Bethanie Leavesley
Penkridge
Summary
Programme and Transformation Experience Specialist delivering strategic change and transformation within complex organisations. Achieved stakeholder engagement and change adoption through data-driven decision-making and customer insights. Focused on designing people-centred solutions that align with strategic objectives. Drives innovation and agile practices to foster adaptive work environments.
Overview
1
1
Certification
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Programme Management Office
NatWest Group
Birmingham
2022.03 - Current
- Supported multi-million budget programmes across Finance and Risk, ensuring delivery of outcomes through progress monitoring, decision challenges, RAID management, and governance maintenance including Change Impact Assessments.
- Managed resourcing, forecasting, and variance analysis to enhance resource allocation and maintain budget control.
- Delivered Agile ceremonies and Programme Increment Planning, fostering a collaborative and adaptive work environment.
- Compiled Executive Steering Group packs, recording minutes, actions, and decisions to facilitate informed governance and stakeholder alignment.
Experience Manager (Secondment)
NatWest Group
Birmingham
2025.07 - 2026.02
- Collaborated with diverse business areas and stakeholders to develop solutions reflecting customer voice and aligning with organisational priorities, driving informed decision-making.
- Delivered and reported on experiments enhancing workforce skills and customer experience, engaging customers and colleagues across telephony, branches, and offices in UK and India through research, workshops, observations, interviews, and feedback loops.
- Designed and delivered product solutions, including prototyping, user acceptance testing (UAT), and effective stakeholder communications to ensure alignment with user needs.
- Conducted data analysis across multiple sources, transforming insights into key themes, frameworks, and actionable recommendations aligned with strategic objectives. Delivered to senior stakeholders verbally and written.
Performance & Business Management Support Analyst
NatWest Group
Edinburgh
2020.01 - 2022.04
- Delivered training to Senior Leadership, teams, and Graduates, equipping them with essential skills for effective business support.
- Created and distributed internal communications for Chief Digital Information Officer and Retail Banking DigiTech, enhancing clarity and engagement across departments.
- Monitored competitor activity, raising awareness of women in technology and identifying opportunities for award applications and nominations.
- Monitored competitor activity raising women in technology profiles internally and externally identifying emerging opportunities and supporting award applications and nominations.
Culture & Capabilities Analyst (Tech Graduate)
NatWest Group
Edinburgh
2020.01 - 2020.09
- Created NatWest Group intranet pages, guiding employees to resources and collecting customer feedback to support informed decision-making.
- Assisted leadership teams in implementing customer and business-focused solutions, enhancing visibility of Retail Banking DigiTech leader and function.
- Contributed to strategic projects, including promoting women's profiles within NatWest Group and coordinating events for MS Society.
Innovation Designer (Tech Graduate)
NatWest Group
Edinburgh
2020.01 - 2020.08
- Contributed to design of technology products for bank, including Voice Assistant, Facebook Messenger group pay functionality, and AI-driven Debt Management support (Cora), enhancing customer interaction.
- Developed customer journey and conversation trees for Cora, troubleshooting issues using IBM Watson and the Postman platform.
- Developed customer communications and designed customer journeys while interviewing customers to gather feedback on product pilots, ensuring alignment with user needs.
- Coordinated with stakeholders across bank to identify risks and restrictions, leveraging past learnings to inform new product development.
Public relations Intern
Grayling
Edinburgh
2020.01 - 2020.02
- Collaborated with clients and media intermediaries to resolve issues following news releases, ensuring timely and effective communication.
- Gathered and analysed data and translated into company-wide communications.
- Sourced and compiled supplier lists and media articles; created presentations for internal and external stakeholders to enhance communication.
- Assisted in organising political campaigns through logistical and administrative tasks, facilitating smooth operations.
Digital Marketing Executive
Dentsu Aegis Network
Edinburgh
2018.01 - 2020.01
- Managed advert operations, tagging, tracking, and execution of online advert campaigns for high-profile clients including Scottish Government, Arcadia Group, and Kipling, enhancing campaign visibility and engagement.
- Compiled in-depth performance reports from diverse data sources, translating complex advert data into accessible insights for clients, facilitating informed decision-making.
- Engaged with internal and external customers, clarifying technical limitations and opportunities to recommend strategic approaches that align with their business objectives.
Founder & Co-Owner
Hatherton Dog Hotel
Staffordshire
2014.01 - 2018.01
- Established a successful dog boarding business during university, achieving full bookings and consistent 5-star reviews due to excellent customer service.
- Managed bookings and marketing strategies, handling administrative tasks including insurance, licensing, and contracts to ensure operational compliance.
- Executed social media advert campaigns, producing advert assets including carousel, videos, and dynamic adverts to engage target audience.
- Developed business website and branding materials, alongside creating websites for other businesses and charities to enhance online presence.
Skills
- Programme Management
- Governance
- Stakeholder Management
- Agile methodologies
- Data analysis
- Dashboard building
- Customer journey
- User Experience Design
- AI
- Chatbots and voice Assistants
- Jira
- Confluence
- Google Analytics
- Adobe Experience Manager
- Problem Solving
- Communications
Certification
- Certified SAFe 6 Lean Portfolio Manager, Scaled Agile Framework
- IBM Designing Conversational Solutions, IBM Watson Assistant Foundation
- Digital Skills: Artificial Intelligence, Accenture
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
- Amazon Web Services Technical Essentials
- Amazon Web Services Business Essentials
- Neurolinguistic Practitioner, Excellence Assured
- The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Google
Education
2017
MA (HONS) English Language
The University of Glasgow - Glasgow
2013
A-Levels ABB
Arthur Terry School - Birmingham
2010
10 GCSE's
Chase Grammar School - Staffordshire
Timeline
Experience Manager (Secondment)
NatWest Group
2025.07 - 2026.02
Programme Management Office
NatWest Group
2022.03 - Current
Performance & Business Management Support Analyst
NatWest Group
2020.01 - 2022.04
Culture & Capabilities Analyst (Tech Graduate)
NatWest Group
2020.01 - 2020.09
Innovation Designer (Tech Graduate)
NatWest Group
2020.01 - 2020.08
Public relations Intern
Grayling
2020.01 - 2020.02
Digital Marketing Executive
Dentsu Aegis Network
2018.01 - 2020.01
Founder & Co-Owner
Hatherton Dog Hotel
2014.01 - 2018.01