JON PHILLIPS
Surbiton,England
Summary
Accomplished Programme Director with a strong track record of delivering complex transformation initiatives across public, private, and international sectors. Demonstrated expertise in leading large-scale change programmes, driving organisational transformation, and achieving quantifiable business results. Adept at building high-performing teams, managing multifaceted projects, and engaging senior leadership to advance strategic goals.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Programme Director
Norse Group,
UK's largest Local Authority Trading Company
2022.07 - 2026.04
- Led the implementation of Microsoft D365 for Finance and Access PeopleXD for HR and Payroll, overseeing multi-year technology transformation programme.
- Developed business case for D365 and PeopleXD, securing £10M investment.
- Built and managed programme teams (50+ members), including internal resources, agency partners, and suppliers.
- Facilitated collaboration across all stakeholders, introducing team behaviours to drive effective working relationships.
- Advised on sponsorship structure, ensuring CEO, CFO, CPO, and COO were engaged in respective workstreams.
- Reported monthly to Programme Board and Norse Board, cascading updates to stakeholder groups and leadership teams.
- Successfully managed complex change across Finance and HR, aligning leadership and resources for optimal outcomes.
- Transformation resulted in simplified processes, digitalisation, defined roles, improved services and £5M+ cost savings.
Previous Assignments Include
.
- Defence Organisation Culture Assessment: Completed a culture assessment, generated a roadmap for culture change and programme-managed its execution.
- Serco Middle East Dubai Metro and Tram Bid: People lead covering reward, inflation, Emiratisation, training and organisation design.
- Merseyrail Organisation Design: Development of revised organisation design to achieve the purpose and transformation vision of the business.
- Serco Middle East HR Operating Model Design: analysis of HR activity, target operating model development and implementation plan to achieve 30% cost reduction.
- Serco Middle East Iraq Air Navigation Proposal: Supporting the development of a proposal for an aviation client of Serco Middle East, developed the organisation design and transition approach, including the establishment of proposed support functions.
Consultant Doha Metro and Riyadh Bids
Serco Middle East
2016.04 - 2016.12
- Key Deliverable: Qatarization, a HR strategy to attract, develop and retain a 20% Qatari workforce. Serco was the highest scoring bidder for quality, with a score of 80%.
HR Transformation Consultant
Willis Towers Watson
2014.01 - 2015.01
- Key Deliverable: HR transformation business development. Responding to client requirements, developing proposals and facilitating client proposal meetings. Proposal values up to £6M for projects based in the US, Europe and Middle East.
- Key Deliverable: For American Express, assessing their approach to managing incentives with spend of £100M. Identified 80% of time was focused on administration. Developed new operating model, creating a Centre of Excellence for Incentives, significantly improving ROI.
HR Programme Manager
Legal & General
2005.01 - 2013.01
- Key Deliverable: Managed a business restructure that reduced headcount by 300 in four months, delivering annual savings of £40 million.
- Key Deliverable: Led a people strategy driven by the Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For, helping move Legal & General into the top 25 within two years through culture change initiatives.
- Key Deliverable: Developed and implemented a new HR operating model covering people, process, technology, and culture, achieving £1 million savings in year one via direct sourcing.
HR & Change Project Manager
Serco
2001.01 - 2005.01
- Key deliverable: As part of a £500M rebid implementation, project management of a new organisational structure implementation, including facilitating workshops with the Leadership team to develop a roadmap. Leading a workstream to create of a new organisational design for support functions, achieving 30% headcount reduction.
HR Outsourcing Consultant
PricewaterhouseCoopers
2000.01 - 2001.01
- Key Deliverable: Project management of European HR outsourcing implementation including definition of European payroll model for Nortel Networks.
HR Transformation Consultant
Mercer HR Consulting
1996.01 - 2000.01
Skills
- Operating Model Diagnostics
- Transformation Roadmap Development
- Resource Planning and Sourcing
- Team Leadership and Collaboration
- Stakeholder Engagement and Governance
- Change Management and Communications
Certification
BA (Hons) Business Studies,
MCIPD,
Prince2
Timeline
Programme Director
Norse Group,
2022.07 - 2026.04
Consultant Doha Metro and Riyadh Bids
Serco Middle East
2016.04 - 2016.12
HR Transformation Consultant
Willis Towers Watson
2014.01 - 2015.01
HR Programme Manager
Legal & General
2005.01 - 2013.01
HR & Change Project Manager
Serco
2001.01 - 2005.01
HR Outsourcing Consultant
PricewaterhouseCoopers
2000.01 - 2001.01
HR Transformation Consultant
Mercer HR Consulting
1996.01 - 2000.01
Previous Assignments Include
.