Casandra Daubney
Bedford
Summary
A seasoned professional with expertise in providing leadership and motivation, within Finance, Commercial and Transformational roles at a executive level. Development and managing financial control of complex large-scale budgets. Demonstrates a creative and rigorous approach to problem-solving, achieving complex and multifaceted outcomes. Proven track record in forecasting, budgetary controls, and reporting, alongside creating and leading high-performing teams. Skilled in cost reduction synergies, sustainability initiatives, effective stakeholder management, and diverse leadership. Strategic thinker with self-motivation and corporate strategy formulation capabilities. Possesses strong coaching skills and decision-making expertise to foster organisational growth.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
2
2
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Management consultant
Confidential Government Body
01.2024 - 04.2025
- Company Overview: To provide the government organisation with expert support while undergoing highly complex changes as part of a strategic five-year plan
- To lead the commercial management and exit planning of a £350m highly technical and complex contract to ensure a ‘safe landing' on exit within 18 months
- Oversee the review of financial reporting, supplier contract management team deliverables, current costs, the validity of committed spend and contract cost forecasting to increase controls and supplier responsibility for delivery
- Managing internal and external stakeholders, resetting expectations and challenges, bringing stakeholders on the change journey, and highlighting risks and mitigation options allow for effective decision-making
- To provide the government organisation with expert support while undergoing highly complex changes as part of a strategic five-year plan
- Delivered commercial assurance board papers, financial investment reports, HMT, and cabinet officer papers to secure additional approval
- Improved controls and reporting through challenge and contract review, working with technical operational and exit teams to improve strategic resourcing demands and governance
- Holding the supplier responsible for a contractual deliverables previously not challenged
- Strategic Resourcing report to aid the exit of the contract through short-term pragmatic solutions with longer-term delivery of strategic delivery partner within 18 months, giving rise to a potential savings opportunity of c£25m
- Audit of long-term outstanding disputes, reporting on recommendations and negotiated solutions, saving c£200k
- Challenging the Value for Money of new projects against the contract and reducing costs within the contract term
Technology and Transformation Programme Director
Consultancy
05.2023 - 04.2025
- Company Overview: Provided short-term additional specialist expertise to executives going through high levels of strategic change and providing options for improving healthcare and social outcomes across the ICB
- Review requirements for a PMO office programme of work for an innovation hub, including reviewing current documentation
- Recommend new delivery model options and deliver PMO documentation for governance
- Review the current delivery model for the pathology network for the ICB, including risks, opportunities, Economic and Financial outcomes and benefits
- Produce Strategic Outline Cases (based on the Five Strategic Business Case model) for various NHS organisations with a current strategic model review of options, giving risks, opportunities, and recommendations
Finance Consultant – Head of Business Planning
Dept of Health and Social Security - UKHSA
10.2020 - 05.2023
- Company Overview: During the Start-up phase (c50k tests per day to c500k tpd) of UK Covid PCR testing, I was crucial in facilitating and orchestrating collaborations with potential public and private sectors suppliers to provide testing capability at pace
- High-level stakeholder consultations providing detailed reporting across all the programme operating boards
- Set up finance department and led a team of twenty finance professionals within a highly demanding, scrutinised operation
- Defining the strategic direction through challenges and alternative proposals to deliver the same outcomes for better value for money
- Design and recommend budget and forecast monitoring reporting, including risks and opportunities with strategic design changes resulting in significant savings c(£1.2bn).
- Oversaw the completion of business cases (including five case strategy models) for the Lab programme, ensuring strategic alignment, including submissions to Accountable Officers, the Secretary of State and other government department stakeholders
- Oversaw commercial evaluations and negotiations to ensure maximum value
- Stakeholder management, including programme and board reporting, and developed future years' strategic budget requirements (Spending Reviews)
- Designed and delivered the mechanism for funding COVID-related PCR testing for NHS England and devolved authorities, resulting in c£400m of savings
- Recruited and led a high-performing team, ensuring capability and capacity were aligned to the demands of the Track and Trace programme
- Recommended and directed the implementation of resource planning, governance, reporting, and forecasting for the PCR Testing Director and SRO, operating with a £5bn budget
- Liaised with auditors for smooth completion of annual audits.
- Mitigated financial risks by implementing prudent risk management strategies.
- Developed robust financial models for accurate forecasting and planning.
- Facilitated client understanding of complex financial concepts, fostering trust and loyalty.
- Carried out thorough due diligence on proposed investments, ensuring minimal risk exposure. Including negotiation with HM Treasury and Cabinet Office.
Transformation Director
Liaison Group
11.2018 - 07.2020
- Company Overview: A new role for this business focuses on relationship management and providing strategic advice and guidance at an executive level to NHS Trusts and healthcare customers
- Developed the sales and marketing strategy for London, South and the Southeast
- Provide business cases for NHS trusts to demonstrate the value for money and opportunities to support the required transformational change and desired benefits
- Provided advice and guidance to the senior exec to determine individual trust and strategic plans to optimise workforce and transformation initiatives
- A new role for this business focuses on relationship management and providing strategic advice and guidance at an executive level to NHS Trusts and healthcare customers
- Championed social media and marketing campaigns for the strategic placement of Liaison as a workforce expert
- Developed relationships with NHS Trusts Board and executives
- Developed relationships with HFMA regions to facilitate webinars and regional sponsorship
Finance Consultant
Veracity Consultancy
08.2018 - 09.2018
- Company Overview: To develop a business development strategy for the NHS healthcare sector
- Led the development of a service proposition for a new finance healthcare sector for a consultancy company, including a catalogue of services, delivery methodology and corporate values
- To develop a business development strategy for the NHS healthcare sector
- Spearheaded a proposal for a ‘soft launch' with contact details
- Discussions with potential clients about their interest in services
- Established financial options to ‘stand up' service, including cash forecasting and investment returns
Programme Director - Finance Business Intelligence
NHS Herts Valleys CCG
02.2018 - 08.2018
- Company Overview: To centralise and automate reporting and analysis for finance to support decision-making for commissioning and procuring value-for-money services
- Provided leadership in a complex and changing environment, promoted agility and resilience among team members.
- Led the development of business cases and options appraisals for fundamental changes to how clinical services were commissioned
- Centralised and automated reporting and analysis for finance to support decision-making for commissioning and procuring value-for-money services
- Identified programme risks, mitigated potential impact on deliverables.
- Recommend restructuring the Strategy Team to change the skill mix, resulting in £250k in cost savings
- Completion of finance business cases and presentation to the Finance & Performance Committee for moving services delivery from Acute to a community setting, improving patient accessibility and reducing pressure on acute services, leading to QiPP savings across the STP
- Championed, redesigned, and implemented Contract Reporting for Board Reporting, contract performance management, and strategic redesign of clinical service delivery
- This results in challenges to current income claims from acute trusts
Finance Business Partner
Ministry of Justice - HMCT
10.2017 - 02.2018
- Company Overview: To provide reporting to the programme board and SRO, including business cases, financial reports, risks and opportunities
- Presented to the Transformation Board and I&O Programme Assurance Board, advising on risks, issue resolution and finance programme forecasts
- Oversaw completing procurement evaluations, providing professional challenges to the governance process, financial delivery, and critical performance measures for programme outcomes
- Completion of Full Business Cases using the Five Case Model
- To provide reporting to the programme board and SRO, including business cases, financial reports, risks and opportunities
- Designed and implemented a framework for strategic interdependencies between project deliverables and financial outcomes
- Review expected savings and programme costs, releasing in-year funding back to MOJ to reallocate
- Through stakeholder engagement, identified areas to improve forecasting costs more reliably and implemented
Benefit Realisation Director
St George's NHS Trust
07.2016 - 07.2017
- Company Overview: To review the current CIP programme forecasted benefits on behalf of the Audit Committee, including expected savings, risks, and recommendations
- Provide reporting on benefits (financial and non-financial), risks, opportunities, and escalations to the Transformation Board and Executive Board
- Reviewed and challenged business cases before submission to board approval
- Stakeholder management, including CCGs, councils, and public consultations
- Conducted strategic planning sessions to drive corporate objectives
- To review the current CIP programme forecasted benefits on behalf of the Audit Committee, including expected savings, risks, and recommendations
- Instituted cost control measures, mitigated financial risk.
- Proved report showing £30m savings (CIP target £42.7m) rather than originally reported £20m
- Recommended and implemented governance changes, including new reporting to include Quality Assurance Assessments, Risk Register
- Challenged areas for future CIP schemes by c£10m (in year) by utilising outpatients and community-delivered services, resulting in estates, nursing, and medical workforce opportunities
- Coordinated large scale programmes with successful outcomes.
Education
Bedford College Group
08.2017 - 09.2019
Skills
- Providing Leadership and motivation
- Transformation programmes
- Creative and rigorous problem solver
- Large-scale budget management
- Complex and multifaceted outcomes
- Forecasting and budgetary controls & reporting
- Creating and leading high-performing teams
- Cost reduction synergies and sustainability
- Effective Stakeholder management
- Diverse and effective leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Self-motivated
- Corporate strategy formulation
- Coaching capability
- Decision-Making expertise
Custom
- Governor (Volunteer), Bedford College Group, 08/01/17, 09/01/19, Oversaw the governance reporting to the board, providing advice, challenge, and support to support the group's merger from 3 to 6 colleges., Audit Committee, overseeing risk and audit reports.
- Acting CEO, Careers Trust Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, 03/01/07, 03/01/08, Developed and implemented a turnaround programme to save ‘burning platform' working capital issues., Oversaw contract review to align contractual deliverables and KPIs, preventing the closure.
Timeline
Management consultant
Confidential Government Body
01.2024 - 04.2025
Technology and Transformation Programme Director
Consultancy
05.2023 - 04.2025
Finance Consultant – Head of Business Planning
Dept of Health and Social Security - UKHSA
10.2020 - 05.2023
Transformation Director
Liaison Group
11.2018 - 07.2020
Finance Consultant
Veracity Consultancy
08.2018 - 09.2018
Programme Director - Finance Business Intelligence
NHS Herts Valleys CCG
02.2018 - 08.2018
Finance Business Partner
Ministry of Justice - HMCT
10.2017 - 02.2018
Bedford College Group
08.2017 - 09.2019
Benefit Realisation Director
St George's NHS Trust
07.2016 - 07.2017
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