Programmes & Projects Director

Biography

Director of Professional Services
Optimising operations in professional services to add maximum value to B2B relationships

A fellow senior director distinguishes Steve Syder above other top-level management by being:


“Bold - Not afraid to make changes and not afraid if this makes him unpopular with a few people; Proactive - Steve gets stuff done and won’t sit on things he doesn’t' like; Influential - He is adept at building consensus within the company; Good at managing himself - He uses his time effectively and will cut corners where appropriate to get things done; Not one to dither with uncertainty; He has a genuine concern and commitment for all who work for him”.
These attributes have been hallmarks of Steve’s career.

His management expertise spans a range of operational functions –P&L, customer service, B2B and administration. Add to this his strong expertise in Programme & Project Management, creating value propositions for customers and penetrating new markets for services, combined with his many years of experience across many vectors in both the public and private sectors. Steve is a well-rounded business leader equipped and driven to handle any situation impeding corporate initiatives.

Throughout his career, Steve has brought the vision and practical approach to exact needed change and
engage everyone in new initiatives. His innate talent to engage colleagues and stakeholders at every level has benefitted his companies immeasurably by instilling loyalty and excitement up, down, and across organisations.

To a person, each of the managers he has groomed over the last 20+ years say that he is the best leader they have ever worked for. Many describe him as a “True leader” or “Inspirational” and respect him for his honesty, integrity, and dedication.

Creating a programme and project management methodology, introducing a project management appraisal and rewards system based on recognised international standards, the benefits Steve brought to OpenBet were substantial, despite project management being largely misunderstood when he came on board. His passion for finding quick yet durable solutions to everyday operational issues enabled him to drive billable utilisation in customer teams to record highs with no commensurate increase in headcount. He established a knowledgeable, cohesive, and customer-focused project management community; reduced employee attrition 50%; and, led a business intelligence team to create appropriate levers with which the company could better govern its operation.

As a freelance consultant for 21 years, Steve has worked with many clients, specialising over the last decade in programme recovery, using his skills to quickly determine the root causes of multi-million pound programme failure before establishing the structures, mechanisms and culture needed to deliver. He helps organisations gain control of their change programmes and their businesses, and it was this skill, coupled with his approach to work and colleagues, that prompted OpenBet to approach him to help “Deliver significant change” in their organisation. Steve is as passionate about coaching and mentoring others as he is about delivering great service, and he willingly shares the lessons he learned over a career spanning three decades, taking great pleasure seeing new leaders grow in stature under his guidance.

Steve and Sue Syder hail from the North West but currently live in Kingston Upon Thames Sue is an accomplished interim procurement consultant. Steve’s son and daughter-in-law are both actors, living in Manchester, and his daughter works at the International Baccalaureate in Cardiff. He and Sue are very keen golfers, often travelling abroad to play, and Steve recently passed the R&A Level 1 Rules Exam.

Steve Syder can be reached via the Contact page of this site.