CPD and training

BRITA Group has a vision to change the way people drink water sustainably, through innovation in filtering, optimising and individualising this vital resource.

BRITA UK identified a need for developing senior management capability within their organisation. The initial University response was to create a bespoke management and leadership development programme, starting at Director level and cascading through the organisation.

The programme focus was on equipping the team with key skills in management and leadership strategy, and managing for high performance, with a view to the managers developing senior management roles.

Central to the programme was BRITA’s competency framework, strategic objectives and values.

The managers had very diverse roles including IT, marketing, sales, and finance. As these individuals progressed to more senior roles, the capabilities they required increasingly converged and management and leadership skills became more important.

BRITA wanted to establish a coaching culture to provide support and to encourage knowledge transfer and a platform of networking between diverse areas within the company. This was achieved and demonstrated by the increased frequency of a coaching approach to organisational challenges.

The programme was so successful that an aligned programme – 'Managing Effectively' – was co-developed with Oxford Brookes to support other team members.

Guideposts is a charity that delivers a range of information, advice, guidance and community based services which are person-centred and designed to promote independence, wellbeing, quality of life and delay the need for intensive interventions.

Guideposts identified a need to create a bespoke management development programme for their service managers as part of the implementation of a new strategy and business plan. The core focus was to equip this group of managers with key skills to translate the Guideposts strategy into the development and management of their teams and ensure the successful delivery and business development of services. Guideposts approached Oxford Brookes to support the development and delivery of this programme.

From the start we knew we had made the right choice – the team took the time to understand the organisation and the context in which we were operating and what we were hoping to achieve from the programme. Throughout development, delivery and review phases we found Oxford Brookes colleagues to be constructive, facilitative and professional.

Kate Worrall – Managing Director, Guideposts

A cohort of 13 managers successfully completed the programme and, most importantly, Guideposts are already seeing the application of that learning back in the workplace. Feedback from participants is being used to inform development of the programme itself and informs how managers continue to be supported in the workplace.

This process has also assisted in the development of a new learning and coaching culture embedded in the way managers work, which is an ongoing part of the overall organisational development strategy.