Learning how to pitch for business helped the Council’s Internal Audit team secure a three-year contract that will see it provide Internal Audit services to Strathcarron Hospice.
Having completed the Entrepreneurial Spark bootcamp and sprint in October, Internal Audit Manager Gordon O’Connor has put his learning into practice two months later when he was invited to present to the charity’s board and management team.
He said: “The bootcamp and sprint gave me the tools I needed to structure my presentation and provided clarity on how I should pitch. I knew I only had half an hour to sell the skills and expertise of the team and what I’d taken away from the course ensured I made best use of my time.
“I can genuinely say the bootcamp gave me confidence that the Council can transform into a modern, income generating business. Although the team already provide services to the likes of Falkirk Community Trust and the Falkirk Integration Joint Board this is the first time we’ve competitively pitched. Now I have a proposal and presentation that I can tweak when other opportunities arise.”
Pitching to win
As Project Manager of Commercialisation of Corporate Finance, Gordon sits on the Entrepreneurial Services Workstream Board, which aims to embed an entrepreneurial mindset across the Council to maximise income generation opportunities and ensure the Council secures value for money.
To do that Gordon knew he had to lead by example. After meeting with others across finance to discuss resources and potential commercialisation opportunities, he spoke with our Legal and Procurement teams before registering Internal Audit services on the Public Contracts Scotland portal.
“That was the first step towards setting ourselves up as a provider, and builds on the shared service we already have in place with Clackmannanshire Council and Central Scotland Valuation Joint Board. When Strathcarron made contact it just felt right to tender for the work and we’ll use this contract to build a business case to pitch for larger pieces of work.”
Giving peace of mind
The contract with the local charity, which kicks off on April 1st, will see the Internal Audit team provide the hospice itself, all 16 of its retail outlets and its Hospice@Home service with assurances on financial, reputational and operational risks until 2023.
“Strathcarron Hospice is an iconic charity close to many of our hearts. Winning this contract lets us do our bit to help the hospice’s staff and volunteers continue to deliver essential services to the people of our area.”
