Garry Brown

Commercially focused Group Director of Operations with a track record of building, restructuring and scaling regulated service businesses, leading multi-site operations, winning and mobilising public-sector contracts, and delivering measurable financial, operational and social outcomes. Experienced across operational leadership, transformation, commercial growth, contract performance, governance, quality assurance, stakeholder management and organisational restructure. Proven ability to build high-performing teams, form strategic partnerships, improve profitability, strengthen controls and support diversification into new sectors and markets.

SCALE OF LEADERSHIP • Led multi-functional teams of up to 50 across operations, quality, compliance, data, finance, administration, employer engagement and service delivery.

• Built and led businesses from start-up or dormant position to c. £2m+ and c. £3m+ turnover.
• Secured and managed public-sector and outcome-based contracts with combined annual values exceeding £3m.
• Operated across multiple regions, funders, employers, public-sector bodies and delivery partners, including multi-region mobilisation and contract performance.
• Delivered business turnaround, governance frameworks, quality improvement, accreditations, audit readiness and performance improvement. CORE DIRECTOR-LEVEL VALUE Operational Leadership: Multi-site delivery, performance management, people leadership, governance and business control.

Commercial Growth: New contract wins, bid leadership, client development, pricing, mobilisation and sustainable revenue growth.

Transformation & Turnaround: Restructuring, cost reduction, process redesign, KPI frameworks and profit improvement.

Partnerships & Diversification: Strategic partnerships with employers, councils, funders and delivery partners to enter new markets.

Contract & Programme Delivery: Public-sector and outcome-based contracts, performance management, risk control, compliance and reporting.

Quality & Governance: ISO, Matrix, Cyber Essentials, inspection readiness, improvement planning, board reporting and external scrutiny. SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS • Turned SBA Nationwide Ltd from a loss-making business into a profitable organisation generating c. £3m turnover with approximately £1m profit.

• Built Total Futures Ltd from a dormant position into a business generating c. £2m turnover within 12 months.
• Secured direct contracts with Greater London Authority, North East Combined Authority, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Lancashire County Council, plus additional subcontracts, worth in excess of £2.75m per year.
• Generated six-figure profits within the first 12 months of appointment and established operating models, policies, procedures, accreditations and governance from scratch.
• Won and delivered multiple public-sector and outcome-based contracts including ASF, ESF, DWP, Skills Bootcamps, SSU and SSW, with strong performance ag

Group Director of Operations at Total Futures Ltd (2022-10 – Present)

Appointed as Group Director of Operations to establish, scale and lead a previously dormant business, with responsibility for group operations, commercial growth, strategic partnerships, contract performance, quality, governance, risk, mobilisation and diversification into new sectors. Lead the development of operating models, delivery partnerships and commercial propositions to support sustainable growth across regulated, public-funded and employer-led markets.

• Lead group operations across regulated delivery, commercial growth, performance management, governance, quality, compliance, employer engagement and stakeholder relationships.
• Designed and managed strategic partnership models with employers, public-sector bodies and delivery organisations, including negotiation of roles, responsibilities, governance, performance expectations and commercial arrangements.
• Support diversification into new sectors by identifying market demand, building partner networks, shaping propositions and aligning operating models to employer, funder and regional priorities.
• Built the company from dormant to c. £2m turnover in under 12 months, creating the operating model, policies, processes, staffing structure and governance arrangements from scratch.
• Led bids, mobilisation and delivery for multi-region public-funded programmes across Liverpool, West Midlands, Lancashire, London and other devolved regions, securing repeat funding and strong outcome performance.
• Secured a three-year Greater London Authority contract worth in excess of £1m per year and sourced an East London delivery base through negotiation with Newham Council.
• Established board-level reporting, governance controls, external scrutiny arrangements and improvement planning to support regulated growth, audit readiness and contract assurance.
• Built and led regional teams to deliver against contract, quality, outcome, employer engagement and financial performance targets.
• Developed employer relationships with organisations including Kelly Group, Elmhurst Energy, Svella Connect, MJ Quinn, Civil Service, Boom Battle Bars, Millennium Hotels and Morrison Telecoms.
• Worked with quality consultants and the Fellowship of Inspection Nominees to strengthen governance, inspection readiness, quality assurance, self-assessment and improvement planning.
• Secured and maintained external accreditations and approvals including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, Matrix, Cyber Essentials Plus and awarding body centre approvals.

Managing Director at SBA Nationwide Ltd (2019-04 – 2022-07)

Led the commercial and operational turnaround of a training and employability business, restructuring the organisation, improving delivery performance, winning new contracts and building a profitable operating model.

• Restructured a loss-making business into profitability, achieving c. £3m turnover and approximately £1m profit within less than three years.
• Won and managed public-sector and outcome-based contracts and subcontract agreements across AEB, ESF, SSU, SSW and DWP programmes with a combined value in excess of £3m.
• Designed and implemented performance management procedures for delivery and non-delivery teams, improving accountability, productivity and financial control.
• Established end-to-end ESF provision directly with prime contractors, ensuring contract compliance, customer progression, employer engagement and audit readiness.
• Built relationships with local and national employers to secure contractual outcomes and exceed progression requirements.
• Placed over 1,200 candidates into work through ESF, AEB and DWP programmes, including during the pandemic through adapted delivery models.
• Negotiated favourable management fees with prime providers and created strong partnerships across colleges, providers, employers and referral organisations.
• Gained accreditations including Matrix, Cyber Essentials, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and Disability Confident.

Director of Skills at AMS Nationwide Ltd (2018-04 – 2018-12)

Provided strategic and operational leadership across funded services, employer partnerships, quality, compliance, staffing and business development during a period of organisational change.

• Led a team of over 30 across finance, operations, quality, compliance, data, administration and delivery functions.
• Built relationships with major levy-paying employers including Santander, Stobart Group, Great Annual Savings, Guarding UK and Baldwins.
• Established and delivered a large public-funded contract achieving 100% success rates and a 45% profit margin.
• Introduced end-to-end customer journey controls, induction processes, quality controls and delivery support arrangements.
• Successfully tendered to become prime provider for The Tilney Group, an investment management company with more than 1,000 FTE staff in England.
• Maintained and over-delivered on the Santander contract when the client was considering withdrawal from the programme.
• Supported an employer to develop as an employer provider and created shared central support functions across finance, HR, sales and executive support.

Head of Operations at RNN College Group (2007-01 – 2017-12)

Built and led subsidiary businesses within a college group, with responsibility for commercial growth, operations, client development, quality, staffing, performance management and organisational change.

• Developed Optimas Training Ltd from a one-person operation into an organisation generating over £1m turnover per year, later securing government funding and subsidiary status.
• Created and scaled Create Skills and Charnwood Training Group, generating combined turnover in excess of £2.5m.
• Led operational responsibility for teams of up to 50 including quality managers, team leaders, service delivery staff and administrators.
• Designed business, hospitality and management programmes and maintained knowledge of CMI provision and apprenticeship levy requirements.
• Implemented KPI frameworks and monthly performance reviews covering quality, success rates, financial performance, sales targets and delivery productivity.
• Identified cost savings through centralisation of support functions and improved delivery capacity to over 95%.
• Managed restructuring and redundancy processes while maintaining stakeholder confidence, morale and continuity of delivery.

Sales, Customer Service and Hospitality Operations at Earlier Career (1996 – 2006)

Earlier career developed strong commercial, sales, customer service and hospitality operations experience, progressing through food and beverage management, retail sales management and financial services sales roles. Built a practical grounding in team leadership, customer experience, complaint resolution, sales performance and operational service delivery.

Bachelor of Arts in Economic History – University of Glasgow (1997)

Scottish Highers including English and Maths – Websters High School (1993)

Scottish Standard Grades including English and Maths – Williamwood High School (1991)