Janet Graham

• Deliver operational efficiency and achieve Halifax Opportunities Trust’s ambitions for growth, innovation and improvement.
• Lead business planning and income generation from existing and innovate/grow new commercial enterprises for HOT Enterprises Ltd (a wholly owned trading company).
• Directly lead HOT’s core operations including Finance, HR, Quality/Risk and Apprenticeships Building a high performing cross functional operations team and cultivate an agile, ‘one team’ culture.
• Oversee financial management operations, setting annual objectives with 10% improvements, KPI’s and budgets, ensuring fiscal stability.
• Measure effectiveness and efficiency of operational processes and drive improvement initiatives for increased productivity.
• Oversee operations and proactively mitigate business, governance and operational risks with appropriate infrastructure, data and metrics, establishing policies that promote company culture and compliance with the charities commission standards. Chair meetings and sub committees with stakeholders for organisational protection.
• Lead and embed a ‘People first’/customer-centric approach in operational areas ensuring the basics were fully embedded (personal objectives, 121 structure, capability/skills development training, talent management and fair reward) to drive competency, motivation, morale and colleague retention.

• Managed large-scale strategically critical projects, introduced new systems, tools and processes to achieve challenging objectives aligned to strategic direction and priorities.
• Lead external research to dissect and recreate sales processes and produce world class training material (for 1500 colleagues) which saw £1million income uplift in first 6months post live.
• Maintain expert level Insurance & Protection product, underwriting and processing knowledge.
• Identified areas for cost improvement/savings to increase efficiency. Developed, recommended and implemented successful proposals for internal and external audiences to maximise revenue. Implemented and developed operational standards, policies procedures and productivity benchmarks to maximise performance - volume and £’s.
• Tracked financials monthly to identify performance enhancement opportunities and engage with Executive Directors to provide performance insight.
• Provided strong leadership to a national team (recruitment, rigorous performance management, career development & enhancement, reward) which enhanced productivity and morale leading to record levels of colleague engagement.
• A successful mentor and career connector to a large number of colleagues (junior and senior) outside of line, fostering a culture of continuous learning, leading to promotions and career moves.
• Led focus groups with cross functional internal customers to collaborate, engage and ideate for improved operational efficiency, future business success and land change brilliantly.

• Lead Product relationships, negotiating and setting targets and ensuring suitable product support to enable commercial delivery.
• Successfully shape and lead strategic change programmes into Halifax Mortgages representing the Mortgage Director on all Exec Forums.
• Lead the Directors office team to great success, raising the performance bar, supporting the Regional Mortgage Managers and Heads of Business Performance to deliver commercial expectations in line with desired customer outcomes.
• Lead and drive the Halifax Mortgages ‘Great Place to Work’ initiative for Halifax Mortgages and drove the development agenda with learning partners.
• Led the relationship with the Union when ‘difficult decisions’ needed to be made around FTE and cost reduction.
• Influence underwriting decisions and resolve customer complaints to reach the ‘right customer outcome’.

• Provided sales and service support to c.900 Mortgage salesforce colleagues to set them up to deliver commercial expectations with desired customer outcomes.
• Delivered record breaking banking, cards and loans performance across 10 x Contact Centres and c.1500 colleagues.
• Implementer Test & Learn infrastructure into Retail Network testing over 40 initiatives with a benefits realisation of £14.6million in the first 18months through cost avoidance, time saving, income generation or Reduced risk.
• Led integration and migration work streams of Halifax and Bank of Scotland.

Sales and strategic Trainer (12/1996 - 09/1999)

• A sales and strategic trainer responsible for the research, development and successful implementation into a network of 20K colleagues.
• Enhanced project management skills.
• Responsible for bespoke training such as ‘self employed training’ - how to interpret and analyse accounts.

Field Auditor - (North Region, 04/1995 - 12/1996)

• Planned, conducted and presented findings of audits to senior executives.
• Performed operational audits for enhanced business performance.
• Identified potential risk areas through regular financial assessments.

Various Branch and Management Roles (03/1987 - 03/1995) - KEIGHLEY, Harrogate

• Carried out day-to-day duties accurately and efficiently.
• Quickly learned and applied new skills to daily tasks, improving efficiency and productivity. Successfully delivered on tasks within tight deadlines.
• Cashiered, interviewed for complex lending and sensitive financial hardship cases.
• Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help customers and colleagues wherever needed.