David W

My team and I are the professional services partner for RAF Sport. We provide embedded support and services that enable the volunteers that administer and deliver sport within the RAF to focus their energy on creating sporting opportunities that grow participation and improve the holistic wellbeing of the personnel of the Royal Air Force. We train, support and educate these committed individuals to understand and navigate the charitable environment in which they conduct their sporting activity. Our knowledge and expertise empowers RAF Sport to operate effectively whilst delivering their charitable objects to achieve significant collective impact.

Leads the Union by setting the strategic direction and ensuring the effective use of resources to deliver impact and benefit for its members. Skilled at recruiting, developing and empowering talented individuals to achieve their full potential. Continuously identifies and exploits opportunities for improvement. Recognised for turning around the culture of the organization, and delivering financial stability. Achievements ● Developed, implemented and managed a programme of strategic, organisational and cultural change to reposition the Union as an organization valued and respected by its members and stakeholders. ● Implemented effective financial controls, forecasting and risk management resulting in a financially sustainable organisation with appropriate reserves within a three year period. ● Delivered significantly improved relationships with the Union’s diverse stakeholder groups. Experienced in managing communications during periods of crisis, and in facilitating mediatory communications between disparate groups. ● Led the development of policy and campaigning in key areas of higher education, student housing and student mental health. ● Commissioned the development of a research informed “digital first” communications strategy that improved membership engagement with the Union. ● Led the process of registration with the Charity Commission undertaking a full governance review. Managed the implementation and development of the Trustee Board. ● Experienced in negotiating and managing external partnerships and contracts. ● Key project sponsor for the John Henry Brookes building, a £130million capital development at the University. ● Managed several strategic change projects at a cross University level on behalf of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience.

At the time of my appointment the Union faced significant challenges that threatened its future viability. These included unsustainable costs, loss making commercial activities and a legal structure and governance model that wasn’t fit for purpose. Within three years I had led the Union through a series of reforms that secured its long-term future.

- Responsible for multi site operations in both retail and licensed on trade. - Restructuring/streamlining of Commercial Services undertaken to increase profitability. - Budgetary responsibility for all commercial, and communications and marketing activity, approx. £800k annual turnover. - Project management of the completion and snagging of capital project to build new social facility within Marylebone campus, total project cost in excess of £1 million. - Responsible for tendering process for ancillary services, eg. Security, cleaning, and subsequent management of contracts.

Responsible for the management of the Reception, Duty Management, Night Management, Guest Services, Concierge and Portering teams, circa 60 staff, with 8 direct reports. ● Responsible for ensuring that the guest experience of the hotel was of a consistently high standard and compliant with the brand standards of the group. ● Responsible for the management of the hotel’s room inventory to achieve effective utilization of the room stock to enable the maximization of revenue, balanced with the need for a planned cycle of ongoing maintenance whilst ensuring an excellent guest experience. ● Project managed the implementation of a new Property Management System software package, which required effective communication and liaison across multiple stakeholder groups and detailed resource and contingency planning to deliver a business critical systems project within a very tight deadline. ● Responsible for liaising with other teams, including sales, revenue and conferencing to manage large group and event bookings, ensuring that the room management element of the booking was efficient and effective. ● Stewardship of high net worth individual guests, and senior corporate account decision makers. ● Responsible for implementation of Starwood Brand Standards and operating procedures in the Rooms Division following Starwood’s acquisition of Le Meridien brand.