Alison Samwell

Company Overview: Data driven transformation for financial markets

• Created the first PMO function, focussing on development of individual resources providing a world class service.
• Worked with Senior Management and internal teams to reinforce structure and best practice in project and portfolio management
• Managed numerous customer initiatives focussing on Data Transformation
• Managed multiple delivery teams in client facing initiatives.
• Improved project management processes by implementing best practices and industry-standard tools.
• Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements for all managed projects within the PMO scope.
• Developed and maintained PMO governance framework, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Promoted knowledge sharing among team members through regular workshops, trainings, and seminars on best practices in project management methodologies.
• Facilitated change management activities to support successful project implementation and adoption.
• Enhanced overall project performance by providing guidance and support to project managers and teams.
• Led cross-functional teams in delivering high-quality results while adhering to strict timelines.

Company Overview: Multicloud data automation, compliance, and governance for the application lifecycle

• Managed presales activities alongside regional sales managers to sell services and introduce the delivery methods to potential customers
• Managed and Delivered up to 15 concurrent projects at any time
• Secured service deals for the professional services team
• Scoped, Planned and Managed customer delivery lifecycles
• Assigned skilled resources to discrete customer projects
• Identified growth and expansion potential with customers, converting to further service deals
• First on scene escalation for client issues, managing expectations, resolutions and outcomes
• Managed high-profile accounts, securing long-term partnerships and revenue growth.
• Enhanced client satisfaction by developing and implementing tailored service strategies.
• Established strong relationships with key stakeholders, fostering trust and loyalty among clients.
• Implemented client feedback mechanisms to continuously improve service offerings and performance.
• Coordinated seamless transitions during account handovers, minimizing disruption to clients'' operations.
• Led a team of Client Service Managers to ensure timely delivery of services and solutions.
• Resolved escalated client issues promptly, maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction while protecting company interests.
• Developed and maintained existing client relationship and developed new client relationships.

Company Overview: NHS Digital, The national information and technology partner to the health and social care system using digital technology to transform the NHS and social care.

• Delivery of a number of strategic IT initiatives including the migration of the Data Centre to a new location
• Managed the transition from an existing third party supplier to bring all development activities in house, and work with the new supplier on periphery activities
• Introduced Agile development to new team
• Coached the business towards a behavioural change to accommodate Agile
• Worked with the Senior Management team to define scope and work towards acceptance of boundaries
• Introduced governance where previously it had not existed
• Worked with the business project management team to assist acceptance into service
• Managed all technical handover activities
• Recruited new team to take handover
• Delivered a high-profile revenue generating service within the NHS using MS Dynamics 365 technology
• Managed a team of developers and Database Analysts in the migration of the Data Centre from Harrogate to Plymouth
• 22 Services needed to be both upgraded and then physically migrated to a DR site and an operational Site respectively
• This required careful coordination of upgrades, considerable testing and management of the live business areas
• All services were completed in 6 months
• Delivered a strategic requirement to enable the selective cleansing of person data allowing for patient objections to be upheld in Diagnostic Imaging Data
• Managed a team of developers creating the interface with a key tool for washing data of all unwanted records
• Updated the end to end process flow to reduce inefficiencies in workflow to allow a seamless output of data
• Managed a small team alongside other projects to deliver improvements to the National Child Measurement Programme
• This included significant improvements to reporting and intelligence
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Assisted with day-to-day operations, working efficiently and productively with all team members.

Company Overview: NHS Digital, The national information and technology partner to the health and social care system using digital technology to transform the NHS and social care.

• Delivery of scoping and business case documentation to support the initiation of several new pieces of work relating to Information Governance in the NHS
• Worked with Department of Health R&D Senior leadership team to establish robust governance framework to accompany the Caldicott Guardian obligations.
• Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
• Managed and motivated employees to be productive and engaged in work.
• Developed and maintained relationships with customers and suppliers through account development.
• Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.
• Led cross-functional teams to achieve project goals, fostering collaboration and innovation.
• Enhanced team productivity by implementing agile methodologies, leading to more efficient project completion.

Company Overview: Created to Fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.

• Dual Site - Based in both Twickenham and Leeds
• Planned and implemented new Grants Management software for TCC working closely with the supplier overseeing bespoke customisation to a COTS product.
• Grants Management Software was rolled out for use by several thousand research faculty in England
• Developed relationships with both partner organisations and the supplier and introduced a shared resources structure allowing all members of NIHR to share resources where practicable without the need for cross charging
• Represented the NIHR TCC at a national level at IS Programme Board and other collaborative meetings Inputted to the IS Strategy for the NIHR organisation as a whole
• Remained on the Board for the delivery of Data Standards
• Worked actively on behalf of the organisation in a programme of work to deliver one database for all NIHR organisations
• Overseen the delivery of business change to implement the G+ Cloud technology to 45 members of staff, as replacement for the legacy SharePoint Portal
• Controlled costs to keep business operating within budget and increase profits.
• Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.

Company Overview: Created to Fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.

• Changed the development approach by inviting customers to remain on-site and work with developers to refine requirements at source to expedite the approvals process
• Introduced a business engagement model, providing customers with early sight of dates when their involvement may exceed what is considered normal, to ensure the resources were secured
• Actively managed expectations with the customer and the Department of Health keeping them up to date with the development schedule
• Successfully engaged the team to work towards a common goal, resulting in heightened commitment and extensive working outside normal hours across the team to ensure delivery dates were met
• Improved the organisations reputation amongst its partners by actively engaging them in decision making and collaborative working
• Built a highly effective and committed project team
• Delivered a complex project in strict time constraints to meet the needs of the customer

Company Overview: Created to fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.

• Scoped and launched the Data Standards Project for delivery by all NIHR partners
• Leeds, West Yorkshire

Company Overview: The NIHR Academy provides training and support to health and care researchers at all stages of their careers.

• Produced the scoping document for the project
• Presented the planned timescales and resourcing model
• Made recommendation to change approach due to resource, time and political constraints
• Completed detailed analysis phase as part of final Handover
• Improved communications and relations with customer allowing for a non-prejudice outcome for all parties
• Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
• Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance.
• Reduced operational costs through comprehensive process improvement initiatives and resource management.

Company Overview: Created to fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.

• A project lite management role, where I was asked to oversee the delivery of a system developed to consolidate key financial information for reporting to the Department of Health and the Chief Medical Officer
• This project delivered on time and within agreed cost schedule
• Further enhancements to the reporting tool were then derived and I managed these to an agreed timetable

Company Overview: NHS Digital, The national information and technology partner to the health and social care system using digital technology to transform the NHS and social care.

• Inherited a programme of work which had previously failed to deliver the mechanisms of the programme requirements
• By quickly recognising the gaps in process and original requirements, produced an options document which was presented to the board to agree a way forward
• Further developed options document into a 2-year incremental implementation plan, using agile techniques to gain the support and confidence of the Secretary of State for Health
• Worked closely with the Privacy Impact Assessment project - designed to seek authority for a change in legislation to support the use of patient data for secondary purposes
• Delivered a format for collaborative teams to work within large programme, consisting of 3 sub programmes
• Provided impact assessments for the effects of change in government to the programme
• Developed Business Case for the Information Governance Programme, the largest of 10 programmes undertaken within the NHS IC
• Re-scoped and redefined programme deliverables in light of government changes

Company Overview: Company Overview: NHS Digital, The national information and technology partner to the health and social care system using digital technology to transform the NHS and social care.

• Managed Relationships with third party suppliers for the provision of non-sensitive data
• Worked directly with the customer to ensure requirements for the service were being met
• Acted as the first level of escalation for all customer issues
• Developed new end to end robust change process for the delivery of changes in requirements
• Introduced a ‘Request for Work' procedure, allowing for a fully collaborative, requirements gathering process
• Agreed funding for additional projects and initiatives
• Secured funding for ongoing service provision
• Delivered end to end enhancement project to the current service
• Provided feasibility study to the senior management team for the provision of a new service
• Planned and managed all programme activities relating to the existing and future agreements

• Short term role working with a small consultancy specialising in the third sector
• Provided support to the Managing Director providing guides to large charity bodies to optimise their incoming donations by working alongside large private sector organisations

Company Overview: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a special health authority that supplies blood, organs, tissues, and stem cells to the UK

• Initiated the programme to introduce new roles within the NHS as a result of findings by the Organ Donor Taskforce, to radically change the ratio of donors to waiting list
• Managed Senior clinicians in the delivery of project modules
• Assessed and managed organisational and behavioural changes within the Blood and Transplants Community
• Birmingham, West Midlands

Company Overview: Europe's largest wholesale telecoms service provider by revenue, including communication, collaboration and connectivity services

• Redesigned present Change Process for national SPINE and delivered a service provision for the elaboration of client requirements
• Recommended a collaborative working environment directly with the client to enable a full requirement gathering service with the correct technical resource
• Managed a team of five Change Managers in the facilitation of the change process from initiation to delivery
• Accountable for changes to contract between the NHS and BT to a value in excess of £200m
• Designed and managed a plan for the change in behaviour embedded within the programme
• Managing an eight-month plan to initiate a cultural change throughout the programme to enable a service that can be sold to more than one client using the existing framework of the programme deliverables
• Deputise for the Head of Programme Management Services, managing a team of 100 including Project Managers, Planners and Project Support
• Liaised with the client to identify areas for improvement within their own business areas in order to complement the service being offered by the programme
• Managed a restructure of the Change Team to enable the transition from a largely administration function to a client management and sales support function
• Leeds, West Yorkshire

Company Overview: A leading UK supplier of gas and electricity

• Agent Strategy Programme is made up of eighteen individual strategic projects across four legal entities of npower
• This programme aligned the need of the business as a whole to the need of customers and seeks to maintain a competitive advantage over other leading energy suppliers
• Each individual project aimed to focus on npower's relationship with both internal and external customers
• Agent Strategy Achievements
• Planned the strategic work streams five years ahead against other projects taking place in the business – this provided a high-level view of impact on business so the management teams could plan in advance for adverse effects
• Planned individual projects for time and resource purposes
• Monitored the benefits realisation for five out of the eighteen projects that were of a live status and reported change to the strategy board meeting
• Interacted with stakeholders from all areas of the business including Senior Management across four different legal entities to allow for full requirements realisation and expectation
• Bulk Change of Agent Achievements
• Managed the project to provide the capability to npower's systems – to allow for the communication with multiple agents
• Managed Information Services in the build of new requirements within the existing Data Collection system
• Migrated 150000 Metering system details from an external agent into npower's internal systems
• Successfully managed a project team consisting of four Business Analysts and four Developers
• Provided cost models for each individual migration
• Identified the need to incorporate requirements from several projects under one programme of work
• Recognised need for useful ‘right first time' reporting across the metering business to provide a more efficient cost effective service both internally and externally to the organisation
• Worked with contracts management to understand the commercial need for reporting and how this could adversely or positively affect the overall business
• Worked with agents to understand the culture within the company to enable a flexible approach in reporting and ensure the correct information is gathered
• Managed a team of Business Analysts and IT developers to build and provide a robust reporting tool
• Leeds, West Yorkshire

Company Overview: Leading provider of lifecycle cheque processing

• Produced implementation and fall back strategies and plans for the migration to the new clearing platform
• Managed the production of the Business Operational Design document for implementation
• Produced and assisted in the production of the Requirements Definition, Business Operational Design, Support Strategy and Report Requirements documents
• Analysed reports and extract requirements of the new systems versus the legacy systems
• Northampton, Northamptonshire

Company Overview: Specialist Asset finance provider

• Successfully managed the identification and collation of 80 processes within the New Business department
• Coached and mentored 4 Team Leaders in the effective use of process modelling using the basic UML methodology for the ongoing maintenance of the project
• Actively participated in team meetings to share knowledge, exchange ideas, address challenges, and collaborate on potential solutions.
• Developed high-quality documentation to support training efforts, helping employees fully understand new systems and procedures.
• Performed gap analysis between existing systems or processes and desired state, identifying areas for improvement or enhancement.
• Interacted with internal customers to understand business needs and translate into requirements and project scope.

• Trained and coached the users in the principles of the new process and the concept of data modelling (UML)