The Leadership Award Shortlist

Jackie Heron, Senior Executive Officer, HM Revenue & Customs

Jackie is an exemplary leader and this nomination focuses on some of the great results CSSG Belfast delivered under her leadership in 2010/11. Jackie leads 300 people who process Tax Credits: back in 2007 when Jackie took over, this site was synonymous with poor performance, attendance, engagement and resistance to change.

Under her tenure the unit has been transformed. She is quite simply a natural at managing change, driving continual improvement and uniting people regardless of the challenge. She devotes considerable time to meeting, talking, listening and helping people at the front line. She is a fantastic coach, her coaching accreditations are proudly displayed and Jackie has firmly embedded a coaching culture here.

During the important transition from Overpayments onto Renewals we outshone other sites working Renewals, and helped 190,000 families. Jackie created an Implementation Team and supported them manage this critical change. SCS quickly took note; it was no coincidence that her unit was subsequently allocated the high priority Value for Money and Error & Fraud (E&F) tasks. Again great results: £1.9m in arrears paid, £83.5m of debt reduced and £22.5m yield delivered.

In February 2011, Lesley Strathie cited Jackie’s area as an example of a high-performing team that others can learn from. Jackie is always quick to make the point that our achievements are a collective effort. However I have been ever-present since 2007 and know we could not have undergone such a fantastic turnaround without Jackie’s inspirational leadership.