Head of Consulting - Australia
Shannon Lawrence is the Head of Consulting for DDI Australia, based in Sydney.
Before joining DDI, Shannon’s experience included various internal Human Resources positions, in generalist HR and organisation development roles across the financial services, construction, mining, and health care industries. She also has external consulting experience in all aspects of talent management, including selection, development, performance management, and high potential identification.
Shannon’s expertise is in developing commercially relevant and integrated talent management solutions. She has worked with a variety of different organisations including SingTel Optus, Western Power, Zurich Financial Services Australia, Insurance Australia Group and George Weston Foods.
Current Responsibilities
Shannon Lawrence’s responsibilities include:
- Leading the DDI Australia consulting team.
- Providing strategic consulting in the areas of succession management, selection and assessment, leadership development and performance management.
- Designing and implementing consulting solutions to meet client needs and DDI’s quality standards.
- Facilitating leadership development programs.
- Providing executive feedback and coaching.
Education and Credentials
- Bachelors degree in Business
- Masters degree in Education (Adult Education)
- Certificate IV Workplace Assessment and Training
- Accredited Targeted Selection® interviewer, administrator and facilitator
- Master Trainer in DDI’s learning systems
- Accredited roleplayer, assessor, report writer, and executive feedback provider in DDI’s assessment centre methodology
Key Capabilities and Experience
- Designing and implementing competency frameworks, performance management and talent management/succession planning systems
- Designing and facilitating leadership development programs
- Executive coaching
April 2008-October 2008: Implemented a large scale assessment project with a utilities company going through significant cultural change, to benchmark leadership capability. This involved defining success profiles at four leadership levels across the organisation, designing and implementing an assessment centre for around 200 leaders, and facilitating strategic talent review discussions with the senior management team of each Division of the company. Has provided a first for the organisation to be able to objectively review the strength of the leadership pipeline and to develop strategies to address significant gaps.
August 2008-present: Designing and delivering leadership development programs at all leadership pipeline levels for a fast moving consumer good client undertaking a culture change program. Providing strategic consulting to the GM Human Resources and Head of Organisation Development on the design and delivery of the programs, and their alignment to other talent processes. Program receives strong positive feedback from participants and the organisation’s engagement survey results are improving.
March 2009 – present: Providing coaching to senior leaders in the mining industry as part of a global DDI project. Developed strong relationships with coaches and delivered business impact through improved leadership performance.
March 2009 – present: Developing a leadership curriculum with a Global Financial services organisation, to address capability gaps and with alignment to other people systems. Facilitating comprehensive planning with a senior leadership stakeholder group to ensure sustainable positive impact from the program.
January 2009 – present: Providing strategic talent management consulting with one of DDI Australia’s largest clients, to develop integrated talent management solutions and elevate the business impact of current practices.