Research Commercial Management Implementation

Overview

Following a review of the Research Commercial Managment function, a Major Organisational Change Proposal: Research Commercial Management (Proposal) was released on 3 September 2024.

The proposed changes for the function were subject to a formal period of consultation conducted in accordance with clause 69.4 of The University of Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2021 - 2026 (Enterprise Agreement) that was open for 20 working days and closed on Tuesday 1 October 2024.

The University received more than 40 submissions through the consultation, in addition to many useful discussions. The feedback was very constructive and insightful, and after thorough consideration the University's Chief Operating Officer approved the Proposal on 14 October 2024.

An Implementation Paper - Major Organisational Change - RCM (Implementation Paper) was released on 16 October 2024 providing more context for the decision, a summary of feedback received and the University's response.

A detailed Psychosocial Risk Assessment was undertaken prior to the release of the Change Proposal, which focused on identifying and mitigating any psychosocial hazards that may arise during the planned organisational change process.

The consultation and implementation arrangements for the proposed changes are conducted in accordance with clause 69 of the Enterprise Agreement.

Implementation approach and next steps

The proposed changes create a substantial scale of activity, and the University aims to minimise disruption for employees and stakeholders and provide ongoing opportunities for engagement throughout the implementation.

The implementation of changes presented in the Proposal aim to prioritise staff welfare and minimise disruption, and will follow the below actions and timeframes:

ACTION	INDICATIVE DATES
Appoint to new and vacant positions	October - November 2024 It is anticipated that appointments will commence in January 2025. An earlier date of commencement may occur where implementation planning identifies this is the preferred path and operationally viable.
Implementation of revised organisational structures and associated changes to position titles and reporting lines	Anticipated by mid-January 2025 An earlier date of transition for some or all positions within a given function or precinct may occur where implementation planning identifies this is the preferred path and operationally viable.
Re-alignment of position responsibilities - updates to Position Descriptions	Anticipated by end of Q1 2025
Integration and alignment of current practices to achieve new operating model, including the development of service catalogues, and onboarding and training material to support upskilling, training and retraining of staff involved in the function.	Throughout 2024/2025 - ongoing Relevant employees will be progressively requested to review and/or provide input into the material. Once completed, material will be reviewed regularly to ensure relevance to the function.
Monitoring of workloads	Anticipated Q4 2024 – Ongoing

Employee Support and Wellbeing

Employees who are directly impacted by the proposed changes are encouraged to seek advice and assistance from their local area manager or local HR Client Partnering team.

Employee Assistance Program  

Employees are reminded that confidential and free support and advice can also be accessed through the University's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) who be contacted by phone on 1300 307 192, 24 hours, 7 days a week. Further information can be found on the EAP website. 

Superannuation

Employees who are members of UniSuper are invited to contact UniSuper directly on 1800 331 685, between 8:30 am and 6:00 pm weekdays.

Position Descriptions

Implementation suggestions and feedback

As we navigate through the transition for the research commercial management function at UQ, your experiences, ideas, and feedback are invaluable in helping making this transition smooth and effective. To support open communication, the Implementation Suggestions and Feedback form has been created, where you can share any feedback or ideas you may have along the way.

This form is a safe and direct channel to acknowledge best practices, suggest improvements, or simply share your thoughts about what's working well and what might need adjustment. All feedback is welcome and will be reviewed to ensure appropriate support is provided through every step of this transition. The University is committed to making this a positive and constructive process, so thank you in advance for your input.

The feedback form can be accessed via the following link-Implementation Suggestions and Feedback form