copyright
protection. The length of protection also varies depending on when the work was created or first
published.
 Trademark. Brand names, as well as logos, slogans, and other devices that identify and distinguish
products and services, are protected under federal and state trademark laws. Unlike copyrighted
works, trademarks receive different degrees of protection depending on numerous variables,
including the consumer awareness of the trademark, the type of service and product it identifies,
and the geographic area in which the trademark is used.
 Right of Publicity. The image and name of a person are protected under a patchwork of state laws
known as the right of publicity. These laws protect against the unauthorized use of a person’s
name or image for commercial purposes — for example, the use of an employee’s image on the
website. The extent of this protection varies from state to state.
 Trade Secrets. State and federal trade secret laws protect sensitive business information. An
example of a trade secret would be a confidential marketing plan for the introduction of a new
software product or the secret recipe for a brand. The extent of trade secret protection depends
on whether the information gives the business an advantage over competitors, is kept secret, and
is not known by competitors.
 Right of Privacy. Although not part of intellectual property laws, state privacy laws preserve the
right of all people to be left alone. Invasion of privacy occurs when someone publishes or publicly
exploits information about another person’s private affairs. Invasion of privacy laws prevent you
from intruding on, exposing private facts about, or falsely portraying someone. The extent of this
protection may vary if the subject is a public figure — for example, a celebrity or politician.

Application of intellectual property laws

 Whenever you intend to use material or resources such as documents written by someone else
then you may be in breach of the law.
 This is particularly relevant to operational planning in the areas of:
- a patented technology or process
- a secondary data source of information

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 - a report on industry or business.
 By intending to use, can include photocopying to gather information.
 Discuss with your manager, any use of a source (other than yourself) prior to access.

WHS and your operational plan

When you implementing your plan you must abide by the WHS Act 2011 this means:
 You have a duty of care to all those involved with working to your operational plan.
 This duty of care extends to anybody on company premises or PCBU’s.
 PCBU’s are people who are undertaking a business activity that is include in the operational plan.
 All PCBU’s are entitled to work in a healthy and safe environment.
 It is your responsibility as well as management to ensure that you cooperate with this intent.
 Remember duty of care does not relate to physical injury and the following of procedures to
minimize the occurrence of this event, but it includes a healthy environment which covers you
taking preventative measures against bullying, harassment and discrimination during the
operations in order to ensure mental health of team members.

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