Matt Bannon
Greater London,London
Summary
A doer with a passion to make a lasting difference and create positive change. Moving work forward and turning ideas and research into meaningful action that creates momentum and lasting change.
Works through barriers with patience and kindness to move people forward together and create real change. A key strength is seeing the brilliance in everyone and helping them grow into their potential.
Seeking a role that offers a wider reach to influence change and strengthen communities. A London-based relationship builder with a strong track record of strengthening people, organisations and communities, currently working across Tower Hamlets in neighbourhoods that consistently fall within the lowest scoring areas of the In a Good Place Index.
Brings community-rooted practice and commercial leadership, grounded in lived experience, inclusion and deep listening. Thrives where community voice shapes decisions and collaboration leads to real outcomes. Calm, proactive and confident navigating complexity, connects people, unlocks opportunities and builds relationships that continue to grow long after moving on, delivering impact that lasts.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Progression Coach- George Green School
ThinkForward
London, Tower Hamlets
02.2025 - Current
- Trauma informed coaching — delivering relationship‑based coaching for 50 brilliant young people aged 13 to 18, selected as those most at risk of becoming NEET due to circumstance, giving them the stability, encouragement and trust they need to make positive steps forward.
- Safeguarding practice — a key part of the school safeguarding team, working alongside social workers and other professionals to understand the reasons children are not in a good place, exploring what’s driving their behaviour and the circumstances they are living through.
- Community relationships — building strong, culturally aware relationships with young people, families and community organisations, grounded in real understanding of the diversity that makes up the Isle of Dogs community. I research and connect support, bridging gaps that make it hard for families to get the help they need, and communicate in a steady, sensitive way that helps people feel included and understood.
- Working through barriers — supporting young people to move through trauma, exclusion, confidence loss and disrupted routines, enabling meaningful progress in resilience, attendance and future pathways.
- Work readiness development — using the 7 Work Readiness Capabilities matrix, identified by employers as key skills for employment such as resilience and self‑awareness, to help young people understand their strengths, build confidence and develop the capabilities they need for future pathways.
- Community and multi agency collaboration — coordinating safe, appropriate support with teachers, SENCOs, social workers, youth justice teams and local charities, strengthening the circle of support around young people.
- Work experience access — supporting young people to access meaningful work experience through strong community partnerships, creating early opportunities that build confidence, identity and a positive sense of future pathways.
Programme Lead/ Volunteer Manager
Strength and Learning Through Horses
Greater London
04.2020 - 05.2024
- Programme leadership and design — leading and designing a therapeutic equine‑assisted programme for young people not engaging at school, delivering a King’s Trust certified education programme that supported those facing trauma, exclusion, anxiety and disrupted routines.
- Organisational growth — raising over £100k through network building and developing new relationships, strengthening organisational capacity and successfully managing the move from school‑based provision to a larger site, ensuring continuity and stability for young people.
- Volunteer network building — developing and managing a diverse volunteer team, building strong relationships, providing training and creating a culture of consistency, care and reliability for young people.
- Trauma‑responsive practice — delivering sessions that helped young people understand their emotions, build resilience and develop self‑awareness through experiential learning with horses.
- Partnership working — collaborating with schools, social workers, youth justice teams and families to coordinate support, and creating situations where young people could change the narrative about themselves. I supported them to take responsibility, build positive stories about their progress, and helped professionals see the change through consistent, relational work.
Buyer/ Buying Manager
Tesco Head Office
Greater London
09.2003 - 12.2014
- Commercial leadership — managing multiple commercial accounts across Frozen, Dairy, Convenience and World Foods, including the largest worth £150 million at retail, shaping category strategy, analysing performance and driving decisions that balanced customer need with business growth.
- Supplier negotiation — holding senior relationships with major corporates including Unilever and Heinz, leading negotiations, securing value and strengthening long‑term partnerships across branded and own‑label supply.
- Cross‑functional collaboration — working closely with marketing, supply chain and finance teams to deliver commercially sound, customer‑focused outcomes across a 1,500‑store estate.
- Data‑driven decision making — using insight, trend analysis and performance data to shape category development, improve ranges and strengthen customer experience.
Social Media Manager/ Fundraising Assitant
Racing to School
Remote
06.2024 - 01.2025
- Digital storytelling — managing social media channels and significantly grew the small charity’s impact, creating content that highlighted young people’s achievements and strengthened public engagement.
- Fundraising support — supporting grant applications, donor communication and event delivery, helping secure funding that expanded access to educational programmes.
- Stakeholder relationships — building positive relationships with schools, racing industry partners and community organisations to widen participation and strengthen programme reach.
Senior Coach
TPEC
Greater London
12.2014 - 09.2021
- Access & inclusion — breaking down social, financial and cultural barriers so adults and young people from diverse backgrounds could access horses, coaching and learning environments traditionally closed to them, widening participation and strengthening community connection.
- Confidence & capability building — developing confidence, regulation, resilience and practical skills through structured coaching, enabling people of all ages to build identity, self‑belief and positive stories about themselves.
- Community‑rooted impact — creating pathways into equestrian spaces for people who would never normally see themselves there, strengthening belonging, aspiration and long‑term engagement across different communities.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Business Studies and Marketing - 2:1
University of Westminster
City of londonNVQ Level 3 - Business- Distinction
Finchley Catholic High School
LondonGCSEs - Business, Maths, English Language, English Literature and Classics
Finchley Catholic High School
LondonSkills
- Relationship building — proven ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with people and organisations, each with their own pace, barriers and goals I create relationships that continue to grow and develop long after my formal work has ended, reflecting depth, trust and genuine connection
- Community‑led practice — experienced working directly alongside communities, charities and schools, supporting people to build confidence, capability and long‑term resilience through steady, relational, day‑to‑day work
- Equity & inclusion — worked and thrived in organisations where diversity and inclusion sit at the heart of the culture; experienced in environments where representation, fairness and community voice shape how support is delivered
- Partnership building — strong track record of bringing people together across schools, councils, youth justice teams, charities, funders and community groups, creating collaboration that leads to practical, meaningful outcomes
- Stakeholder influence — able to influence people at different levels with clarity and credibility, shaped by years of community‑rooted practice and senior commercial experience where judgement, communication and trust matter
- Volunteer network building — built and managed a committed volunteer network at SLTH, bringing people together around a shared purpose and creating a culture where volunteers felt valued, supported and able to grow The network strengthened the charity’s capacity and continued to thrive long after I moved on
- Trauma‑informed practice — skilled at supporting people facing disadvantage, dysregulation or disrupted routines with patient, strengths‑based approaches that rebuild stability, identity and self‑belief
- Insight gathering — able to listen deeply to lived experience, understand local context and feed insight into decisions, support and programme design in a way that strengthens outcomes for people and organisations
- Portfolio‑style caseload management — whether managing my caseload of 50 young people with unique needs or the demands of thirty suppliers at Tesco, I have deep experience balancing competing priorities, relationships and expectations I’m able to move between people, organisations and situations with sound judgement, clarity and consistency
Hobbies and interests
Running (D&I & Welfare Officer at Trent Park RC). Ran the Cardiff Half for Shelter in 2025. Pickleball. Travel, including Chicago this summer. Strong interest in nature, sustainability and outdoor activity.
Accomplishments
- 2024 Finalist ROR Community Award (Top Three National)
- Bascamp Skills – Digital Marketing Skills Advanced Award
- BHS AI - Senior Coach (International Level 1)
Timeline
Progression Coach- George Green School
ThinkForward
02.2025 - Current
Social Media Manager/ Fundraising Assitant
Racing to School
06.2024 - 01.2025
Programme Lead/ Volunteer Manager
Strength and Learning Through Horses
04.2020 - 05.2024
Senior Coach
TPEC
12.2014 - 09.2021
Buyer/ Buying Manager
Tesco Head Office
09.2003 - 12.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Business Studies and Marketing - 2:1
University of Westminster
NVQ Level 3 - Business- Distinction
Finchley Catholic High School
GCSEs - Business, Maths, English Language, English Literature and Classics
Finchley Catholic High School