Lindsey Dixon
Project Manager
Technology Services
Started at StepChange in 2021

My average week...

A typical week for me involves monitoring many component parts of the project, namely analysis activities, development, testing, business/service readiness, along with ensuring project governance is up to date and adhered to. I track activities against plans, progress actions, manage risks, issues and dependencies associated with the delivery, track budgets, hold project meetings and regularly communicate the status of the project to various stakeholders.

I attend regular project working group meetings where key progress updates are given. This can sometimes highlight issues that may lead to a delay in delivery, a change in scope or an increase to the costs. As a team, we discuss, assess, and seek to understand the impacts that a delay, change in scope or cost increase will have on the project.

Where projects encounter challenges such as these, the team must work quickly to bring key information to the table, along with the associated risks, impacts and benefits to help inform the right decision and outputs, along with considering any impacts to the business case and benefits.

I also lead the Project Board meetings, which brings together the Executive Sponsor and senior stakeholders to discuss the project progress and gain direction on key decisions as required. Ahead of this meeting, I need to prepare a Project Board pack bringing together the key updates on all aspects of the project, this needs to be reviewed with the Project Sponsor ahead of the meeting. In addition, at various stagegates within the project, approval from the Strategic Investment Board may be required.

How did I get here?

I’ve worked for several Financial Service providers in a few Operational, Debt Management and Change roles. My Project Management career started in 2015, shortly after having my second child. I’d previously worked on change initiatives and really enjoyed the variety and challenges that the role brings.

After playing a lead part in the successful delivery of a three-year programme, I had come to a natural break and decided that my previous skills and experience would prove valuable to StepChange. This combined with the fact that the work the charity does in helping clients to get back on their feet really appealed to me.

I am busy with...

My current project is coming towards the end of its life cycle and I’m looking to start closure activities soon. This involves gaining feedback/lessons learned from stakeholders to understand ‘what went well’ and ‘areas for improvement’. After this I will formally present the findings at the Change Board to gain agreement to close the project.

I’m also having early discussions at this stage with my manager in terms of my next assignment, at which point a discovery phase will commence to determine the purpose, proposition, and expectations of the change delivery.

We have a number of other Project Managers in the team and we continue to support the charity with changes required to support clients and colleagues. We also need to ensure we keep up to date from a regulatory and compliance perspective whilst maintaining our services and systems. Below are just a few of the key projects delivered:

Replacement of a new Customer Relationship Management solution and client portal to manage clients seeking a Mortgage or Equity Release product with us, along with a data and document migration from the old system to the new system delivering resulting in an enhanced and efficient user journey

Replacement of an end-of-life system forming a key part of the technical infrastructure that enables the charity to collect Direct Debits from Clients and transfer funds to Creditors

Delivery of several system and online journey efficiency improvements, along with telephone IVR and routing enhancements for new and existing clients to better the client experience through the journey and to better signpost clients to online services for immediate support, and reducing call wait times

An infrastructure uplift and hygiene project covering a range of items which were presenting a risk to service stability, security and the ability to manage and maintain environments e.g. new development environment, new backup solution, upgrading of unsupported software, a range of good practice enhancements and multiple reductions in single points of failure

Introduction of a new appointment booking and document collections system working with a third party, which realised the average set up time of a Voluntary Arrangement from 90 days to 40 days on average

Delivery of a technical remediation project to bring one of the charity's solutions in line with the latest version to increase security and functionality, along with a new process to allow us to take patch releases more frequently in the future. In addition, undertaking a rework of how the PAP is technically produced to guard against issues with future upgrades and have the opportunity to use new functionality in the future

Consumer Duty project to ensure systems and processes are in line with the new regulatory requirements to be introduced at the end of July 2023.

I love it here because...

It’s simple really, the charity is here to help and support clients that are facing particularly challenging and difficult times. I find it fulfilling to be part of an organisation that genuinely makes a difference to people’s lives and the projects I’m delivering contribute to enhancing the client journey.