Yana Headford

• Leading the strategic and operational delivery of 500+ retail locations, managing a portfolio of 35+ concurrent infrastructure and digital transformation projects.
• Led the implementation and adoption of company-wide AI tools, including Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT, embedding AI driven capabilities into operational and business processes to improve efficiency, decision making, and productivity.
• Implemented Claude to support supplier stock management and supply chain risk analysis. Utilised AI driven analysis across 18,025 SKUs, applying logic based on distribution centre stock depletion rates, supplier status, and supplier response data to generate a comprehensive supply risk profile and improve proactive decision making.
• Own end‑to‑end project governance, including budgets, resources, risks, and investment cases.
• Drive the multi‑phase IT separation of the High Street business from WHSmith Group, ensuring continuity and operational readiness
• Manage relationships with 50+ technology vendors across software, hardware, and network services.
• Act as the primary escalation point for service issues, safeguarding operational stability across the estate.
• Reporting directly to C‑suite and contributing to the Business Leadership Team.

• Led the forensic investigation and recovery efforts following a major InfoSec security incident.
• Invited to remain with InfoSec team after stabilising operations to lead transformation agenda and advance organisation’s NIST maturity objectives.
• Directed global SOC SIEM and SOAR programme, integrating real-time threat detection and response across regions and business units in collaboration with Accenture’s.
• I oversaw the implementation of the Qualys vulnerability management platform, improving global visibility and accelerating remediation efforts.
• I initiated and governed key security enhancement projects, including the removal of Alert Logic and the deployment of SentinelOne and CrowdStrike across the global estate.
• Implemented and managed Microsoft Purview to strengthen data governance, compliance, information protection, and AI/data security controls across the organisation.
• Oversaw PCI DSS compliance and reattestation across WHSmith UK and International.
• Although InfoSec was not my core area of expertise, I brought clarity, structure, and strategic direction, enabling the team to move forward with confidence and purpose.

• Designed and implemented new ways of working aligned with agile principles, establishing a company-wide framework that improved demand management, supplier capability, and cross-functional collaboration across business and IT teams.
• Collaborated with IT and business stakeholders to develop business cases for enhancing ecommerce platform, resolving stock and sales issues, and introducing core enterprise systems including PIM, CRM, and IDAM solutions.
• Supported Funky Pigeon’s ambition to lead in online gifting and cards by driving digital transformation strategy.

• Brought in to lead the transformation of Santander UK’s IT value chain, shifting the organisation from a project focused to a product oriented model.
• Managed service delivery for three strategic vendors (900+ resources), defining KPIs and addressing operational barriers, securing £1.2M funding for IT provisioning and automation enhancements.
• Implemented global delivery framework for 200+ IT teams, enhancing alignment with product goals through Product Landing Pages, KPIs, Team Maturity Matrix, and Maturity Improvement Plans.
• Established Santander Academy, providing 70+ technical videos and 700+ assessment questions, elevating engineering capability and DevOps maturity across the organisation.
• Deployed at scale delivery processes via JIRA, Confluence, and dashboards, improving visibility, tracking, and adoption of best practices.
• Built engineering community through newsletters and forums to share knowledge and promote collaboration.

• Designed DG&A Centre of Excellence, including 30 capability framework, 11 service catalogue, organisational design, and technology roadmap to enhance data governance.
• Implemented ‘CoExistence Operating Model’ to sustain analytics capabilities during transformation, emphasising dual running, data simplification, and decommissioning.
• Established ‘Quick Win Game’ Programme, creating an agile, test-and-learn model adopted company-wide to drive rapid improvements.
• Directed delivery of critical business initiatives (Pay As You Go, Telco Cloud, 4G/5G launches), ensuring operational readiness across multiple teams.
• Led supporting workstreams in Technology & Platforms, GDPR compliance, and internal communications to drive engagement and adoption.
• Reporting to the Data & Analytics Director, I led Three’s Data Transformation Programme, delivering the Corporate Data Strategy to position the company as a data-driven organisation during a complex, five-year enterprise-wide transformation with 750+ outsourced partners.

• Reporting to the Global CTO, I defined and implemented a Global Product Operating Model enabling six digital product teams to deliver faster, more efficiently, and at lower cost across 32 global markets.
• Transitioned teams to agile methodologies, embedding effective operating models across the organisation.
• Developed JIRA delivery framework with customised workflows, automation, dashboards, and reporting, enhancing visibility and performance tracking.
• Designed global demand and supply management processes, standardising triage, prioritisation, development, testing, and release of product work.

Head of Digital Delivery (Jul 2016-Dec 2017)

• Led a 200 people digital delivery organisation across 7 strategic business portfolios (£9.3M budget), managing up to 100 concurrent projects.
• Delivered a Digital Transformation Programme, transitioning from waterfall to a Spotify inspired agile model.
• Shifted from outsourced to insourced delivery, saving £500K/month and improving efficiency, IP ownership, and morale.
• Redesigned organisational structure and recruitment, hiring 30 FTEs while optimising roles and processes to enhance operational effectiveness.
• Led ‘All in Pricing’ initiative, launching fixed price plan for 1.1M customers alongside rebrand and responsive digital platforms to improve customer experience.
• Streamlined demand and supply management, improving delivery efficiency and providing greater transparency in operations.
• Received recognition as 'Outstanding' for exceptional performance within the organisation.

Head of Data Transformation (Dec 2017-May 2018):

• Reporting to the Chief Architect, I led enterprise-wide transformation to drive a data centric culture.
• Contributed to delivery of £6M data strategy and roadmap, impacting 92 projects.
• Consolidated 30+ data silos into a centralised, scalable data management model.

• Senior Programme Manager – Led the £12.5M Argos Digital Concept Stores (DCS) Rollout Programme, delivering 154 digital stores across standalone and partner locations.
• Led Continuous Improvement Programme, achieving £3M in cost savings through process, resource, and architecture optimisation.
• Transformed store experience, enhancing UX and collection speed, which contributed to improved customer service and increased sales revenue.
• Delivered business initiatives for Homebase concessions and partner stores (Sainsbury’s, EE, Dark Hubs), expanding market reach and customer engagement.
• Managed stakeholders and suppliers (Accenture, Fujitsu, O2, BT), ensuring scope, schedule, and benefits were achieved.

• Delivered full lifecycle programmes including Hub & Spoke, PrePay, Voice Pick, Hub to Home, and digital migration projects, enhancing store operations, UX, and customer experience.
• Owned and delivered multiple high impact programmes across 750+ Argos stores, accelerating the company’s digital transformation.
• Optimised portfolio performance through benefits realisation, financial management, risk mitigation, and engagement with key stakeholders.
• Managed supplier relationships and contracts with Accenture, Fujitsu, O2, and Wincor, ensuring alignment on SOWs, commercial terms, and performance metrics.
• Enabled new store formats and digital capabilities, facilitating nationwide rollout of micro stores, Homebase inserts, and improved digital channels.

• Delivered £1.2M intranet replatforming project for 157,000 employees across 1,100+ stores and 32 DCs, leading cross-functional teams to replace infrastructure, migrate content, and implement 80+ microsite modules on new OpenText Portal, enhancing user experience.
• Led £2.5M Pick Ticket Management System (PkMS) upgrade, coordinating IT and business teams across multiple sites to improve DC operations, including receiving, inventory, picking, packing, and shipping, ensuring on-time, on-budget, and quality delivery.
• Conducted regular project reviews and reports for senior management, highlighting achievements and areas for improvement.

• Delivered integrated data and reporting solution for M&S’s Multichannel Foundation Programme (MCFP), coordinating 55+ cross-functional IT and business resources across India and the UK to transition M&S off Amazon and integrate core enterprise systems, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

• Strategic Change Manager, Anchor Trust (Oct 2007 – Mar 2012)
• Project Manager, Corporate Projects, Capita Financial Group (Feb 2007 – Oct 2007)
• Finance Project Manager, NHS SPINE Programme, BT Global Services (Feb 2005 – Feb 2007)
• Accounts Assistant, Norwich Union (Jan 2004 – Dec 2004)
• Accounts Assistant, Dolce Norton Manor (Jul 2003 – Jan 2004)