“Stick with it, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The truth is, people don't expect you to know everything, especially when you are new to a role.”
Alissa's Transurban journey and the new skills she uses everyday.
Take us through your career journey at Transurban – where did you start, where did you move to, and where are you now?
- Started in 2017 in Brisbane. I originally applied for the Graduate Program, but as there weren’t enough business-related options in the program at the time in Brisbane, I was offered a casual role as an HR Coordinator! Over the years, I saw our team transition from Queensland-specific to a truly national approach, forming what is now People Connect.
- Progressed into an Operations Specialist role and worked through a movement to our new HRIS platform in 2018, Workday.
- Stepped up into a Senior Operations Specialist role. After five years of working on internal people changes and activity in People Connect, I saw an opportunity in the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) team. Someone from the team actually sent the job ad to me, encouraging me to apply.
- Met with the Head of ERP, and that's where I am today. For the past three and a half years, I’ve been working on payroll process improvements and Workday integrations as well as core P&C process in Workday.
Transurban has been incredible in supporting my ongoing learning; I’ve used our Workday client credits to complete official certifications in Core HR, Absence, and Time Tracking. Plus, being based in Brisbane has shown me that you can successfully collaborate and thrive even when you're in a different state. Everyone in the ERP Team is inclusive and supportive, I have never felt left out.
What skills helped you hit the ground running, and what is a completely new skill you use every day now?
Coming from P&C, who are key stakeholders for the ERP team, I already knew our processes inside out. My problem-solving skills were highly transferable. I was used to playing detective to figure out system issues before passing them on. I also knew how to gather information, understand stakeholder needs, and translate complex technical problems back to the business.
As for new skills, the technical side of the ERP role was completely fresh for me. But I knew I didn't need every technical skill on day one. I learned by doing, shadowing others, and completing formal training.
If your career journey at Transurban was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Spirited Away, the main character takes an unfamiliar road out of curiosity and ends up on a fantastical adventure.
