Case Study

Secondee: Jennifer Kirkby
Secondment: Developmental
Secondment Organisation: Ordnance Survey

A high profile secondment, this project was under the remit of the UK Government Interchange Programme-working in the "Modernising Britain" initiative.

The secondment of Jennifer Kirkby from Bradford & Bingley, was brokered and matched by McKenzie Associates.

Jennifer's experience and expertise in Project Management, Marketing Communications and Strategy and Public Relations combined with Ordnance Surveys desire to review their communications strategy and drive forward a necessary culture change within the department produced the ideal combination. The project was of a high profile and at the launch of the project (9/12/99) Dr Mo Mowlam illustrated the Governments desire to;

"....attract secondments of outsiders in a range of tasks spanning policy development, service delivery and project management, particularly in areas where we are short of skills and experience. People like Jennifer Kirkby, who is in the audience today. Jennifer is a specialist in business strategy and marketing, on secondment from Bradford & Bingley plc to Ordnance Survey. OS have become a trading fund and Jennifer's role is to help them become a customer focused organisation who can operate successfully in a market which is fragmenting. Tough work - I wish her success"

The secondment was completed successfully and the development aims as well as project objectives were achieved. The skills and exposure to a different environment that the secondment provided enabled Jennifer to further develop her career and an enhanced high profile marketing role was gained. Ordnance Survey as a result were able to adopt a more positive and customer focused marketing strategy with long term benefits ensuing.

At the conclusion of the secondment John Green, Staff Development and Training Manager made the following statement;

"Jennifer's secondment was brokered by a specialist consultant who negotiated the contract, the objectives, terms and conditions applying to this secondment and managed the review and communication process - a move favoured by OS. Secondments, using a broker are a viable option to the ad hoc system currently in place at OS - there is a need to improve the way we look at secondments"

Secondments can and do work - to the benefit of all involved. To find out what McKenzie Associates can offer your organisation why not contact us now for a free, no obligation discussion.

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