I began my consultancy career in 1992 and, until  joining Comic Relief in 1999, focused on the following areas:

Strategic development
I carried out strategic and policy development work for both the voluntary sector and government partnerships, both as an
individual adviser and as part of larger project teams. Projects included work on the Rough Sleepers’ Initiative, self-
monitoring systems for housing associations, and IT support services for charities. I worked on needs analysis, research
and evaluation, consultation, mobilising local agencies, reviewing good practice, preparing and promoting recommendations
and writing reports.

Service management and problem solving
I developed a record of effective support to organisations facing challenges and managing change, working on Board
development, governance, strategic and operational planning, policy work, tenant/user consultation, performance
assessment and the specification of new management information and control systems. I specialised in providing long-term
support and successfully managed major structural change for organisations with serious management problems,
including contract renegotiations, job reviews, redundancies and mergers.

Grant-making and fundraising
I provided interim management, assessment, process development and policy services to a range of donors, often over a
number of years.  I researched and developed new programmes, including support for refugee groups, training and
capacity building, prisoners, young people leaving care and black and minority ethnic voluntary organisations. I have advised
on income generation with corporate, charitable and individual donors, assisting agencies in creating excellent relationships
with sponsors and partners.

In-house consultant to Shelter
In 1999 I was contracted by Shelter, the National Housing Campaign, as interim Director of its housing services division,
while leading a restructuring and cost-saving exercise. I was responsible for 330 staff and an annual budget of £9.7 million,
with a full corporate role on the senior management team and in advising the Board of Trustees.

From 1997-8 I was appointed to develop and deliver Shelterline, a new national 24-hour freephone housing advice service,
to create the information infrastructure to support it and to enhance Shelter’s management information and internal
communications capacity. We secured support for this major project through a successful public/private partnership.