Meet the Major Programmes team

Have experiences in a previous career encouraged you to seek out more purpose in your career?

The one that really jumps out to me is my first professional job, working for the Metropolitan Police and leading the PMO for a technical procurement programme. The week that I started was the week that the details of the Sarah Everard trial came out, which was a very challenging time to work with the organisation. But I was really amazed by the sense of community and solidarity among the people that I worked with, and the way everyone came together and looked after each other during an incredibly difficult time.

Off the back of that, there were quite a few initiatives I was fortunate to get involved with around repairing public trust in the police. I attended working groups with Met staff and officers to explore ways that could be achieved, which was an amazing thing to be a part of, particularly as a consultant. I heard about the lengths many police officers go to try and build trust in their community, including learning how to say ‘hello’ in all the prominent languages in their area. The idea of bridging the gap between public services and people’s daily lives really stuck with me.

Is that focus on the impact to real people something that you’ve been able to bring to other clients at Deloitte?

Definitely. Working with the Home Office to deliver new immigration routes – most recently for Ukraine – because every case represents a real person and every application affects a person’s whole life, whether they’re a student, a family, or a refugee. Keeping in mind the incredible impact of what we do keeps me motivated, because we can reach millions of people on a daily basis. It is so easy to be divorced from the impact when you’re focussed on the day-to-day, but remembering what our work really means is a huge motivator for me.

Is there a career highlight where you’ve really felt able to see that individual impact?

Working on the Ukraine Permission Extension was a massive deal, allowing over 150,000 refugees to continue to stay in the UK. There would have been a level of anxiety knowing that the original permissions were coming to an end, even thought they had the reassurance their permission would be extended.

We designed this new route to make the journey as seamless as possible for returning applicants – and it was really challenging because this introduced new functionalities that brought a level of technical complexity we hadn’t dealt with before. The challenge was compounded by a strict Ministerial deadline, so delivering late would have had significant repercussions.

It was a really intense time, involving working late nights and weekends, but it was completely worth it. I think of it as a career highlight because it was incredibly rewarding to work so hard for something that really mattered, and it was the clearest case of thinking about individuals and the impact our work would have on their lives. Because we hit the Ministerial deadline, people were able to apply to extend their rights to remain in the UK, and I’m really proud of that.

What impact do you see being delivered through major programmes at Deloitte?

Major programmes are the vehicle through which we can deliver transformational change. When executed effectively, they can achieve an organisation's top strategic objectives, unlocking significant innovation and growth. However, due to their inherent complexities, failure – which is regrettably common – can render them costly, arduous undertakings that fail to realise their intended benefits.

That underscores the impact of our NextGen Delivery approach – and our focus on delivering outcomes, not tied to arbitrary deliverables. Having that flexibility of thought and adapting to conditions makes a huge impact on the delivery of major programmes, and that is how meaningful change happens.

And do you think that approach to major programme delivery is UK-specific or has global applications too?

I recently attended a Deloitte conference in Milan with other Major Programmes practitioners from across our EMEA member firms. It was interesting to recognise that we all face the very same delivery challenges, regardless of location, and the principles of NextGen Delivery thinking clearly resonated with everyone.

I lead the NextGen Surgeries team, which applies these tools and approaches to improve delivery of our largest and most complex deliveries. It’s been so rewarding to work with account teams from across all sectors – and even internationally – and see them benefit from this process and use it to navigate the challenges of delivering major programmes.

Do you have a long-term view of your career in public services?

Yes - improving interactions between people and public services and building trust. Having a positive customer experience is so important, particularly when the issue you’re dealing with could be as fundamental as your right to stay in the country, to secure employment, or to report a crime.

I’m drawn to work that leverages technology to improve the everyday experience for citizens. While the development of shiny new services often captures more attention, less glamorous functional improvements often deliver immense value – saving substantial taxpayer money and ultimately improving our access to essential public services.