Shared service governance framework
Purpose
The Shared service governance framework supports the Shared service policy. It aims to provide direction for the shared service model by:
- promoting the whole-of-government perspective in decisions, ensuring alignment between the model and Queensland Government strategies and priorities
- ensuring clear leadership, oversight and direction for the model
- ensuring that the Shared service policy and its components are consistently applied
- ensuring that Queensland Government realises the expected benefits from the model (as defined in the Shared service policy)
- ensuring that the model remains effective.
Understanding the governance framework
The governance framework consists of eight functions designed to provide support, guidance and strategic direction to the model.
The following authorised officers and groups are delegated the responsibilities for the eight functions.
Executive sponsor
The Executive sponsor is the Director-General reporting to the Minister accountable for shared service provision and systems and ICT policy and standards.
At August 2024, this is the Director-General, Department of Transport and Main Roads.
The Executive sponsor is responsible for:
- advocating for the policy
- reporting to Cabinet and the accountable Minister/s on the status of Queensland Government’s shared service and the progress of key initiatives
- promoting a common and consistent understanding of the shared service vision, expected behaviours of providers and customers and desired outcomes across the Queensland Government
- representing shared service at the Chief Executive Leadership Board, presenting matters for consideration and noting on behalf of shared service and the Queensland Government Customer and Digital Group (QGCDG), as required
- approving changes to the policy.
Shared Service Governance Board
The Shared Service Governance Board provides oversight of the model for the Queensland Government and is responsible for:
- Providing cross-government leadership for the policy including:
- advocating for standardisation, automation, and economies of scale
- approving changes to the scope of the model
- endorsing and/or identifying changes to the policy and/or model
- providing oversight of initiatives that improve and mature the model
- providing oversight of shared service centralised funding (where available), ensuring that funds are utilised effectively and efficiently by all shared service providers
- monitoring the performance of the model
- providing guidance on matters that impact or relate to the policy and/or model.
- Ensuring whole-of-government alignment including:
- ensuring that the policy is consistently adopted by shared service providers and customers
- driving alignment between shared service providers, customer and government plans and strategies (including people strategies).
The Board is chaired by the Executive Sponsor and consists of Deputy Directors-General (or equivalents) of shared service providers, key customers, and central agencies.
The Board provides direction and can assign shared service-related tasks to QGCDG.
Membership, matters for consideration, authorities of the Board, secretariat arrangements and other operational details are documented in the Terms of Reference.
Queensland Government Customer and Digital Group
The QGCDG is delegated the responsibilities for three functions: strategy development, strategy implementation, and advisory and assurance.
The QGCDG is responsible for:
- Developing and maturing the policy, including:
- providing stewardship of the policy, including:
- standards for services, business process design, quality, performance, and capabilities
- the related frameworks
- all necessary regulatory, governance, performance management, risk management, acquisition, dispute resolution, and compliance processes to support the policy
- inventories of approved services and shared service providers.
- planning and coordinating reform and improvement programs, and reporting progress to stakeholders and relevant governance groups
- making recommendations on new sharing opportunities or changes to services that impact whole-of-government and overseeing pilot programs to test innovations and expand shared service scope
- Providing reporting services to stakeholders and governance groups to support informed decision making, including (but not limited to) reporting on:
- progress and status of shared service initiatives
- benefits realised from investments and innovations
- finances including budgeted and actual costs of initiatives, mitigation of risks and issues, and whole-of-government shared service operating results.
- performance management of the policy including:
- planning and coordinating performance management activities, including benchmarking, ensuring reporting is independent, comprehensive and appropriate
- collating operational performance results provided by shared service providers
- using performance reporting to identify trends, risks or issues and escalating as required for action
- overseeing the implementation of performance improvement actions and reporting progress to relevant stakeholders.
- providing stewardship of the policy, including:
- Delivering the policy including:
- implementing all necessary processes to support the policy
- implementing reform programs and improvement initiatives related to the policy, including supporting shared service providers with transitioning and embedding changes
- maintaining the register of risks and issues that impact or relate to whole-of-government shared service, escalating to the relevant governance groups and stakeholders (as required)
- facilitate cross-sector information sharing and collaboration including:
- undertaking the Secretariat role for the Board.
- coordinating the Customer Shared Service Advisory Group (CSSAG) and Jurisdictional Shared Service Advisory Group (JSSAG)
- supporting engagement with other governance groups and committees and shared service providers, and acting as a conduit where appropriate
- engaging with shared service industry leaders and partners
- providing research and analysis services on matters related to shared service to the Board and central agencies to support decision-making.
- Provide advice and assurance to the Queensland Government on matters related to shared service.
Shared service providers
Shared service providers oversee and manage the day-to-day operations (including delivery of services). They are responsible for:
- undertaking operational planning ensuring alignment with the policy and Queensland Government and departmental strategies and plans
- planning and managing (including obtaining approval) for the operating budget
- planning and managing resource allocations, ensuring resources are being utilised effectively and efficiently
- adopting and maturing internal governance arrangements to support effective delivery and operations
- engaging with customers, vendors and partners to continuously improve services
- completing and reporting on operational performance (including Service Delivery Statements)
- completing annual reporting requirements within required timeframes
- managing service delivery and operational risks, and escalating risks and issues through internal governance arrangements for mitigation and resolution.
- identifying risks and issues that may be common across government and leveraging the Shared service governance framework to mitigate risks and issues (where appropriate)
- monitoring provider-led initiatives and reporting to relevant stakeholders and governance groups as required or requested
- overseeing and managing the delivery of services in line with service agreements and quality standards
- contributing to the planning and participating in Queensland Government shared service performance activities (i.e. benchmarking)
- adopting the policy and its related processes, providing feedback on the policy and processes, and reporting progress to relevant stakeholders and governance groups.
Facilitated through the QGCDG, shared service providers can engage with the CSSAG for advice, when required.
Shared service providers are accountable to their Accountable Officer and operate within their own governance arrangements to make decisions on services and operations and manage risks and issues. Shared service providers are required to report matters to the Board, as defined in the Board’s Terms of Reference. To raise matters to the Board, shared service providers are to liaise with the QGCDG.
Customer Shared Service Advisory Group
The CSSAG supports the implementation, maturity and application of the policy and is responsible for:
- supporting the evaluation of policy as outlined in the performance framework and identifying opportunities for improvement
- evaluating the performance and application of the policy and frameworks to identify opportunities for improvements
- providing feedback and contributing to revisions of the policy.
The CSSAG is an advisory committee and has limited decision-making authorisation.
The QGCDG chairs and is secretariat for the CSSAG. CSSAG consists of the General Managers and/or Executive Directors (or equivalent) of shared service providers and customers and representatives of policy owners.
Membership, matters for consideration, and authorities of the CSSAG are documented in the Terms of Reference.
Jurisdictional Shared Service Advisory Group
The Jurisdictional Shared Service Advisory Group (JSSAG) is a consultative committee consisting of representatives from government shared service providers across Australia. The primary purpose of JSSAG is to facilitate cross-jurisdictional information sharing between shared service providers. Engagement with the JSSAG is facilitated by the QGCDG.
The JSSAG is a consultative committee and has no decision-making authorisation.
Membership and responsibilities of the JSSAG are documented in the Terms of Reference.
Issue and approval
Issue date: 8 August 2024
This framework is published within the Queensland Government Enterprise Architecture and administered by QGCDG. It was developed by QGCDG and approved by the Director-General, Department of Transport and Main Roads.