MY CIPP
Spotlight on...
Natasha Taylor ACIPP, Change and transformation manager
Tell us a little about your career and background so far. My first role straight from school was as a business administrator apprentice in the marketing team here at CIPP. One of the modules within this apprenticeship was on project management; it’s from here my career direction changed. Following the successful completion of my apprenticeship at the CIPP, I was accepted onto a higher apprenticeship in project management with Lloyds Banking Group (LBG). During this time, I worked on some complex large-scale projects within the group operation change function at LBG while completing my diploma in project management. After graduating from my apprenticeship, I was promoted to a hybrid project manager and business analyst role. At that point, I had my daughter and following maternity leave, decided to leave the bank and start my own business. I owned a property management company, specialising in serviced accommodation for two years and then had an online business management organisation, specialising in system and process improvement for a further two. Directly prior to joining the CIPP, I worked as a contractor for a video animation company, project managing the animation process for explainer videos. Once my daughter started school, it was a great time for me to move back into employment and here I am back at the CIPP as project manager. I was thrilled to be welcomed back to the CIPP and bring all the skills and experiences
often overlooked, which adds great value to the project; engagement is paramount. What does your role mean to you? The role of project manager is a hugely important one within any business but particularly within the CIPP. Without having a project manager in place, the management team would need to pick the workload up themselves which would impact on both their ability to deliver the project but also on their day-to-day roles. Although I still require time from each manager, I can see the difference my role makes to every one of them, which is a great feeling. It’s incredibly rewarding seeing the difference I make to the company and each business area through successfully implementing change. What do you think your role can bring to the future strategy of the CIPP? The CIPP has ambitious growth targets over the coming years. To be able to meet these, we need to ensure the systems and processes we have meet the demands of the business. My role indirectly contributes to the organisation’s objectives through increasing the efficiency of the business, which will allow for far more sustainable growth – the ultimate goal of any organisation. Being able to drive change and transformation will have a huge impact on the future strategy of the CIPP, something I’m looking forward to being a part of. n
I’ve developed since my time here as an apprentice. I’m looking forward to contributing to the continual development and improvement of the CIPP through the projects I’m managing. What are your main priorities as a project manager? My two main priorities as project manager are to: l manage the way we deliver change l ensure meticulous stakeholder management. For me, the role of the project management function is to deliver change and transformation to positively impact the way we do business. Predominantly, this will come through process and system improvement. However, there are many ways we can increase the efficiency and improve the business which go above and beyond a system or process. Within change and transformation, the biggest priority is ensuring we’re working towards a vision and challenging current working practices. Always asking ‘what are we trying to achieve?’ rather than mirroring current processes in new systems. Effective stakeholder management is fundamental to the success of project delivery, along with high levels of communication. Understanding who your stakeholders are and how to effectively communicate with them is incredibly important; without, you can expect delayed timelines, have a risk of missing key information and could ultimately lose control of the project. Keeping your stakeholders updated is a simple element,
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 89 | April 2023
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