Darren has a strong understanding of University operating models, the student lifecycle, the business processes and systems that support that journey and the change, programme and project management methodologies that identify and deliver change initiatives.
Darren is passionate about ensuring Universities identify and deliver value, focusing on outcomes and putting the student experience at the centre of what is delivered whilst understanding the broad range of business impacts involved. He can support clients in identifying and assessing strategic change initiatives, assessing and improving target operating models and change portfolios, assessing current portfolio, programme and project management structures and methods, suggesting improvements and assisting in the delivery of those improvements.
Darren spent the first part of his career in the mail and logistics industry, working as a business analyst and project manager on a large scale CRM implementation. He then moved into a System Owner role before moving on to work as a Programme Manager at a Russell Group University. He then moved to become a System Programme Manager for a company supplying CRM systems to university careers services.
Darren then moved into consulting in 2022, bringing his change, project and business analysis experience to a number of clients and consultancies in sectors including logistics, transport, retail and public sector, with several Universities as clients along the way.
How has Darren recently supported universities?
- Middlesex University: delivery of a Digital Student Hub programme, decommissioning two platforms and porting content and functionality from these onto a third platform delivering web and mobile app capabilities for students and staff
- University of Kent: drafted a change strategy and created a strategic change framework to support the development of the university PMO function, enabling more efficient identification and prioritisation of change initiatives
- University of Kent: created a tactical change methodology to help deliver process improvements identified through the ‘How We Work’ initiative and led an analysis team in the review and implementation of a multitude of improvements across the student journey
- Other recent assignments both within and outside of the HE sector have concentrated on identification of current and target operating models and the strategic and operational capability of the organisation to achieve the future state – this has involved assisting senior stakeholders to use strategic change management principles to identify and drive change initiatives and to take ownership of the key elements of risk, benefits management and change sustainability.
Outside of work Darren enjoys playing piano and going to the odd football match (Tottenham Hotspur and Ipswich Town if you’re interested!). He is a keen indoor rower and cyclist and enjoys spending time with his partner and family.