October 2021 - CRITICAL INPUT

Critical Input Senior Consultant Melanie Purcell has clocked up nearly 20 years’ experience in all stages of contract development, including strategy development, tender preparation, drafting, negotiation, evaluation, contract award, contract administration, dispute resolution and close-out. She has worked with a variety of contract models across the water, mining, oil and gas, construction, petroleum, transport, defence, rail and manufacturing industries assisting both government and private clients. Armed with a law degree, Melanie is well respected for her integrity, work ethic, attention to detail and perseverance at successfully achieving challenging deadlines and complex project outcomes. She has a proven history of managing diverse teams, risk, expectations and change through collaborative leadership, a strong team culture, and a focus on probity and compliance with organisational governance.

Why Critical Input?

What are you working on right now?

My current focus is supporting TransGrid on the Supply Chain Business Improvement Program. The Supply Chain Management function is a relatively new addition to the business, so it needed a short, sharp intervention to fast-track process improvement and realise benefits for its internal and external customers.

What led you into this type of work?

I fell into Contracts and Procurement after finishing law and realising that I didn’t want to be a partner at a law firm. Soon after graduating, I was offered a role with United Group Rail that allowed me to use my legal background in a practical way to review and streamline supply contracts. I’ve since had a few site-based roles and focussed on construction contracts across a range of industries.

What do you bring to Critical Input that is unique and beneficial to clients?

My unique combination of formal legal training and practical site experience enables me to take a pragmatic and holistic approach to contracts, procurement and problem-solving.

Describe a typical day at Critical Input…

There’s no such thing as a typical day and it’s not unusual for original plans to be hijacked by higher priorities or client requirements. Usually, the day involves meetings with the client or CI team members and devising a solution of some kind – be it a procedure, a process flow, or a new form or template that streamlines how procurement functions.

Is there a particular type of work that you enjoy the most?

I like challenging work where I get to bounce ideas of smart people to achieve a solution to a complex problem. I’m a detailed person, but also enjoy being strategic and looking at the big picture, so anything where I can do both is my sweet spot.

What are some of the most common mistakes you see clients make when it comes to people and processes?

Not taking the time to understand the real problem. There is often a temptation to achieve ‘quick wins’ and look like progress is being made, but sometimes this is done at the expense of taking the time to make sure everything fits together as part of a packaged solution.

How do you know when you’ve done a good job or when a project has been a success?

From a client perspective, success is when the client is happy and they get what they want and more importantly what they need (as sometimes the two are different). From a personal perspective, a successful project is one where I can look back many years later and consider my work colleagues as friends and my clients and managers as people with whom there is a high degree of mutual respect.

Strengths

Contract strategies and formation
Contract management
Negotiation
Attention to detail and analytical skills
Contract claims and disputes
Continuous improvement.

Highlights

Preparing the Major Projects Procurement Framework for a large utility company
Overseeing the Early Tenderer Involvement (ETI) process for a large dam upgrade project
Managing the fast-tracked evaluation and award of a large Tank Refurbishment package for a petrochemical company which contributed to the successful achievement of an extremely time-critical schedule (independently assessed by IPA as only a 5% chance of success).
Working with a team of lawyers to assist a mining client in successfully defending the majority of a large payment claim from a contractor under the Building and Construction Industry Payments Act 2004 (Qld)
Working on-site for the Clermont Coal Mine Project with a great team of people.

Qualifications

Bachelor Business/Bachelor Laws, Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice

Memberships/licences

Society of Construction Lawyers Australia

While important, risk mitigation shouldn’t replace purpose. To live in a world completely devoid of risk poses its own risks – including the risk of loss of opportunity or even, the loss of profit.

By Critical Input Senior Consultant Henk De Vos

Risk mitigation covers health and safety, environmental, financial and statutory compliance, cyber security as well as reputational risk. Over the years, organisations have appointed functional leads to manage these perceived risks, who in turn have created departments to develop and implement policies and procedures to institutionalise these perceived risks. While risk is very real and needs to be considered, it shouldn’t dominate an organisation’s goals. Risk mitigation shouldn’t cause risk.

Adaptation the new superpower

The world is continually changing, and companies need to be agile enough to adapt to this changing world. Unfortunately, many companies have become institutionalised because of policies, procedures and people management. Any breach of policy or procedure could lead to dismissal and hence staff are driven down the compliance line of thinking. While companies talk about innovation and continuous improvement projects, most of these projects fail because they challenge the companies institutionalised culture. How do you challenge the company’s culture when the company believes it’s operating and performing at “best practice” levels?

Perfection becoming the enemy of good

And what is this allusive “best practice”? Many failed companies once dominated their markets by delivering “best practices” that were the envy of their peers, including:

Blackberry Motion
Blockbuster Video
IBM
Kodak
Nokia
Toy R Us.

Big corporations can learn from small businesses

All these companies were once the best in their field, but they failed to adapt to the changing world. New start-up companies seldom rely on policies, procedures and people management, but instead manage risk on a case-by-case basis. They’re continually challenging established standards in search of a market edge. Change management isn’t even on their radar, as they’re in a perpetual state of transformation. Start-ups rarely have established supplier or service provider relationships, rather they’re always scanning the environment for the right partners to help them address their needs at affordable price-points. Of course, these are generalisations and we do recognise that there are start-ups that are more policy and process-driven.

When was the last time that you contracted a truly independent external service provider to review your company’s operations?

A service provider:

With the operational expertise to review your current processes and provide an honest overview of your company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities,
Who can partner with your company to maintain the business as usual while implementing the identified innovation and Continuous Improvement projects
That’s 100% Australian owned company
Whose 25-strong team comprises of seasoned ex-industry professionals
That delivers results, not PowerPoint presentations
Whose only objective is to transform your company, into the company that you want it to be!
If you really wish to challenge your “as is” to understand why you’re not maximising your companies profit, contact Critical Input for fresh eyes and independent advice.
Critical Input is a consultancy firm with its feet firmly on the ground. Skilled at bridging the gaps for clients, we provide functional solutions and implement long-standing processes.
Critical Input gets in and does the work alongside its clients, stepping into the weeds when needed, while also providing high-level strategic support.

CRITICAL INPUT VALUES

Process:

Because without process, there is no destination. We’re process-driven, but also process-drivers. Anchored in the measurement-based strategy for continuous improvement, “Six Sigma”, Critical Input focuses on assessing, tweaking, and refining processes so that your organisation runs like a well-oiled machine.

People:

Because without buy-in, there is no evolution. A formal client stakeholder map is always the starting point. We identify the movers, the shakers, the influencers and the change-makers, and spend time engaging and aligning with these enablers in the organisation. It’s a given that Critical Input hand-picks the best professionals for the job. All our consultants are highly educated and experienced with tried and proven strategies.

Principles:

Because integrity is everything. Critical Input’s agile team is led by a strong moral compass and committed to providing a service based on honesty, trust and transparency. We always deliver the highest quality of service to our clients and provide support, even after project completion. We operate on this principle we’re happy when you’re happy.

Meet Critical Input Senior Consultant Melanie Purcell

Is risk adversity a risk to business?

Adaptation the new superpower

Perfection becoming the enemy of good

Big corporations can learn from small businesses

When was the last time that you contracted a truly independent external service provider to review your company’s operations?

CRITICAL INPUT VALUES