Darrin is an accomplished, resilient, and trusted advisor with deep expertise in strategy development, enterprise planning delivery and transformation management. As a driven, focused and collaborative executive with excellent stakeholder management skills, Darrin is passionate about designing and delivering successful organisational strategy, integrated enterprise planning and transformation programmes.
He has extensive executive experience of large-scale technical, customer and professional services; and are a successful influencer of teams - with a proven capacity to champion positive and innovative change across all organisational levels, stakeholders and communities. His experience spans across a multitude of public sector agencies, including Te Whatu Ora, New Defence Force, and ACC – which has showcased Darrin’s effective strategic development, leadership, and communication skills.
Recent Experience
- Te Whatu Ora – National Ambulance Team – Strategic Road Lead: Supported the new Ambulance Team’s transition to a strategic commissioning approach and lead the annual service contract negotiations. Prepared ambulance sector related strategic plan (Te Pae Tata) and 2023 Briefing-to-Incoming Minister (BIM).
- New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO): Acting Director: Finance and Corporate Services. Transformed the NZSO and NZSO Foundation corporate support service functions. This included recruiting finance and human resource teams, general ledger replacement and payroll system upgrade, implementation of a new financial management framework and organisational policies. Managed financial year-end audits, developed Statement of Performance Expectations, and managed budgeting and planning cycle to realise a sustainable retained earnings position.
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research (MIMR): Strategic Programme Advisor leading a stocktake of the Institute’s clinical trials, strategic partnerships and Good Manufacturing Practice delivery capabilities. Implemented a new portfolio management approach to ensure a more effective multi-year programme delivery approach and improved realisation of challenging donor and commercial partner objectives.
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE): Executive Change Partner (Nga Pou o te Taumaru) leading collaboration with MBIE senior management to re-design its medium-term enterprise planning and annual investment processes to provide a more effective overall planning framework; undertook organisational reviews of the Engagement and Communications function and non-financial reporting framework.
- Capital & Coast and Hutt Valley District Health Boards (2DHB): 2DHB COVID-19 Response Programme Manager leading the implementation of a (+$45M) locality orientated vaccination service model – including leading procurement, contracting and support of community and primary providers; and, subsequently developed 2DHB’s successful COVID-19 Care-in-the-Community programme to support COVID-19 positive cases and isolating whanau.
- WorkSafe New Zealand: Led the development of successful Budget21 bid proposals to fund (+$18.5M) new regulatory improvement initiatives and high-cost prosecution activities
Qualifications
Strategic Marketing Management (2001)
Mt Eliza Business School, Melbourne
Leadership Development Programme (2003)
Bachelor of Arts, Honours (Economics) (1989)
New Zealand Institute of Directors
Certificate of Company Direction (2005)
