Sarah Halliwell - Programmes, Transformation and Delivery Senior Lead, NHS England

Feedback from Sarah’s ex-colleagues

Let me see

Keep in touch with meI'm using Intch to connect with new people. Use this link to open chat with me via Intch app

Work Background

Health Education EnglandSenior Transition Implementation Lead (PMO)

Jul. 2022 - Jul. 2023Led all aspects of programme delivery to ensure merger within time, cost, and quality constraints. Established project governance forums, as well as programme wide steering committee. Monitored costs, risks, and dependencies to ensure seamless integration of PMO within broader portfolio and within required timelines, successfully delivering the programme 5% under budget. Collaborated with Subject Matter Experts to identify areas of business growth and secure executive-level buy-in. Owned decision-making authority up to Director Level, whilst leading, training, and mentoring cross-functional teams to navigate complex challenges. Directed due diligence and Day One Readiness projects across nine work streams.  Developed a comprehensive suite of programme documentation and reporting dashboards, including PIDs, RAIDs, Implementation Plans, Project Status Reports, and a centralised PMO Dashboard, enhancing transparency and efficiency by 25%.  Fostered strategic relationships with 9 workstream leads, business SMEs, and external consultants, ensuring smooth programme delivery and achieving a 95% stakeholder satisfaction rate.  Oversaw the successful delivery of IT and digital projects, including the secure migration of over 2,000 Office 365 accounts and email addresses from Health Education England to NHS England.  Led the baselining of all digital assets, subscriptions, and applications within Health Education England, ensuring their legal and contractual transfer, as well as digital migration over to NHS England.  Assured secure workforce and operational data migration across 2 organisations by collaborating with HR, IG, and IT SMEs to develop a virtual “Secure Data Room” and file transfer process, maintaining 100% data integrity.  Headed a national analytics team, ensuring workforce data security and quality, executive MI reporting, and the development of Tableau dashboards to showcase workforce demographics, EDI characteristics, and profession information.

NHS EnglandProgramme, Transformation and Delivery Senior Manager

Apr. 2020 - Jun. 2023Spearheaded large-scale HR, Workforce and Change Management initiatives, including Bring Back Staff (BBS) campaign and Ukrainian Refugee Employment programme. Led, trained, and mentored cross-functional team of project managers to streamline project planning, reporting, documentation, and RAID management, ensuring adherence to project timelines. Oversaw national reporting processes to deliver constructive data on healthcare workforce to top-tier stakeholders. Generated weekly Situation Reports (SitReps) on healthcare workforce employment and staff vaccination figures for Cabinet Office and Downing Street. Directed MI / BI analyst team, whilst facilitating data-driven decision-making by leveraging reports and dashboards. Developed business cases and wrote detailed options proposals to secure additional treasury funding for programme extension. Held budget responsibility and successfully delivered the on time, within resource and 12% under budget.  Contributed to vaccination efforts, resulting in 15,000 additional staff vaccinated against Covid-19.  Developed robust business cases and option proposals to secure investments for NHS Reserve pilot sites, mobilising 16,000 reservists.  Led the Workforce Safety and Supply Programme, demonstrating authoritative decision-making in governance and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) forums, resulting in a 25% improvement in workforce safety measures.  Headed a national analytics team, ensuring workforce data security and quality, executive MI reporting, and the development of Tableau dashboards to showcase workforce demographics, EDI characteristics, and profession information. This enhanced decision-making efficiency by 25% through timely updates on workforce profiles and numbers for government ministers.  Oversaw a team of digital SMEs and developed a national survey for all registered UK healthcare professionals, garnering over 70,000 expressions of interest to support the COVID-19 response.

NHS Leadership Academy Senior Project Manager – New Directorate Design

Apr. 2019 - Apr. 2020Directed all aspects of programme management, including team leadership, RAID management, database oversight, and stakeholder engagement. Spearheaded national organisational change project, delivering optimal outcomes within time, budget, and quality constraints. Championed high-performing team leadership to boost productivity within deadline-driven environment. Orchestrated high-impact workshops to foster collaborative environment and ensure stakeholder / employee engagement.  Expert in managing large budgets, ensuring financial accountability and optimal resource allocation. Seamlessly transferred the Leadership Academy, impacting over 100 individuals, managing a £57.5M budget, and aligning local team efforts with overarching PMO objectives.  Oversaw project delivery and RAID practices to identify and resolve potential risks, maintaining 100% data integrity for informed decision-making.  Experienced in data gathering techniques such as surveys, interviews, and data mining, with a proven track record of analysing and reporting insights, leading to a 20% improvement in project outcomes.  Managed IT and digital development teams, successfully delivering key transformational change projects, including the implementation and rollout of a comprehensive Organisational Change Implementation Audit System across the business.  Headed a national analytics team, ensuring workforce data security and quality, executive MI reporting, and the development of Tableau dashboards to showcase workforce demographics, EDI characteristics, and profession information, which ensured inclusive recruitment practices.  Collaborated with Human Resource SMEs to design a transformative recruitment campaign for 350+ vacancies, enhancing the employee experience and reducing the time-to-hire by 25%.  Developed a strategic roadmap for directorate programme delivery, aligning project milestones with the organisation's People Plan, leading to a 30% improvement in project delivery timelines.

NHS Leadership AcademyCorporate Operations and Governance Manager

Dec. 2018 - Apr. 2019Spearheaded restructuring of organisation's operational and governance frameworks, emphasising robust governance structures. My expertise was instrumental in crafting governance and assurance mechanisms, offering crucial support to senior stakeholders, including C-level executives, by ensuring their comprehension and alignment with governance principles. Oversaw administrative aspects of board meetings, ensuring precise planning and execution for informed decision-making. Led development of customised operational plans, utilising platforms such as SharePoint to improve transparency and organisational governance.  Enhanced the efficiency of board meetings through meticulous planning and execution, reducing meeting times by 20% and facilitating more informed decision-making.  Demonstrated advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data analysis, Word for documentation, and PowerPoint for executive presentations, resulting in a 25% improvement in reporting accuracy and presentation effectiveness.  Drove operational transparency by developing tailored operational plans and leveraging platforms like SharePoint, increasing organisational governance effectiveness by 30%.  Secured stakeholder support for governance initiatives, ensuring alignment with governance principles and garnering buy-in from 95% of C-level executives.  Ensured smooth transitions during organisational changes, particularly in TUPE and organisational change programmes, by overseeing contracts and novation work streams, effectively mitigating risks and achieving a 15% reduction in transition-related issues.  Improved overall operational efficiency through strategic project management, employing methodologies such as PRINCE2 and Lean, and consistently meeting 100% of stringent Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

SJM Foot Health Specialist Private Podiatry Practice Owner

Apr. 2014 - Mar. 2020Leeds, England, United KingdomAs the Lead Clinician and Business Owner of a private podiatry practice, I excelled in combining clinical expertise with strategic business management. I ensured the growth and sustainability of the practice through effective business planning, financial management, and marketing strategies. My role encompassed rigorous adherence to governance and compliance requirements, maintaining high standards of patient care and safety, particularly for vulnerable patients. I specialised in managing complex foot conditions such as diabetic ulcers, neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disease, while also implementing comprehensive record-keeping systems to ensure accurate and confidential patient documentation. In addition to clinical duties, I led a team of podiatry associates, fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment. I ensured all team members met Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements and maintained compliance with regulatory standards. My leadership promoted a culture of excellence, ethical practice, and continuous professional growth, contributing to the practice's reputation for outstanding patient care and professional integrity.  Grew the patient base by 40% over three years.  Achieved a 95% patient satisfaction rate.  Reduced patient wait times by 30% through improved scheduling.  Increased revenue by 25% through the introduction of new services and treatment plans.