Collinson Grant supported AWE to shape, challenge and develop rigorous and practical business cases to secure investment to progress programmes.

Formerly known as Atomic Weapons Establishment, AWE Nuclear Security Technologies is an arm’s-length government body wholly owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Operating for over 75 years, it is responsible for designing, manufacturing and maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent for UK MoD. It is publicly funded and has strictly governed processes to control spending and ensure value for money.

AWE needed to develop a series of high-quality business cases to secure investment to progress important programmes. The complexity of the initiatives, combined with an evolving scope and multiple stakeholders, made it difficult to articulate a clear, coherent case for change.

Collinson Grant’s intimate knowledge of AWE, built over decades, and our understanding of the business environment helped us make the business cases compelling. The financial assumptions needed to be robust, the options fully explored and the overall narrative shaped to secure approval with confidence.

Our approach

Collinson Grant’s role was hands-on and end-to-end. We helped build the business cases from the ground up and ensured they could navigate governance successfully.

We focused on:

• Clarifying the case for change – we probed the underlying need for the business cases, tested assumptions and ensured a strong, evidence-based rationale
• Strengthening scope and options – we challenged thinking to ensure the preferred option was robust, deliverable and aligned to strategic objectives
• Applying HM Treasury guidance – we structured cases in line with the Five Case Model to ensure completeness and credibility
• Developing clear, concise narratives – we translated complex material into coherent, compelling business cases
• Testing the financials – we produced financial models, reviewed costs and funding to ensure the cases made financial sense and represented value for money
• Supporting governance and approvals – we prepared materials, anticipated questions and guided cases through internal and external review
• Engaging stakeholders – we worked with key contributors to build alignment, resolve issues and maintain momentum

We applied critical thinking and practical experience to ensure each case was built on solid foundations and could withstand scrutiny.

Why it worked

Our approach combines critical thinking, structured analysis and practical delivery. We focus on what matters, ensuring each business case is robust, coherent and positioned to succeed.

With Collinson Grant’s support, our client was able to maintain their operational capacity whilst navigating governance and progressing projects at pace. Our support enabled stronger, more defensible investment cases, improved stakeholder confidence and alignment, resulting in the successful approval of the business cases.

Alistair Kissock, Estate Development Lead, said:

“Collinson Grant brought focused, professional support at exactly the right moments. They quickly got to the heart of what we were trying to achieve, helped us make confident decisions with the evidence to back them up, and kept us focused on what would stand up to scrutiny. The result was a series of standalone business cases we could take through governance with clarity and confidence.”

Royal BAM Group (BAM) is a leading Tier 1 building contractor.  Its senior leaders asked Collinson Grant to help them review and redesign the UK & Ireland division’s organisational structure.

BAM had recently brought its regional and independent operating companies into a single UK & Ireland division and was now looking to pursue a more customer intimate strategy. This prompted a need to reconsider how the organisation was structured such that it could best serve customers and elevate embedded capabilities. The leadership team recognised that the existing design—developed during earlier consolidation would not deliver this.

We aimed to create a more coordinated, less complex organisation that could make faster decisions.

A clear view of the organisation and areas for change

We worked closely with the managerial team to understand the current organisation, its strengths, and the barriers affecting its work.  We found several performance limitations, including duplicated effort, inconsistent reporting lines, siloed working and unclear responsibilities.

We also examined how the structure affected communication and decision-making.  Like many large, project-based organisations, BAM needed to ensure information could move quickly and reliably throughout the business.  This meant removing layers of management that added cost and delay, and rebalancing spans of control that had become too narrow.

We developed options to solve these problems, concentrating on how the business faced the market and how work was coordinated between functions, projects, and regions.  We worked with the senior team to develop these options, from high-level design principles to detailed working practices, team structures, and accountabilities.

A practical understanding of how work is done

To support the redesign, we used Collinson Grant’s Process Activity Analysis (PAA)—a diagnostic tool that maps the core processes within an organisation and identifies who is doing the work and how much effort is being spent on each activity. This showed how work moved between individuals, departments, and business units, and where processes were vulnerable to handoff failures, duplication, or delay.

The analysis supported open, evidence-based conversations about which practices BAM needed to keep and which needed to change.  The PAA gave the managerial team confidence that the new structure was informed by how people did their work, not just how they were nominally organised.

Preparing for change and supporting implementation

We presented the proposed design to the senior leadership team and worked with them to define how key functions would operate in the new model.  We supported BAM’s change team to prepare for implementation helping them to translate the high-level structure into teams, roles, and reporting lines, and giving them the tools and guidance needed to lead the transition.

Mark Sheridan, Commercial Director of BAM UK & Ireland, with Simon Millman and Ryan McKnight from Collinson Grant

Callaway Care and Support is a specialist care provider of residential care and supported living for adults with learning disabilities, autism, complex health needs and behaviours of concern.  Its services are designed around a ‘pathway to independence’ model, combining 24/7 residential care with flexible supported living options to help individuals progress toward greater autonomy.  The organisation operates several homes and supported accommodation schemes across South East England, providing person-centred, holistic care that promotes inclusion, dignity and community engagement.

Callaway Care and Support engaged Collinson Grant to conduct leadership assessments for the organisation’s Managing Director and three care home managers.  Led by an experienced Occupational Psychologist, the work combined psychometric profiling with verbal and numerical reasoning tests.  This assessed each leader’s capabilities and how well these aligned with the company’s operational and people responsibilities in a complex, regulated care environment.  The assessment framework was designed around existing person specifications, allowing clear benchmarking of performance, behavioural style and leadership approach.

The outcomes gave the leadership team a clear view of individual and collective development needs.  This helped shape targeted coaching and succession planning.  The process also highlighted untapped potential among the care home managers, identifying those capable of taking on broader strategic responsibilities as the organisation continues to grow.  By using a structured, evidence-based approach, Collinson Grant helped Callaway Care and Support to strengthen its leadership pipeline and ensure its management capability remains robust, reflective and ready for future challenges in the health and social care sector.

Donna Thompson, Managing Director of Callaway Care and Support, said, ‘This process has helped us move forward, with more clarity, more alignment, and a stronger commitment to supporting our leaders.‘

The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of NHS England asked us to support a couple of Trusts that had challenging financial situations.  The Executive team at Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust was under sustained pressure.  The leadership burden needed to be reduced and they needed additional capacity to be able to change.

It was clear from the outset that long-term improvement was only possible if the finance community took ownership.  So, our role was to provide temporary, focused support to stabilise and strengthen financial leadership throughout the Trust.

Our work included:

• acting as a ‘critical friend’ to the finance leaders, providing practical help, independent challenge and strategic capacity
• using the CFO’s influence to complete projects where necessary
• changing the Trust’s view of functional support
• helping change the functional mindset within finance.

We focused on people, processes and costs to build confidence, capability, and focus.  This was fundamental to creating a new environment within the function after the Covid-19 pandemic and the structural changes at the Trust.

The high-impact areas we worked on included: improving recruitment and roster controls, streamlining procedures for payroll and stock, and standardising governance and financial accountability throughout the Trust.  We worked alongside the existing teams, engaging key parts of the system while the rest continued to function.  It was essential for us to relieve pressure without causing disruption, working in real time and making adjustments as the system responded.

We developed better scenario planning and forecasting to help the organisation anticipate risks.  By improving accountability, local finance teams were capable and confident enough to lead and tackle challenges, with clear escalation routes for problems that could not be resolved locally.  With improved focus and clearer reporting lines, it relieved pressure on the CFO and the Executive team while maintaining their confidence.

These changes helped Mid and South Essex build a more resilient and self-sufficient finance function, which is better equipped to handle emerging and future challenges.

Dawn Scrafield, Chief Finance Officer of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“It was a breath of fresh air working with Collinson Grant. Their insight into public sector challenges was invaluable, and particularly able to draw on experience of different sectors which allowed fresh perspective. The support I received was value adding to the team as we were able to target the benefits to improve delivery and support development. To have a ‘critical friend’ of this nature was well timed and I would recommend to forming teams navigating challenging times!”

Phil Ross of Collinson Grant and Dawn Scrafield, Chief Finance Officer of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, at Southend Hospital

The business prides itself on driving efficiencies and tight cost control.  Collinson Grant has forged a long-term relationship with Brewing & Group Supply Chain, providing targeted and skilled support to help answer well-chosen questions on several topics, ranging from warehousing productivity through to a very specific review of pricing policies for cellar services.

Our work in the distribution business has operated at two levels; firstly, we used our expertise and experience to support a review of the network strategy which led to several targeted improvement initiatives.  Brewing & Group Supply Chain has valued our subject matter expertise – generating options, challenging business cases, and validating the assumptions behind proposals, providing independent, impartial advice and support to the Programme Steering Group.

Secondly, using our strong track record in productivity improvement we have completed granular analyses throughout the network, working at the warehouse manager level, to help identify and agree opportunities in the way the warehouses operate, which the management team has built into its annual planning cycle.

Commenting on our multi-layered support Martin Hayes, Finance Director for Brewing & Group Supply Chain, said:

“Collinson Grant has played a pivotal role in supporting Greene King (Brewing & Group Supply Chain) in identifying productivity enhancements throughout our network, driving substantial value.  Their efforts in recognising opportunities and assisting in executing our strategic initiatives have been invaluable.  As a long-standing trusted partner, their deep understanding of our business, coupled with their objective and insightful advice, has been instrumental in elevating our operations to the next level.”

Paul Weekes, Director at Collinson Grant and Martin Hayes, Finance Director for Brewing & Group Supply Chain at Greene King, at the Riverside pub in Burton on Trent

Paul Weekes, Director at Collinson Grant and Martin Hayes, Finance Director for Brewing & Group Supply Chain at Greene King, at the Riverside pub in Burton on Trent

Highwood Consultants Limited (Highwood) manufactures synthetic timber products using recycled plastic.  It originated the process 30 years ago and paved the way for recycled timber replacement products in the UK.  Highwood’s supply chain is completely UK-based giving it a Made in Britain status.  The products are made in its factory in Runcorn, Cheshire, from 100% recycled plastic to replace timber, composites and other recycled plastics, which are used in many outdoor applications, including canopies, composite doors, fencing and gates, and outdoor furniture.

Highwood’s UK business was failing to grow and when revenue began to fall it was obvious that changes were needed at a management team level.  The shareholders believed in the product but were unsure whether the problem could be resolved.  Collinson Grant was engaged to investigate the business performance, advise the shareholders and implement the actions that presented the best value for them.

We analysed data from 2008 to 2022 on its financial performance, customers, products, and volumes.  It showed that, despite the business maintaining revenue over several years, it was regularly losing large customers and the revenue should have been at least four times its current level.

Interviews with employees, suppliers, and existing and old clients found that customers generally liked the product but were regularly let down by the business.  Old customers switched to competitors or changed to a different product, and existing customers were actively looking for replacements.  Suppliers were also increasing prices creating a challenging environment.

Collinson Grant implemented an immediate recovery plan to stabilise the business.  This included improving relationships with customers and suppliers, approaching old customers to win them back, controlling costs, improving employee engagement and stabilising and supporting the management team.  These actions prevented the business from closing, allowing time to develop a plan for growth.

Further work commenced to understand competitors and opportunities for growth.  This resulted in a targeted product offering that was easier to sell and created significant growth prospects.  Collinson Grant developed a detailed five-year business plan to transform the business from loss-making to profit with the creation of significant shareholder value.  This allowed the shareholders to evaluate immediate business sales options versus continued investment.  Collinson Grant supported on this evaluation.  Shareholders decided to reinvest in to the business and in support of this, the shareholders needed to hire a Managing Director.  Collinson Grant managed the recruitment processes, and the ultimate result was the appointment of a new Managing Director to the client’s satisfaction.

The business turnaround efforts from Collinson Grant prevented the collapse of Highwood and returned it to a path of profitable growth, presenting its shareholders exceptional value.

“The Shareholders have long supported the business and its product and had been frustrated by the constant barriers to growth.   Collinson Grant’s support has allowed the barriers to be overcome and identified a route to unlock the potential in the business”.

Connect Health is the largest independent community healthcare provider of its type in the UK, providing musculoskeletal, pain management and mental health services, plus other out-of-hospital community care, nationwide.  It provides personalised care to over 350,000 NHS patients each year, with a focus on quality, outcomes, safety and experience.  Patient administration is handled through a Patient Care Co-ordination team (PCC) in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The company had grown incredibly quickly over a short period, organically and through acquisition.  This growth, and the need to fully integrate acquired businesses, led the board to seek an assessment of the company’s organisational structure, the effectiveness of the overhead and support functions and performance within the PCC.  An important requirement was that the future organisation would be lean, agile, sustainable, and could operate at pace.  This final point is crucial given the need for the business to rapidly absorb large numbers of patients and staff after winning a contract.

We worked with the business in three linked phases to reduce risk.  We identified, developed and then implemented these changes:

• A new management structure that optimised managerial capacity, reduced silos, and integrated acquired services. Fewer tiers would also mean better control and communication.
• Clarity over accountability by role, to remove duplicated effort and ensure necessary inward facing and customer facing activity was clear.
• New management systems were introduced to allow improved planning and control with new review mechanisms and processes and a focus on productivity.
• More commercial attitudes and managerial styles. This behavioural change was key to the success of the programme and was supported by formal, bespoke training sessions as well as plenty of practical follow up and coaching in the workplace.

Core to the programme was the need to ensure no changes would adversely affect the patient experience or service levels.  Overall, the business was leaner and more cost effective with a significant cost saving well above the figure originally estimated.

Chief Executive Officer, Mike Turner said…

“This was a key project for Connect and one with inherent risks.  Collinson Grant helped us to design and implement a change programme, navigating through this, which ultimately delivered benefits above our expectations.  Their help was invaluable.”

HSL Compliance is a leading provider of water hygiene and water treatment services in the UK.  The company offers a range of solutions to help clients comply with the legal and regulatory requirements for water quality and safety.  Some of its services include Legionella risk assessment and control, water sampling and analysis, water tank inspection and refurbishment, and water treatment products and equipment.  HSL Compliance also provides training, consultancy, and testing services to ensure that clients have the best practices and standards for water management.

The company had grown rapidly, both organically and through acquisition, supported by a private equity owner with ambitious plans for more.  With a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to be soon implemented, the board sensibly wanted to ensure the business had evaluated its procedures and processes before adopting the new platform and that it was structurally ‘match-fit’ and able to absorb growth profitably and productively.

Our programme successfully achieved these primary objectives:

• to streamline processes with the removal of unnecessary administration, duplication or inefficiency before the implementation of the new ERP system
• to improve effectiveness of the management systems to allow enhanced planning and control of performance
• to develop a new, scalable management structure capable of supporting a significantly larger business.

The work supported a significant increase in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA).

A major focus of redesigning the structure was to create extra capacity within an essential tier of the structure, which would allow more customer-facing time and improve the service offering.  This was achieved by redesigning the role and removing some of the administrative duties that had accrued to it over time.

All junior and middle managers were trained in systems, managerial styles and other relevant topics to support the changes.

Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Hartley said …

“HSL Compliance enlisted the support of Collinson Grant to assist with a significant project regarding the replacement of our existing software, along with integrating our scheduling tool and new customer portal. I found Collinson Grant to be very constructive and supportive, providing good communication throughout the process and dealing with difficult issues in a professional manner. All information was provided in a readily digestible format and I am pleased to say we maintained a good working relationship throughout the project”

Severfield Modular Solutions (SMS) is a division of Severfield plc that designs and manufactures silo discharge products and large equipment modules known as Severstor units.

Collinson Grant has supported the Executive at SMS since 2021.  Our early support focused on market analysis, mapping the competitive landscape of complimentary markets.  More recently, we have concentrated on production, the ways of working and construction methods in the factory.  We helped ensure Design for Manufacture and Assembly principles were embedded into the design process, creating a feedback loop throughout the internal value chain.

In 2022, we worked with the SMS senior management to evaluate numerous opportunities for organic and acquisitive entry to a new market.  SMS decided that an organic approach would be the preferred route.  This organic approach involved developing a new product which would be manufactured at the company’s factory in North Yorkshire.  We supported the programme as a business case was developed for the board, providing market intelligence, gathering customer requirements, and building a reference collection of existing products.

After supporting the programme’s approval process, we helped review the initial bill of materials (BOM), assessed opportunities for current supply, and modelled future volume-based pricing. We conducted a benchmarking exercise for the UK, the Far East, and Eastern European supply. As the programme progressed, we assessed opportunities to improve the build and procurement of the BOM.

Recently, we have supported the SMS team on the factory floor. We have worked with the design and production teams to assess the current methods of construction and ways of working and build a maturity assessment and action plan for opportunities for improvement. We have supported the factory operatives and senior management in developing standard operating procedures for future builds and helped them refine construction methods. This process captured further opportunities and their effects, enabling an objective assessment of where effort and capital should be allocated.

Our work with the SMS production team reduced production hours by over 50% whilst maintaining quality.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) Trust provides urgent care and emergency response services in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, an area with a resident population of circa 7 million. The Trust also provides non‐emergency patient transport services in this area, and throughout East Sussex, Surrey and West Sussex, and a healthcare logistics service to NHS customers in Oxfordshire.

SCAS operates a mixed fleet of more than 900 vehicles and has an in-house fleet maintenance and management business. We have partnered with SCAS for several years, offering support to a variety of challenges.

• Our first assignment was to investigate a whistleblowing incident in the fleet organisation. We were able to promptly, thoroughly and objectively investigate the claims in a way that earned the trust of all sides and with valuable insights on how the fleet organisation could improve productivity and thereby vehicle availability.
• Observations we made during the investigation led to a wider piece of work to begin a process of change in the fleet organisation centred around systems, communications and productivity.
• We have also supported SCAS in a refresh of its strategy and a review of operational opportunities in the 999 and 111 call centres.
• SCAS identified an urgent need to improve the management of critical equipment and medical devices and asked us to assess the current situation and make recommendations. This led to a project to improve and implement new robust systems to better plan, control and report on the whereabouts and status. A key component of this work was to ensure the correct structural accountabilities were put in place.
• Our most recent work involves organisational redesign and the design of a third-party contractor management system to provide SCAS with increased visibility and control over performance.

Chief Operating Officer Paul Kempster said of our work ‘Collinson Grant have proved to be a trusted advisor in helping us to understand key issues that have been impacting on the performance of some business-critical areas that support the delivery of patient care. They have been very responsive to our needs, recognising the urgency required to understand the causes of some significant problems and then developing credible plans to address these problems with pace.’

Simon Millman, Director at Collinson Grant, with Steve Winfield, Clinical Operations Manager at South Central Ambulance Service, at the Blue Light Hub in Milton Keynes