ABOUT ME
​
​
​
I'm an experienced senior interim manager with a wealth of experience across the public and private sectors.
I have a high level of political awareness with current and detailed knowledge of local government, and experience of developing creative strategies for major capital projects at director level.
​
While I have a focus on housing and local authority projects, effective interim management at Director Level is my speciality, regardless of sector.
PAUL LEO LTD
SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS
THROUGH TRANSFORMATION
​
Experienced senior interim management solutions within local government, housing and other sectors. Supporting major organisations through complex change.
​
Access to a network of trusted associates where necessary to provide additional capacity and expertise.
​
Based in London, Wiltshire & across the UK.
EXPERIENCE
​
I’ve worked as Interim CEO, Executive Director and in other leadership positions for a variety of organisations including housing associations, local authorities and most recently, at Oxford City Council, where as Interim Executive Director of Housing during the pandemic I led the development of a county-wide and system wide homelessness strategy. I was also responsible for housing delivery and a number of other functions.
​
I have led transformational housing projects across the UK, including involvement in the setup of a new housing ALMO to manage 22,000 homes in Tower Hamlets and major capital projects in Northumberland.​
​
​
​
PAST PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
YMCA CHARITY MERGER
Leading a supported housing charity to merge
The Challenge
YMCA West London was a small housing and support charity which needed to change to continue to provide effective support to young people facing the challenge of living in London.
​
My Role
I was asked to organise the governance of the organisation and to lead the project to merge the organisation with others to form the largest YMCA in the UK. Having improved governance and led negotiations with other parties, the Board appointed me Chief Executive for the six months running up to merger.
​
The Outcome
The merger took place on time and within budget, despite a number of late challenges. I was retained for a period after merger to develop a new operating model for the enlarged organisation.
LOCAL AUTHORITY TRANSFORMATION
Leading an authority accommodation programme
The Challenge
A unitary authority formed from six district councils and the previous county council, but had not rationalised its property estate. The Council also faced spending challenges and needed to stimulate economic growth areas of high unemployment.
​
My Role
I established a programme office which included specialists in change management and service reviews, ‘town champions’, and property surveyors. I worked with leaders of all political groups as well as local politicians and community leaders to achieve consensus behind controversial and difficult choices to maintain services whilst dramatically lowering the authority’s cost base.
​
The Outcome
The first phase established agreed town plans, an asset disposal programme, new central corporate offices and an investment programme. for the market towns. New small flexible office hubs were established and an organisation-wide programme of change was established. The programme was picked up by internal teams.
CHANGING HOUSING MANAGEMENT
The first ALMO-managed housing to go back to council
The Challenge
A small Unitary authority decided to bring its housing management in house from the Arm’s Length Management Organisation (ALMO).
​
My Role
I led the project to design a new structure to improve the customer experience and reduce running costs. This involved doubling the number of customer- facing staff whilst generating savings of over half a million pounds a year.
I proposed a radical approach to the transfer of management to speed up the process and reduce project costs.
​
The Outcome
The streamlined approach meant that we became the first ALMO to complete a transfer of management back to a local authority ahead of the original timescale and with a much reduced budget.
CHANGING HOUSING MANAGEMENT
Creating a new ALMO
The Challenge
A London council created an Arm’s Length Management Organisation (ALMO) and recruited me as a part of an interim executive team to establish the new organisation while a permanent team was recruited.
​
My Role
As Interim Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Housing & Customer Services, I implemented a change programme to move the organisation from a zero star rated service to a 2-star rated service. We developed a culture change programme to refocus a traditional local authority to one that was geared around the needs of residents. This involved rethinking how to deliver quality housing in the most over-crowded housing in the country.
​
The Outcome
I was retained by the new Chief Executive to continue to run the culture change programme to deliver more staff on the estates and developing value-driven behaviours. The service improved to the target rating, freeing up investment to deliver decent homes.
SKILLS
Working with permanent and interim executive teams at all levels.
Diplomatic stakeholder management and clear communication channels.
Restructuring and implementation of new working models.
Forward planning strategies for improving delivery and efficiency.
Seamless handover to permanent teams and recruitment when needed.
Generating capital receipts, improving efficiency, and reducing costs.
TESTIMONIALS
Paul is driven to ensure the client gets value for money, by ensuring objectives are met and by offering ideas and opportunities for "added value" outcomes. He has a wealth of management experience and has been a successful change agent. He is quick to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of an organisation and assimilates quickly to the needs of the business.
He has excellent political awareness and is able to broker "buy in" for new ideas, initiatives and changes from all parties.
CEO
It has been a delight to work with [Paul] and we are all deeply grateful to him for a most steady hand on the tiller, which has enabled us to reach this point.
Board Member
