Pro bono consulting for charities and social enterprises

Ambrose and Bell gives five days of senior consulting time, at no fee, to registered charities and social enterprises with income above £1 million. The people who lead our client engagements do this work too, to the same standard.

Five pro bono offers

Each offer is five days of our effort, spread over several weeks and never five days in a row, or five sessions for Executive Coaching. Each ends with something your leadership team can act on.

1

Strategy and Operating Model

A diagnostic of structure, accountability and decisions for an organisation whose growth has outrun its structure. You get a prioritised view of where the operating model holds delivery back, with recommendations your leadership can act on.

Example brief: how decisions and accountability are set up across the leadership team, the board and its committees, with the financial delegation and reporting that connect them.

2

Transformation Programme Assessment

An independent, evidenced account of why a funded programme is slipping on time, cost or benefits, and what to change. Part of our Transformation Programme Leadership service.

Example brief: an independent diagnostic of a programme that has slipped, such as a systems or research and development programme, with a recovery plan.

3

Leadership Team Effectiveness

A review of a leadership team of up to six, using Belbin team-role profiles. You learn whether the team is set up for the work ahead, and where the gaps are. You pay the Belbin licences, named up front.

Example brief: a review commissioned by the board before a new strategy or a change of chief executive, ending in a plan for the team’s roles.

4

AI and Automation Assessment

A review of the operating model around your AI and automation spending: what it is set up to return, and what has to change for it to deliver. Part of our AI and Automation service.

Example brief: how automation projects are chosen, owned and paid for, and what has to change for them to return their cost.

5

Executive Coaching: Success in Your First Hundred Days

Coaching for a new senior leader from an accredited executive coach. The leader comes out with a clear plan for the first hundred days, and the risks found early.

Effort: five 60-minute sessions over four months, plus a close-out reflection after session five.

Example brief: a new chief executive or director working through their first hundred days.

What we ask in return

We ask one thing in return: a case study that we can publish, once you have approved it. You choose whether it is named or anonymised, and we agree that before we start.

Eligibility

Registered charities and social enterprises with income above £1 million. Not for commercial businesses.

Fixed effort

About five days of our effort, or five sessions for Executive Coaching, spread over several weeks. Never five days in a row.

Your team’s time

About one to two days of your people’s time in total, spread across the same weeks. Mostly interviews, and pulling together documents you already have.

Sponsorship

The board, the chief executive or another senior decision-maker sponsors the work and takes part in it.

Third-party costs

Hard external costs, such as licences or travel, are yours, and are named up front.

Transparency

The contract shows the full commercial value of the work, with the pro bono discount set against it.

Early exit

If the problem proves out of scope, either side may close early.

One engagement at a time

We run one engagement at a time, so there can be a wait. If there is, we will tell you how long up front.