Emma Gough
Taunton,Somerset
Summary
Accomplished professional with extensive expertise in organisational goal planning, strategic decision-making, and process improvement. Demonstrates proficiency in inclusive leadership, driving operational efficiency and continuous improvement. Skilled in stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration to enhance and achieve business objectives. Adept at resource allocation, workforce planning, and performance analysis to optimise business operations.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Recruitment Solutions SME and Recruitment Proposition Lead
Capita Public Services
03.2025 - Current
- Lead the design and governance of large-scale recruitment operating models for government and regulated clients, ensuring commercial viability, compliance and operational effectiveness.
- Shape high-value bid solutions across workforce planning, assessment, onboarding and ATS/ERP optimisation, integrating automation and AI to streamline processes and improve quality.
- Partner with senior stakeholders and bid leadership to translate organisational and policy needs into robust, deliverable recruitment strategies that strengthen Capita’s market proposition.
Business Performance Director
Capita Local Public Services/ Capita Public Service Capabilities
10.2022 - Current
- Act as a trusted strategic advisor to the Managing Director, Executive Leadership Team and Group leadership, ensuring operational priorities, risk oversight and strategic programmes are aligned to organisational objectives.
- Lead division-wide transformation initiatives delivering cost efficiencies, stronger data governance, improved risk compliance and enhanced organisational capability.
- Provide board-quality insight through robust performance reporting, data analysis and executive briefing materials to inform high-stakes decision-making.
- Drive regulatory assurance across LPS, owning privacy governance, overseeing risk controls, and representing the MD at SRAC governance forums.
- Lead crisis and incident management at P1 level, ensuring executive visibility, service continuity and clear decision paths.
- Sponsor digital transformation initiatives, partnering with AI and technology teams to design tools that improve efficiency, reporting and operational oversight.
- Strengthen operational performance across audit, overpayment management and service quality, resulting in measurable improvements to process control and customer outcomes.
- Shape competitive commercial propositions and guide strategic bid activity; through market insight, customer value proposition design and operational feasibility assessment.
- Provide sector-expert advisory support as Recruitment SME for government bids, RPO models and future talent programmes.
- Deputise for the Managing Director, maintaining continuity of leadership across communications, executive forums and strategic operations.
- Produce bi-weekly executive reports highlighting performance risk, emerging issues and required interventions, supporting board-level assurance and governance.
Head of Service Delivery – Personal Independent Payment (PIP) on behalf of DWP (Secondment)
Capita Public Services
10.2023 - 02.2024
- Held executive responsibility for regional delivery of the PIP service, ensuring consistent performance, workforce capability and regulatory compliance.
- Directed multi-disciplinary operations supporting vulnerable individuals, ensuring a fair, compassionate and compliant assessment experience.
- Led major improvement programmes across digital transformation, accessibility, operational design and quality management.
- Provided strategic insight to senior DWP and policy teams, informing national service improvements and assurance activity.
Head of Business Management
Capita Local Public Services
01.2022 - 10.2022
- Oversaw cross-functional operations and workforce performance, ensuring delivery against strategic and financial plans.
- Strengthened performance governance through KPI development, data-driven insights and operational controls.
- Embedded a high-performance culture and continuous improvement programmes across business units.
Recruitment Operations Leadership Roles (Army RPP, NCA, Debenhams HO)
01.2015 - 01.2022
- Directed large-scale recruitment operations for Defence and National Crime Agency environments, delivering capability pipelines for high-risk, specialist and national security roles.
- Managed multi-site operational teams, complex workforce planning, compliance frameworks and performance reporting to senior government and military stakeholders.
- Led transformation projects, system optimisation (Defence Recruiting Systems, Workday and Oracle), diversity programmes and Lean process improvements.
- Built strong partnerships with senior stakeholders across the British Army, Home Office, education providers and national policing partners.
Education
Value in Business Apprenticeship Level 4 -
Multiverse AI
06.2026
Lean Six Sigma White Belt -
01.2022
Bachelor of Science - Tourism Management
University of Plymouth
01.2011
A-Levels - Various
Richard Huish College
01.2010
GCSEs - Various
Uffculme School
01.2008
Skills
- Strategic Leadership
- Organisational Planning
- Executive Recruitment
- Talent Strategy
- Lean Six Sigma
- Continuous Improvement
- Operational Delivery
- Performance Management
- Business Planning
- Resource Optimisation
- Risk Management
- Compliance
- Assurance Governance
- Data Analysis
- KPI Development
- Reporting
- Inclusive Leadership
- Senior Stakeholder Engagement
- Customer-Focused Service Improvement
- Recruitment strategy
Accomplishments
- Recruiting Group Recognition Award Winner 2021 'Belonging'
- Recruiting Group Recognition Award Winner 2020 'People'
- Recruiting Group Recruiter of the Year Award Winner 2019
- Recognised by management for Continuous Improvement projects delivering outstanding Recruiting Practice
- Subject matter expert for various Projects across UK incentive led Recruitment strategies.
- Head of Regional Operations Award Winner for contributions to Change and Transformation
- Lead tester for Talaio Recruitment System by Oracle
- White belt Lean Six Sigma Certified
Training
- Multiverse AI: Value in Business Apprenticeship Level 4, Currently Studying, 2025-07-01, 2026-06-01
- Lean Six Sigma White Belt, Completed, 2022
Timeline
Recruitment Solutions SME and Recruitment Proposition Lead
Capita Public Services
03.2025 - Current
Head of Service Delivery – Personal Independent Payment (PIP) on behalf of DWP (Secondment)
Capita Public Services
10.2023 - 02.2024
Business Performance Director
Capita Local Public Services/ Capita Public Service Capabilities
10.2022 - Current
Head of Business Management
Capita Local Public Services
01.2022 - 10.2022
Recruitment Operations Leadership Roles (Army RPP, NCA, Debenhams HO)
01.2015 - 01.2022
Value in Business Apprenticeship Level 4 -
Multiverse AI
Lean Six Sigma White Belt -
Bachelor of Science - Tourism Management
University of Plymouth
A-Levels - Various
Richard Huish College
GCSEs - Various
Uffculme School