What makes us different?
We understand what you’re dealing with – the challenge of driving forward, perhaps without the ideal experience or capacity within the team.
We work closely with charities, focusing on what impact you want to have, and flexing what we do to ensure you get there. From mentoring, coaching or interim support, to large scale transformations, mergers, strategy development, Board support or long-term virtual Directors working with the rest of your SLT – we’re an agile team who delight in rolling our sleeves up and getting you through those challenges.
Our Approach
We’re much more than a typical consultancy.
We’re your partner.
We provide top quality solutions and resources – when and how they’re needed.
Taking the headache out of your challenges, so you can focus on making the world a better place.
Cutting Edge
Regular insights, best practice and solutions designed to fit your circumstances
Clarity
Strategic perspectives, technical expertise, advice, mentoring and consultancy
Capacity
A talented, experienced and agile team to fill your capacity gaps as needed
Capability
Innovative CEO Development, Round Tables and resources to help you be your best
Confidence
Mentoring, coaching and support for senior leaders to make a real difference
Our Name…
A Coconut Octopus is a real and rather remarkable creature. Watch the video clip here to see them in action.
A Coconut Octopus thinks strategically and adapts – using materials it finds on the seabed to create shelters, places to ambush prey and as transport. It literally rolls around inside two coconut shells it holds together.
Not surprisingly, the Coconut Octopus is regarded as being among the most resourceful, adaptable and strategic of creatures – attributes needed by all of us (organisations and individuals) to thrive through challenging times.
So think of us as your personal Coconut Octopus – we’ll help you develop your approaches and skills to be truly amazing, whatever the challenges you are facing. We’ll also be here whenever you need us. And we guarantee to make you smile during the process!
We commit to working with our clients, partners and each other in a way that fosters a strong community – we look out for each other and provide support and encouragement so that everyone grows and benefits.
Our Team
All our team are handpicked for a critical combination: a high level of strategic thinking, strong technical knowledge in their field, outstanding experience in senior leadership roles in the non-profit sector, and a consistent ability to identify and focus on the critical priorities to achieve the desired results.
We are all adept at hitting the ground at speed, building relationships and understanding the full picture quickly and effectively. We also believe in having fun and sharing the positives in life, so you’ll find us a very approachable bunch. Whatever your challenge, we’ve been there, and we’re here to reassure and help you through.
Ros
Abi
Rose
Emma
Mandi
Helen
Tom
Ryan
Clare
Ros
An experienced and incredibly knowledgeable CEO, Ros has a professional background in strategy development, Board support, organizational development and facilitation.
She has worked in leadership roles in the non-profit sector for over 20 years, and as a professional Interim CEO Ros has supported a variety of charities to troubleshoot and solve some pretty challenging situations. She works closely with the Boards and SLTs to conduct investigations / internal audits, manage the risks effectively, develop strategies and move the charity’s focus and culture forward to new beginnings.
In addition, Ros mentors and coaches individuals and teams at Board / senior leadership level and brings reassurance and a strong sense of fun to her clients.
Her love of travelling means she is often on the road, either in the motorhome, visiting family or friends, or just generally exploring with her partner. When she’s at home in Norfolk she loves coastal walks, gardening and getting out on the Broads or her motorbike.
Abi
A talented Chartered Accountant with a wealth of non-profit knowledge.
Incredibly determined to deliver best practice, Abi also understands the practical challenges (as she has run Operations as well as Finance), and she has a thoroughly inclusive approach to engaging people to become more competent with the numbers.
She has an eye for both the big picture and the detail, and works closely with clients to conduct internal investigations / audits, clarify the strategic goals, and lead the transformations that need to be made.
Abi’s love for running is as boundless as her love for food and she enjoys hitting the pavement or trails to maintain a healthy balance. Running provides her with solace, time for reflection away from the chaos of family life, and the perfect excuse to indulge in her culinary creations guilt-free.
Rose
An outstanding and strategic communications consultant, providing communications advice, strategy and hands-on delivery to issues-based organisations and campaigns, NGOs, think tanks, and foundations.
She has over 15 years’ experience, establishing her career in top communications agencies (Headland Consultancy, Edelman), then leading on external affairs for top international think tanks (ISD, ODI).
She brings a refreshing and pragmatic approach to communications and excels in supporting clients across all aspects of communications and campaigns.
Emma
An outstanding digital lead with a strong knowledge of cyber security, Emma works with clients to create strategy, identify risks and priorities, develop and deliver effective solutions from start to finish, for both complete transformations and smaller projects.
Experienced working at all levels, she is great at supporting Boards explaining things in a way that makes sense, as well as improving policies, systems and capability across teams to create a robust approach and confident users.
Emma is a fitness enthusiast involved in strength training, and who loves to read for self-development and write for self-expression. She has an elderly dog who thinks she’s still a puppy. She typically spends her weekends visiting garden centres, walks in nature and at the gym.
Mandi
Mandi has extensive experience of all aspects of people and culture, including change management and global HR. She is truly dynamic, combining her enormous energy with a strong ability to reflect, leading to innovative, effective and high quality solutions.
She has a wealth of knowledge gained from supporting and partnering with leadership teams across the charitable sector, the NHS, and prior to that, financial services. She’s led multi-national projects and has also driven DEI, Wellbeing and transformational HR initiatives.
Mandi has a little boy and girl who both keep her busy and entertained in equal measure. Mandi also enjoys running, yoga, music and reading when possible.
Helen
Not your typical HR person, Helen combines a comprehensive background in HR, People and Culture, with a strong knowledge of strategic management and a real drive to move things forward.
A strong communicator with experience as a trustee, she is expert at developing others, influencing and building confidence at all levels of the organization to visibly improve team capability and effectiveness .
Helen is very adept at focusing organisation resources and energy to overcome critical challenges and deliver results fast.
Her spare time is often taken up being a taxi for her 2 daughters taking them to their many interests. When she does eventually get time for herself, Helen loves to explore new places, eat great food, gardening and reading.
Tom
Tom’s professional background is in Marketing, Community Engagement and Fundraising, but he brings a whole lot more to the table. With over 6 years’ experience in the non-profit sector, he has a strategic eye for opportunity, and prides himself on developing communications and engagement strategies which deliver meaningful results.
In his spare time, Tom is extremely creative, and he brings his love of photography, videography, audio production and other media-rich content into his strategies – amplifying their impact, and their ‘wow’ factor. He also understands the value of community, and seeks to nurture and develop both it and the individuals he works with.
When not indulging in his love for communications, Tom has a second passion – dinosaurs! He loves learning more about the history of these creatures, and is currently enjoying working on his first novel, a Science Fiction adventure which combines space travel and a world filled with dinosaurs!
Ryan
Ryan is an outstanding Operations professional who effectively drives step-changes in organisational effectiveness and efficiency.
A strategic thinker and a clear communicator, he works inclusively and supportively, bringing his strong analysis skills and focus on quality to add value to the teams around him. He is a natural change driver, keen to ensure that clients and beneficiaries are at the heart of the work, and he is a great project manager.
He has a calm and positive approach, and is always looking at ways to improve himself and others. He thoroughly enjoys coaching and bringing out the best in those around him, however challenging the circumstances. All done with a smile!
Ryan has lived in both the UK and Canada, but is always drawn to the water, whether that be a lake or the sea! A history enthusiast, he loves visiting historical sites and museums, and will always check if his West Highland Terrier, Bonnie, can join too!
Clare
Clare’s experience across the non-profit sector includes roles as Chair, Trustee and at Director level. Her passion is in supporting people and organisations to be their best, through great service design and delivery focused on outcomes, quality, and service user / lived experience engagement, and effective leadership.
She has led on all aspects from bid development, commissioner engagement through to significant budget and team management, including enterprise development, restructuring and community development. As a Senior Safeguarding Lead and Caldicott Guardian, she has led serious safeguarding reviews and is well respected for her fair, strategic and principled approach to solving challenges. Thoughtful, positive and supportive, she is extremely empathic, and great fun to spend time with.
Clare never stops – always finding creative ways of switching off, and relishing the chance to try something new. With four children and a grandchild that keeps her very busy but she also loves football, food and reading.
Our Partners
We are proud to partner with a couple of organisations who share our passion for helping non-profits, and who provide top quality support that complements what we do at Coconut Octopus.
They’re people we’ve worked with, and who we rate for their approach, flexibility and focus on standards.
Like us, they’re determined to help your organisation be brilliant, and we’re delighted to recommend them.
The Charity Spark
Beckie and her team specialise in transformative evaluation and strategic income generation. Their vision is a non-profit sector where every charity has access to skills, confidence and support to measure the impact of their work and effectively raise money to continue their mission. They turn impact frameworks and evaluations into accessible, useful and above all, inspiring tools that help create positive outcomes for those you support.
KCS Ltd
Dan and his team provide expert computer, network and cloud support, covering everything from IT governance, strategy and cyber security to ensuring systems and infrastructure work well and stay that way. They are Microsoft Certified Partners, and offer a fixed and fair cost (with an ethical business model), quick response times and training. They focus on understanding clients’ needs and working with them to improve efficiency and capability. And they speak plain English!