Nicole Walker Email & Phone Number

London, GB

London, England, United Kingdom

• Lead the development and implementation of processes to monitor progress to ensure operational delivery requirements are met across multiple workstreams and/or programmes in line with the contract requirements.
• Manage internal governance activities for the programmes/workstreams ensuring a clear framework for information sharing, decision making, risk management and progress monitoring is in place and adhered to and support.
• Lead for developing and implementing project and programme methodologies and best practice to ensure effective programme governance. Including the development and roll out of tools, templates and processes.
• Lead for budget development activities for the programme including coordination and input on annual and quarterly forecast budgets and providing budget oversight to the Associate Director and Executive Board. Work with.
• Deputising for the Associate Director as/when required as escalation point of contact for contract delivery.
• Lead for developing and implementing robust risk management processes, facilitating discussions to identify risks and issues and mitigations and the impact across programme and workstream resources resulting from any.

London, United Kingdom

• Led the BookTrust Early Years team in the development and delivery of a portfolio of national Early Years programmes inc. Bookstart Baby, Bookstart Treasure and Bookstart Corner
• Oversaw the development, production and roll-out of Bookstart resources – equating to over 1 million Bookstart packs annually
• Established and maintained strong internal and external partnerships to ensure programme sustainability including partnership agreements with 152 local authorities across England
• Developed, implemented and reviewed performance frameworks and providing regular reports to the Director of Programmes, BookTrust SLT and Board
• Increased the impact and outcomes of Bookstart programmes through ongoing monitoring and evaluation including the commissioning of 3 substantive evaluation projects
• Acted as the Early Years internal expert and centre of competence for the organisation

London, United Kingdom

• Responsible for the effective delivery of 4Children’s portfolio of national programmes, including 3 DfE grant programmes
• Managed 4Children’s national contracts - progress monitoring, compliance management and budgetary oversight
• Supervised and managed the National Programmes team project delivery and administrative staff
• Produced written proposals and reports for funders, senior management and partners organisations
• Developed and maintained effective relationships with key stakeholders inc. DfE, DWP, NatCen and 70+ DfE prospectus grant holders

• Managed the delivery of the Certificate of Maintained Standard (CMS), a locally devised quality framework aimed at raising standards and building capacity amongst 70+ Private Voluntary and Independent Children & Young.
• Successfully supported 70+ settings to achieve CMS accreditation
• Effectively line managed three CMS Development Officers
• Managed and facilitated relationships amongst key stakeholders, including positions on two steering groups and a sub-group of the local safeguarding board

• Coordinating the production of the Diploma programme's three year business plan
• Managing the Diploma Programme's Business Support functions – financial management, procurement and resourcing
• Responsible for the budget and contract management of a high impact reform programme with a budget of over £7 million
• Managing risks and issues relating to the programme's procurement and financial management processes
• Managing and monitoring the programme's adherence to procurement and contract management requirements, ensuring compliance to QCDA policy and Government legislation
• Supporting the Programme Manager and Director in the development of the programme's succession planning and matters relating to human resources

• Co-ordinating delivery and implementing performance reporting and knowledge capture
• Supporting the development of effective annual business plans
• Devising and implementing budget management processes at a team level
• Introducing effective budget and contract management processes, through the delivery of staff training and robust process documentation
• Identifying, documenting and reporting risks and issues pertaining to finance and contracts and developing appropriate contingency action plans

• Managing a network of more than 300 members and over 100 local authorities, effectively providing support services to early year’s and children’s library staff nationwide
• Responsible for the project management of the network: establishing an annual work plan, maintaining the project budget, communicating progress to the steering group by producing status reports, creating project plans.
• Planning and implementing nationwide staff training events tailored to staff requirements, contracting in experts in relevant fields
• Liaising with partner organisations, facilitating meetings, acting as advocate on behalf of network members
• Creating and managing Network Membership database
• Designing content and maintenance for Network website: www.eyln.org.uk

• Promoted from Research Officer in 2004 to overseeing management information for the North London office
• Responsible for project planning, including resourcing and identifying risks
• Producing summary reports and initial research papers
• Facilitation of meetings
• Finance – preparation of requisitions, raising purchase orders, invoicing and preparation of budget records
• Managing the customer relationship database and records management system

• Planning and delivering class visits to children and young people ages 4 – 16, story and play sessions to under fives and their families and facilitating teenage reading groups
• Stock management - selecting and maintaining children’s and teenage library stock
• Training and supervising junior and weekend staff and work experience students – approximately 10-15 members of staff per anum
• Regularly responsible for opening, closing and daily management of branch libraries in the absence of senior staff

• Editing and backchecking questionnaires carried out by field staff
• Providing reports and breakdowns of survey responses

Education record

Ba Honours, Sociology And Social Policy Research

A Level, Sociology, English Literature, Government &Amp; Politics