Unifying SU Australia: Merging Nine Entities' Systems into One

To address the challenges of a federated structure, SU Australia embarked on a strategic initiative to merge nine separate entities’ systems and operations into a single, unified national organisation. This complex undertaking required a comprehensive roadmap, developed in collaboration with external Enterprise Architecture firm, BlueBike, spanning three years of merger activities. As the leader of the Mission Systems team, I played a central role in this transformation, responsible for program managing the diverse projects that would integrate all data, systems, and technical processes.

Our approach prioritised high-risk or most needed projects first. Early initiatives included establishing a corporate risk management solution and implementing a new project management system. We also undertook critical data migrations, such as moving the South Australia CRM from a very old and broken platform. These foundational projects were crucial in setting the stage for more extensive integrations.

Each project followed a rigorous process. We engaged key stakeholders to gather comprehensive requirements and user stories through thorough business analysis. Potential solutions were then evaluated against these requirements, along with commercial considerations, to develop a robust business case for Executive approval. Once approved, the Mission Systems team collaborated with consultants, internal stakeholders, and leveraged internal expertise to build and implement the solutions.

A critical final step involved comprehensive training and seamless handover to the relevant Business As Usual teams, ensuring long-term ownership and successful adoption. This methodical approach allowed the team to deliver a unified and robust digital foundation for the newly formed national entity. Over the three years, this structured methodology ensured that projects became faster and more efficient as trust grew between the Mission Systems team and the wider organisation.

Beyond core system integrations, the Mission Systems team also had strategic oversight of various other critical projects. These included the implementation of Brushfire for event registrations, Formstack for versatile data collection, and the Absorb LMS for online training. We also developed key internal platforms such as the MySU intranet for event and volunteer management, and streamlined internal communications by moving from Facebook Workplace to Google Chat. My team was also instrumental in the development of the new national SU Australia website, particularly its technical integrations for events and complex donation forms. Throughout this period, we maintained existing business processes, ensuring continuity of services like donor communications and website support, even while navigating complex data consolidations.