WILL RUSSELL

Programme & Transformation Leader

Strategic, commercially focused Programme Manager with 30+ years’ experience delivering large scale transformation across public sector, retail and technology environments. Proven success leading cross functional and geographically dispersed teams, managing multi million pound budgets, and delivering complex operational, digital and organisational change. Strong communicator with deep expertise in programme governance, benefits realisation, business case development and supplier management.

[email protected] 07761 397572 Manningtree, Essex
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Skills
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Certifications
Work Experience
Early Career
Post Office Ltd
  • Delivered procurement and rollout of routers and EPOS printers to 14,000 sites with a budget of £11.5m, achieving on-time project completion
  • Delivered bureau automation and EPOS systems to over 5,000 sites, increasing operational efficiency
  • Managed telecoms migration across 15,000 sites from ISDN to ADSL, realizing £10m benefits
Regional Network Director
Post Office Ltd – Network Transformation Programme
Apr 2013 — Sep 2016
  • Led five regional project teams delivering change to 3,000+ Post Office branches, contributing to a 11% sales uplift
  • Achieved a customer satisfaction rating of 95% across all branches
  • Enabled an additional 80,000 opening hours weekly through operational efficiencies
  • Introduced 1,500 new operators, resulting in £45m programme savings
  • Managed over 100 central programme team members, delivering 1,450 signed contracts against a target of 1,200
  • Secured Executive Board approval for the implementation plan by presenting comprehensive business case
  • Oversaw £200m compensation and investment funds allocation, ensuring financial accountability
Project Manager – Transformation Team
Essex County Council
Sep 2016 — Oct 2021
  • Delivered business process re engineering within Essex Highways, identifying savings for reinvestment (£10m+)
  • Introduced Benefits Realisation framework tracking £1.2m target
  • Delivered £9m LED Streetlighting Business Case two months early
  • Provided programme management consultancy to Essex Energy Team
Programme Manager – Corporate Transformation
Essex County Council
Oct 2021 — Dec 2026
  • Partnered with MHCLG ministers to establish Greater Essex Combined Authority, overseeing policy, financial governance and legal frameworks
  • Built and led cross functional teams to deliver organisational setup and central government policy
  • Developed and secured approval for Adult Social Care transformation programme delivering £1.5m benefits
Skills
Programme & Project LeadershipStrategic PlanningGovernanceBenefits RealisationStakeholder EngagementSupplier ManagementOperational TransformationAgile & Waterfall DeliveryRisk & Change ManagementBudget Management (£10m–£200m+)Team Leadership
Education
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics & Computing
Open University
1981
Certifications
MSP Foundation & Practitioner
2008
ISEB Business Analysis
2005
ISEB Requirements Engineering
2005
APMP – Project Management Certified
1999
ISEB Project Management for IS
1999
Risk Management Certification
1999
Prince2 Practitioner
1992
Member, Association for Project Management (APM)
References available upon request.
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