Strategy and policy

Corporate Strategy and Transformation

The Corporate Strategy and Transformation Team comprise a team of Project and Programme Managers, Business Analysts and Portfolio Officers.

We deliver corporate projects and programmes for the council that meet the following two criteria:

1. The project / programme is a Mayor’s strategic priority
2. The project / programme is complex in nature

Current projects we manage include the tackling poverty programme, universal free secondary school meals, crime prevention and reducing housing overcrowding.

We also have members of the team as part of our Transformation Management Office (TMO), overseeing the council’s People First Transformation Programme, reporting directly into the CEO, and ensuring a clear framework is in place to enable our £40m saving gap.

We are proud to have a team that represents that borough, ensuring that all our work is relentlessly focused on driving resident impact.

When working in Corporate Strategy and Transformation, you will likely be managing our most high profile and complex projects.

Key skills required include:

• Change management
• Stakeholder management
• Project planning
• Risk management
• Collaboration

We advertise all roles on the Tower Hamlets website, and have members of the team on permanent contacts, fixed-term contracts / maternity cover, and secondments.

We currently have a Project Manager role vacancy live on the website.

Name: Ayesha Hakim Rahman

Job title and directorate: Acting Deputy Director of Strategy, Improvement and Transformation

I lead the Corporate Strategy and Transformation Team, that manages a number of key, complex projects and programmes that fall under the Mayor’s priority.

I also manage the Transformation Management Office (TMO), that progresses the council’s People First Transformation, embedding a framework that enables the closure of our £40m savings programme.

I remember wanting to be a teacher when I was younger. As a new mum at 21, I walked into Tower Hamlets College looking for a Teaching course to help me build a better foundation for my son. The course was full, but they pointed me in the direction of a Level 3 Community Development course that still had spaces - signing up was one of the best decisions I made!

While studying, I volunteered in a number of third sector organisations, including Limehouse Project and Praxis, and eventually secured a job as a Volunteer Coordinator at the Stifford Community Centre.

My career in local government started in 2010, as a Graduate Trainee at Tower Hamlets Council. It was a challenging move at first, but I had a brilliant manager who helped build my confidence. During this time I secured approval to complete a Warwick University MSc in Public Leadership and Management.

My first role in transformation was in 2013 at Islington Council, giving me great potential for growth and self-reflection. After ten years, I was contacted on LinkedIn about a Head of Corporate Strategy and Transformation role here at Tower Hamlets – coming back was always meant to be!

Since securing the role, I have simply loved working with a brilliant team to deliver key transformation priorities for the council. 

I have recently been promoted to Acting Deputy Director of Strategy, Improvement and Transformation, and I cannot wait to see what the next 12 months brings.

Skills I have gained over the years include:

• Adaptability
• Stakeholder engagement
• Political astuteness
• Emotional intelligence
• Strategy

Key values that are core to my work include:

• Integrity
• Self-awareness
• Delivery with impact