Anne-Marie is the Managing Director of Merit Solutions, a role she has performed since its formation in 1996. Over this time, she has developed and shaped a diverse human resources and management consulting business with an exceptional reputation for integrity, excellence in service delivery and responsive client service. She consults extensively in the areas of strategic HR, organisational structures review, executive recruitment and selection. Anne-Marie previously held senior positions in Human Resource Management in a number of Commonwealth Government Departments. She was also a senior advisor on equity and diversity strategies with the Commonwealth Public Service Board.

With extensive experience in reviews of strategy, structure, resourcing and operations for executive teams as well as organisational units, Anne-Marie has a track record in designing changes which lead to more effective outcomes for clients. She is regularly engaged to review and advise on organisational structures as well as working on the development of executive role descriptions and advising on classification outcomes. She has led and overseen significant change agendas, bringing her practical experience and understanding of the benefits of collaborative engagement with staff and clients within a clear change framework. Anne-Marie also mentors and coaches Merit Solutions consultants undertaking organisational reviews. As a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, she has a strong appreciation of best practice governance and leadership functions.

Anne-Marie has a track record of effective delivery of executive selection services. She has undertaken numerous executive recruitment exercises involving targeted executive search, psychometric assessment, shortlisting, preliminary interviews and supporting panel assessment for roles including Chief Executive and senior roles in not-for-profit agencies and senior executive roles in government. She frequently works with clients at CEO, Board and executive level who value her ability to quickly understand their goals and priorities, her responsiveness to executive timelines and her astute judgement of candidate capabilities and organisational fit.

Anne-Marie has extensive experience in the provision of recruitment and selection advice to clients and to the Merit Solutions consulting team. She has frequently worked as an independent panel member, providing HR expertise and advice on executive level or particularly complex or sensitive selection processes for a range of agencies across local and State Government including statutory authorities. She has advised on strategies to enable the effective management of the selection aspects of corporate restructuring. As Managing Director of Merit Solutions, Anne-Marie has coordinated teams of consultants to assist in large scale selection exercises. With accreditation in the use of PAPI, a globally recognised Personality and Preferences Inventory, Anne-Marie advises clients on the application of this valuable tool in recruitment as well as coaching and team development.

Over many years developing, implementing and reviewing people policy and practices, Anne-Marie has worked closely and collaboratively with clients in the development of standards, policy and procedures in areas such as recruitment and selection, performance management, equity and diversity. She has a strong commitment to best practice principles and these underpin the resources and training developed by Merit Solutions with Anne-Marie’s guidance and advice.

Following more than a decade of professional leadership in this field, Anne-Marie’s knowledge and experience in the use of action learning to achieve individual and organisational learning and continuous improvement is highly developed. She has designed and facilitated action learning based development programs utilising a combination of content delivery, project based learning, coaching or mentoring and learning groups. Anne-Marie’s experience in designing and facilitating team development activities also includes future search and strategic planning workshops and team performance reviews. She has facilitated focus groups with staff and clients in response to staff survey outcomes or as part of organisational reviews.

Anne-Marie has extensive high level experience in coaching and mentoring managers and leaders up to executive level. She is accredited to use 360° feedback tools focussed on leadership, strategic intelligence and emotional and social intelligence. Anne-Marie has also designed and delivered training in a wide range of people management capabilities. She provides oversight and leadership to the growing Merit Solutions Learning and Development team.