Not every project fits the standard playbook.
Special Projects Management deals with initiatives that sit outside the boundaries of traditional project management: mergers and acquisitions, the launch of a new business unit or division, or obtaining a critical certification such as ISO27001. These are not routine operational undertakings. They carry a strong business dimension, touch the strategic core of the company, and often involve a level of risk that a standard project manager is neither trained nor mandated to carry.
What sets these projects apart is the stake involved. A failed integration, a botched divisional launch, or a missed certification can put a heavy strain on the company, financially, operationally, or reputationally. Success requires more than planning and coordination skills; it requires business judgement, commercial insight, and the ability to make decisions under pressure while keeping the wider organisation aligned. This is precisely the gap Special Projects Management is designed to fill.
I bring hands-on expertise across several of these domains, built through direct experience rather than theory. Each engagement is different, so rather than listing generic capabilities here, I invite you to look at the cases page, where you will find concrete examples of the type of projects I have led and the results delivered.
Three ways I manage projects.
I work with three main project management approaches, chosen to fit the nature and risk profile of each assignment rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all method.
The first is Waterfall-based project management, following established frameworks such as PRINCE2 and PMBOK. This approach suits projects with a clear, stable scope and sequential phases, where planning, execution, and closure follow a structured, predictable path. It remains the right choice for projects where changes late in the process are costly or undesirable, and where governance and documentation are essential.
The second is Agile, including Scrum. Here, delivery happens in short, iterative cycles, with continuous feedback and the flexibility to adjust priorities as the project evolves. This approach fits well when requirements are likely to change, when early and frequent delivery of value matters, or when the end result benefits from ongoing input from the business.
The third is Hybrid Agile, a blend of both worlds. I establish the business case, scope, and overall definition of the project upfront, giving the project a clear direction and a solid governance foundation. From there, I manage delivery itself through Agile sprints, combining the certainty of a well-defined business case with the flexibility and speed of iterative execution. In practice, this is often the most effective approach for special projects, where the stakes are high enough to demand a firm upfront framework, but the path to delivery benefits from adaptability.
Handover and Change Management.
Regardless of the methodology used, a project only delivers lasting value once it is properly handed over. I plan handover from the outset, not left until the end: I identify and engage key stakeholders early, keep them informed throughout, and prepare them progressively for their role once the project transitions into business-as-usual. Clear documentation, structured knowledge transfer, and a defined point of accountability ensure nothing is lost in translation between project delivery and day-to-day operations.
Embedding change through ADKAR
To make sure the change actually sticks, I apply the ADKAR model during handover and implementation. ADKAR works through five stages: building Awareness of why the change is needed, creating the Desire to support it, providing the Knowledge required to work in the new way, developing the Ability to apply that knowledge in practice, and ensuring Reinforcement so the change is sustained once I step back from the project. This structured approach to change management bridges the gap between a completed project and a business that has genuinely adopted it, reducing resistance and securing the return on the investment made.