Challenge
The Education & Training Foundation (the ETF) supports teachers and leaders in the Further Education and Skills sector, helping them achieve professional development goals to benefit learners and employers across England. As part of its new strategy, the charity needed to focus more on positioning the sector as its main beneficiary and customer and thus to better understand the market.
Despite their crucial mission, the ETF’s leadership recognised the need to focus on implementation within a new context. The charity needed to understand its technology and business capabilities. To continue supporting educators and leaders effectively, the ETF needed a comprehensive roadmap to navigate this change.
Approach
The Grafter was brought in to address these challenges during a 14-week discovery phase across several critical areas:
Strategy Development
Using ETF’s strategy as a framework, we began by conducting strategy sessions with the ETF’s leadership to articulate its new value proposition that would redefine the organisation’s purpose and align its future direction. Through workshops and discussions, we challenged assumptions, stimulated debate, and gained a deep understanding of where the ETF was heading, particularly as it prepared to shift toward a more sector focus.
We used tools like Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle exercise to help the ETF clearly articulate their ‘Why, How, and What,’ crucial for reshaping their identity. We also guided the development of a Business Model Canvas, allowing the ETF to realign its value propositions, customer segments, and key activities. This really kick started the entrepreneurial thinking of the senior team.
Our strategy process included a risk assessment and a risk and priorities register, helping the ETF identify and address potential obstacles. Finally, we crafted a strategic roadmap with key initiatives, timelines, and milestones.
Technology Review
Our Chief Technology Officer (CTO) led a comprehensive audit of the ETF’s technology environment, focusing on setting up IT systems that would not only meet the current needs but also support the future growth and evolution of the organisation.
We focused on understanding the technology landscape and associated costs, including a detailed assessment of third party contracts and suppliers. Using Wardley mapping, we provided a clear view of applications, products and commodity services in use.
In addition, we identified gaps in the ETF’s technology governance and recommended the establishment of a robust IT governance framework. This framework would ensure that digital initiatives were better aligned with business objectives, fostering a more cohesive and efficient organisational structure.
Service Offering and Market Positioning:
Recognising the ETF’s need to diversify revenue streams, we facilitated a comprehensive service discovery process. This involved evaluating the ETF’s current offerings and their alignment with market demands. Working closely with internal service owners, we co-created additional guidance to support go-to-market strategies and the sales process, ensuring that the ETF’s services were positioned effectively to reach new customers and markets.
We helped the ETF develop a blueprint for their services, initially focusing on leadership development as a flagship offering. To refine this blueprint, we conducted thorough market analysis to identify potential customers and adapt the service to meet evolving demands. This blueprint provided detailed guidelines on packaging, marketing, and delivering these services to a broader audience.
We also assisted the ETF in conducting pilot projects to test market response and gather valuable feedback, which was used to further refine the service offerings and the accompanying sales process.
Bid Capability
We identified opportunities to strengthen the ETF’s bidding process, ensuring future bids are competitive and aligned with strategic goals. We facilitated the selection of a third-party bidding partner to enhance the ETF’s capabilities in securing new business opportunities. This relationship will enable the organisation to bolster their internal capability with expert guidance to establish a bid and opportunity management function built on best practice for the future.
Impact
Our intervention had a positive impact on the ETF. It provided clear direction, enabling the leadership to align around a unified vision.
“The Grafter team has been exceptional throughout our engagement to create a baseline prior to undertaking a change programme. They brought energy and responsiveness to every challenge we faced, demonstrating deep domain expertise and a ‘can-do’ attitude that has been invaluable. What particularly stood out was their ability to bring together senior colleagues and partners working across our organisation, ensuring clear communication and alignment across departments. This holistic approach has been crucial in keeping everyone on the same page and moving in the right direction.” – Dr Katerina Kolva, CEO
