Skills Showcase: Strategic Support

ILAG enlisted Debbie’s strategic guidance and support to optimise processes and spearhead projects during a period of strategic and operational reform. Her contributions enable the CEO to streamline operations and align efforts with the overarching vision to ensure the organisation’s future sustainability.

Our Client

Investment and Life Assurance Group (ILAG) is a not-for-profit representative membership body for those working in and supporting the financial services industry. ILAG provides educational and networking opportunities, facilitating expert working groups, and influencing policy through delivery of practical insight and informed opinion.

A Passionate PA client since March 2023, ILAG approached us looking for freelance business support. Debbie was skill-matched with their requirements by Kate Chastey, our franchisor.

The Initial Brief

ILAG was undergoing some huge changes to safeguard its long-term sustainability. The Management Team was also under pressure to deliver various key projects and were short of additional resource.

Initially, Debbie helped support the team with those ‘just haven’t got enough hours in the day’ projects and took on the compilation of the Monthly Update – a vital membership communication that brings together under one roof all the activities undertaken and planned within the monthly period. ILAG also wanted to review, improve and modernise the process and structure surrounding a key membership deliverable – an annual dinner event.

 

The Ongoing Brief

As the working relationship between Debbie and the CEO, Jo Stickland, has grown, Debbie has been able to bring a wider corporate perspective and apply her experience from other industries to the not-for-profit sector.

The organisational change required to secure ILAG’s future needed to be handled carefully and is something that would have taken the rest of the team away from their day-to-day duties – delivering for the membership. Some were also heavily involved themselves in particular initiatives, such as creating a brand new website, and so assistance for Jo from within the team was thin on the ground.

Our Solution

Debbie had become a trusted sounding board and so was enlisted to provide further strategic guidance and support. Debbie’s assistance has proven instrumental in helping Jo to organise and optimise processes and procedures, bringing clarity and efficiency to operations. Working 1:1, Jo and Debbie have streamlined existing practices and future proofed them for ILAG.

Debbie has been a key contributor to various strategic projects spearheaded by Jo, aligning her efforts with Jo’s overarching vision for ILAG’s future sustainability and growth.