Mike Cashman

Experience

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  Update software AG

  Aug 1981 - Dec 1986

  Almost every role in the company

  Rapidly progressed from an expert technical role to become Marketing Support Manager, establishing and leading a team of 10 who were essential in every new revenue opportunity. The team worked miracles for new customers (in customers' eyes) to win new business and achieve year-on-year growth in income around 40% each year. For example, led a small team to develop the UK' s first card protection system from scratch in days after the Access (credit-card) in-house team had struggled for months with the same challenge. Ran training when required. Also undertook a very successful tour of duty in the sales force focused entirely on competitive sales (i.e. establishing the Software AG products with customers who had already made a corporate decision for a different product). Show less

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  LBMS plc

  Jan 1987 - Jun 1989

  Divisional Manager / Supervisory Consultant

  Managing several projects in LBMS Software Division (Project Management group). Review of major LBMS projectStrategic data planning with several customers.

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  The Method Consultancy Ltd

  Jun 1989 - May 1995

  Independent Consultant

  Independent consultant & Project Manager:managed projects for clients and assisted a number of clients to bring in more effective project management approaches; managed a portfolio of projects and rescued one high-profile project.

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  Department of Work & Pensions

  Jul 1995 - May 1996

  Programme Planning Manager

  This was a 400-person programme of twelve IT and business change projects• Defined a business-driven strategy for implementation. • Helped to set up a Programme Support Office • Introduced a product-based planning culture, and defined an overall Programme Plan. • Introduced tight tracking procedures enabling fortnightly senior management reporting against the critical path for the programme • As a result the initial phase of this programme was delivered on time. • Transferred skills to civil servants to provide a smooth handover. Show less

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  Post Office

  Sept 1996 - May 2001

  Customer Information Systems Manager

  Responsible for leading the customer interface team to supply and support electronic data interfaces with 2000 customers, using the services of a variety of internal and external suppliers, underpinning the majority (approx £300 million per year) of Parcelforce revenue. The team provided consultancy in integrated logistics and supply chain solutions for external customers, system development of new customer-facing solutions, and technical support via a dedicated helpdesk. Established and developed a customer-focused culture, and the team was described by customers as "the team that keeps its promises".Defined and agreed the Parcelforce electronic commerce strategy, which when implemented consolidated Parcelforce's strong positioning for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer traffic - and also won the Digital Britain award from Microsoft for 'best business website' Show less

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  Actalpha Delta Ltd

  May 2001 - Dec 2012

  Director

  Actalpha's role was to help make programmes of change happen, or to play a key part in rescue and recovery of programmes that had lost their way..Typically called in when clients had concerns about their change programmes, in order to bring people together to ensure that objectives were aligned, plans were realistic and key people were committed to them. Actalpha developed a track record of getting to grips with the facts and ensuring that the situation was fully understood so that the way forward could be planned together.Occasional presenter at conferences - with very positive feedback for interactive and stimulating sessions. Show less

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  SchlumbergerSema Medical Services

  Jul 2001 - Dec 2001

  Programme Manager

  Programme Rescue and Interim Programme Manager for a wide-ranging change programme, including business process change, doctor recruitment, physical medical records, evidence-based medicine system, and project management process. For example, facilitated strategic customer-supplier workshop which resolved blockages and established the way forward with major public sector customer, resulting in additional £160m contract.

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  Strategic Rail Authority

  May 2002 - Mar 2004

  Programme Management Consultant

  Set up the competence, teamworking and human impacts of a major change programme in the rail industry, together with programme assurance by rail industry stakeholders.In a further assignment, took lead responsibility for quality management across the programme, and for the programme team's IT facilities

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  Christies

  Aug 2004 - Sept 2005

  Programme Manager

  Responsible for leading a small team to diagnose the status of a change programme covering Christies' major business systems worldwide, and bringing the programme back on track. This included a very successful implementation of the CRM system, establishing it as the primary and popular means of maintaining contact information. Programme Manager role was then handed over to a Christie's employee - provided further programme management support in London and New York

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  EDF Energy

  Oct 2005 - May 2007

  Portfolio/project management consultant

  Implementing portfolio management and a consistent, scaled project management method across all EDF Energy Branches.Subsequently delivered training courses in EDF Energy Project Way for approx 500 project managers and other staff.

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  Liberty International

  Jun 2007 - Nov 2007

  Programme Manager

  Defined a business change programme covering Finance, IT and Treasury functions, balancing strategic importance and achievability, and then handed the Programme Manager role over to the Liberty Group Financial Controller

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  BPP Professional Education

  Jan 2008 - Jul 2008

  Programme Manager

  Programme Review and Recover - for integrated programme of business change and systems transformation in customer service and finance for the BPP Education business. Implemented an effective governance scheme and, as interim Programme Manager, led the programme to define a realistic and achievable plan for the first business transition (the Financial system, using MS Dynamics) , which was implemented very successfully in July 2008.

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  Thales

  Aug 2008 - Aug 2009

  Programme Process Development Manager

  Establish common processes for Jubilee-Northern Line upgrade programme, harmonising processes for programme spanning Canada, UK and India in development of moving-block signalling system. Designed an agreed process for overall Design Compliance of the Thales programme

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  VSO

  Sept 2009 - Jun 2010

  Organisational Development

  Created and fulfilled a role to support Voluntary Service Overseas volunteers in Ghana undertaking Organisational Development with the partners where volunteers are placed. Co-ordinated efforts of VSO volunteers and OD consultants to tailor the Organisation Assessment tool that had been proposed both to adapt it for the educational environment and to make it more user-friendly and powerful. Assisted specific implementations of Organisational Development, and shared example good practice among the volunteer community. Established an online forum with 50 participants, actively used for sharing of good practice with OD in Ghana..Established priorities for further progress in organisational development, and trained a team in the facilitation techniques which he pioneered in VSO Ghana. Show less

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  Energy Saving Trust

  Sept 2010 - Feb 2011

  Project Director

  Stabilised the Organisational Effectiveness Project (General ledger, procurement and performance management), identified issues that were barriers to completion, ensured resolution of them and set the project on track for delivery before handing over.

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  Wycombe District Council

  Jan 2012 - Sept 2012

  Development Manager

  Managing projects within Community Services (Green Spaces, Museum, Arts Development), including a project intended to progress the museum and arts development to an independent trust and to create / refurbish museum buildings on a new site. Includes project management mentoring using PRINCE2.

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  World Vision UK

  Dec 2012 - now

  Programme Finance & Compliance Officer

  Last employment:Responsible for the financial and contract management of a varying portfolio of development and humanitarian relief grants, with donors including DFID, EC, EC Humanitarian Organisation,Start Fund, UN, UNICEF and the Disasters Emergency Committee. Role included travel to field offices to monitor financial performance and compliance of grant-funded projects, provide training and promote effective consortia working together on grants management, working in conjunction with WorldVision National Offices and subgrantees. Also brought experience gained in public and private sectors into the not-for-profit sector within World Vision. For example, proposed, developed and implemented a structured "Go/No go" process for new grants and tenders. The principles established in that process have influenced a new World Vision worldwide "Go/No go" process.Proposed and implemented ongoing analysis of grant risk by donor and country. Guided a number of staff within WorldVision on a variety of matters including presentation/workshop style, grant start-up, financial/commercial analysis, foreign exchange impact, risk management, and technical Excel skills. Provided commercial review and revision of WorldVision UK's first commercial tender, which was successful - DFID selected the WorldVision UK proposal for implementation of the leading-edge Beneficiary Feedback Mechanism project.Undertook a key role for two consortia in Sierra Leone dealing with preventative actions to complete the recovery from the ebola crisis , and with finance to stimulate the recovery of the small trader market - financial definition of the work, and presentation of it to Department for International Development. The total budgets were in excess of £24 million and the work was crucial in freeing Sierra Leone from ebola.Occasional work on contract basis for World Vision UK after retirement. Show less

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  ViewDelta Press

  Jun 2016 - now

  Author / Satirist

  Author of poems and songs that bring out some of our recent political challenges, including Brexit and the handling of the pandemic, in comic parody or verse.

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  VSO

  Apr 2018 - Jul 2020

  Trainer of VSO volunteers

  Drawing from my experience as an overseas volunteer with VSO in order to prepare new VSO volunteers for their assignments, both experienced volunteers on Skills for Working in Development and youth volunteers on the ICS (International Citizenship Service). Preparation for cultural and practical aspects of working overseas, and practical coaching in facilitation techniques.