Insights, Stories and Support for Transformation Leaders

They didn’t plan to manage projects, but they deliver the work that matters. Meet the accidental project managers of the public sector.

Why do transformation programmes struggle? This blog explores the human side of portfolio management, drawing on insights from Cristina Nicolescu.

Delivering better outcomes for citizens depends on making informed, evidence-based decisions about where and how public money is invested.

Navigating today’s pressures in local government: how councils can steer change with confidence.

In today’s public sector, leaders are being asked to do more with less. Budgets are shrinking, demand is rising, and transformation programmes are in constant motion.

AI is transforming how the UK public sector delivers change—driving agility, better decisions, and faster outcomes across complex programmes.

Client stories bring transformation to life. See what Verto customers are learning in practice—and find out how to share your own journey with our community.

Learn how Agile supports faster, more adaptable project delivery, and how Verto enables teams to use Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid methods in one platform.

Discover why inaction in public sector transformation is costly and how Verto helps organisations reduce waste, build clarity, and prepare for change.

BAU work matters. Learn how Verto brings structure and visibility to everyday tasks, reducing blind spots and aligning activity with organisational goals.

Learn what programme management is, how it differs from project management, and how it helps organisations align projects, manage risk, and deliver strategic outcomes.

Discover 10 practical tips for running effective meetings that boost productivity, keep teams engaged, and drive clear outcomes, plus how Verto can help.

Learn why stakeholder engagement is critical to project success, key principles for managing stakeholders effectively, and how Verto helps build stronger alignment.

Learn what a project sponsor is, their key responsibilities, and how to work effectively with them—plus how Verto supports communication and collaboration.

Discover the key benefits of collaborative working, from improved creativity and productivity to better wellbeing, and learn how Verto enables seamless teamwork.

Discover 15 essential planning and organisation skills that boost productivity, support better decision-making, and help deliver projects with confidence.

Learn what project scope management is, why it matters, and how to define, document, and control project work effectively to avoid scope creep and deliver success.

Learn why project document management matters, the types of documentation to organise, and how a structured folder system supports clarity, efficiency, and success.

Discover why consistency in project planning matters, from improving efficiency to stakeholder engagement, and how Verto helps teams stay aligned and organised.

Learn how to create a comprehensive project strategy with a clear 10-step approach covering objectives, roles, scope, risks, timelines, and communication.

Discover why organisational culture matters, how it boosts retention, engagement and performance, and what steps businesses can take to build a positive culture.

Learn how to create an effective stakeholder communication plan that defines audiences, messages, frequency, and channels to keep stakeholders engaged.

Learn what strategic goals are, why they matter, and how to set measurable aims that drive business success with practical steps, metrics, and examples.

In the ever-evolving digital world of business, organisations must rise to meet the challenges of modern data management.

Explore how effective cross-team collaboration drives innovation, efficiency, and stronger outcomes—and learn practical steps to build that collaboration culture.

Learn the five phases of the project management life cycle and how effective planning, execution, and monitoring lead to better outcomes—plus how Verto supports each step.

Managing a project in an agile environment requires PM's to be flexible and of course, agile. Here's how you can use agile project management to your advantage.

Explore everything you need to know about project completion — from wrap-up steps and final sign-offs to lessons learned, ensuring your projects close successfully.

Collaboration drives results for organisations. But how can you build a culture that values, empowers and prioritises collaborative working? Find out here.

It is vital to know your project's critical success factors in order to ensure you project delivers real impact for the organisation. Here's how.

Organising a team for maximum productivity can be a challenge. Read this guide to learn how to get your team on the right path with a few simple steps.

The silo mentality is a common issue in the workplace, and a breeding ground for low productivity & lack of communication. Here's how to break it!

Discover the benefits of hybrid working — from increased flexibility and productivity to improved work-life balance — and see how Verto supports modern work environments.

Good project managers who lead their projects to success tend to have a few things in common. Here's everything you need to become a great project manager.

There's more than one way to manage a project. In this blog we're comparing 6 traditional and modern techniques to determine which suits you the most.

No project can work without a great team driving it. In this blog we look at the most important roles in managing a project.

Remote working offers countless benefits for employees and employers alike. This blog offers tips on how to make remote working work for you.

Empowering your employees is a sure fire way to improve productivity and wellbeing in the workplace. Find out more in our complete guide.

What are the main differences between Kanban and Scrum? Explore two agile project management methodologies in our helpful blog today!

Continuing our series on Kanban boards, we talk about the of core principles of work management. Find out what they are here!

Kanban boards are a method of managing tasks in a more visual, engaging way. Find out more in our blog series.

The Kanban methodology has become a mainstay in modern work management, for organisations of all sizes. But how does it work? Find out here!

Proven collaboration methods that empower staff are vital for an organisation to get right. Here are our favourite strategies for collaboration!

Looking to level up your game and finally take the lead on a project? Our blog explores everything you need to know about becoming a project manager.

Project governance is the principles by which we manage our projects, and establishing a plan is essential. Here's all you need to know about project governance.

Read our complete guide to the project management process from beginning to completion, and keep your projects on the right track.

Hybrid working, while it wasn’t the norm pre-2020 has been found to provide better balance for workers. Why exactly has it stuck with us?

Find out how to make the most of the digital systems you already have, assess your needs, integrate tools like MS Teams + Verto, and improve collaboration and productivity.

Implementing a new system can be exciting, but daunting if it doesn’t quite come together for your organisation.

Creating a water-tight project management schedule will help you to keep your project running smoothly and on track. Here's how you make one.

Managing a project team is not easy, so we've put together this list of tips to help you be a great team manager in today's agile, ever-changing world.

Benefits tracking is a cornerstone of project management, and allows organisations to monitor the benefits of investing time and resources into a project.

Learn five ways that project approvals can be streamlined to keep you projects flowing smoothly from one stage to the next.

Learn why business cases are crucial for turning ideas into successful projects, securing investment, proving value, and guiding decisions throughout the project lifecycle.

Streamline project budgeting with Verto’s tools to forecast, track and analyse projected vs actual costs, optimise resources, and improve financial outcomes.

Managing multiple projects is challenging. If you are juggling multiple projects, here are five top tips to help you keep those balls in the air.

Five steps to incorporate risk management into every stage of the project.

Agile project management focuses on delivering project outcomes repeatedly and incrementally.

Learn how a clear strategic framework, distinct from planning or process, can streamline project delivery by guiding decisions, improving focus and increasing team autonomy.

The reporting process is part and parcel of the programme management process. However, not all reporting is good reporting.

Ross Mardell, Chief Product Officer, Launches Verto Intelligence at DigiGov 25.

DigiGov has become the anchor event in our calendar because it brings together the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of government. For us, it’s more than just an exhibition, it’s a chance to connect directly with the leaders, teams, and practitioners who are tackling the challenges of transformation every day.

DigiGov has become the anchor event in our calendar because it brings together the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of government. For us, it’s more than just an exhibition, it’s a chance to connect directly with the leaders, teams, and practitioners who are tackling the challenges of transformation every day.

DigiGov has become the anchor event in our calendar because it brings together the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of government. For us, it’s more than just an exhibition, it’s a chance to connect directly with the leaders, teams, and practitioners who are tackling the challenges of transformation every day.

DigiGov has become the anchor event in our calendar because it brings together the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of government. For us, it’s more than just an exhibition, it’s a chance to connect directly with the leaders, teams, and practitioners who are tackling the challenges of transformation every day.

DigiGov has become the anchor event in our calendar because it brings together the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of government. For us, it’s more than just an exhibition, it’s a chance to connect directly with the leaders, teams, and practitioners who are tackling the challenges of transformation every day.

DigiGov has become the anchor event in our calendar because it brings together the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of government. For us, it’s more than just an exhibition, it’s a chance to connect directly with the leaders, teams, and practitioners who are tackling the challenges of transformation every day.

DigiGov has become the anchor event in our calendar because it brings together the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of government. For us, it’s more than just an exhibition, it’s a chance to connect directly with the leaders, teams, and practitioners who are tackling the challenges of transformation every day.

Discover how Verto’s enhanced its integration with Microsoft Office tools and drives growth through innovation.

Discover how Health Innovation West of England uses Verto to simplify project workflows, save time per project and build sustainable PMO capability across complex health systems.

Discover how Denbighshire County Council uses Verto to manage projects and performance in one system, supporting delivery of its five-year Corporate Plan.

Learn how Welsh Blood reconfigured Verto to replace paper-based processes, improve accountability and support culture change through digital change management.

UKRI selected Verto to standardise project delivery, improve collaboration and enable evidence-based portfolio reporting across its research councils.

Warwickshire County Council replaced fragmented spreadsheets with Verto, enabling unified governance, improved capital-project oversight and real-time portfolio visibility across all new projects.

HIN North West Coast adopted Verto to consolidate 25 programmes and 70-80 projects under a unified governance framework — delivering real-time oversight, reducing duplication and speeding up reporting.

City of Wolverhampton Council replaced time-consuming manual reporting with Verto, consolidating 59 projects and 32 workstreams into one central dashboard for real-time oversight.

LLEP adopted Verto to replace disconnected spreadsheets, centralise programme delivery and gain real-time visibility over grants, risks and investment decisions.

West of England AHSN used Verto to centralise project data, improve collaboration across teams and gain real-time oversight over programme delivery.

Herefordshire & Worcestershire ICS adopted Verto to bring health-sector projects under one roof, improving collaboration, oversight and delivery control across teams.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council adopted Verto to centralise project data, streamline reporting and strengthen governance — delivering more transparency with less admin.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust replaced paper and spreadsheets with Verto 365 to centralise project work, speed up reporting and improve delivery oversight.

Worcestershire County Council replaced manual, fragmented P3M processes with Verto to centralise delivery data, speed up reporting and improve transparency for senior stakeholders.

Kent County Council modernised its project and portfolio delivery with Verto, streamlining reporting, improving visibility and strengthening decision making across teams.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority moved from spreadsheets to a live P3M platform with Verto — improving visibility, reducing admin and boosting delivery control.

A London Borough Council streamlined its project portfolio with Verto, gaining unified visibility, consistent governance and faster, more reliable delivery.

Liverpool City Council's IT department plays a crucial role in managing technology, digital services, and various projects that ensuring that the council operates efficiently and effectively in delivering its services to the community.

This document provides a clear summary of Verto’s core platform features and functionality. It covers the tools available to support project, programme and portfolio management, including dashboards, planning, reporting, risk and resource management, workflow configuration, integrations and more. It serves as a single reference point for understanding what Verto can do and how its components fit together.

This document outlines the services available to support the successful rollout and ongoing use of the Verto platform. It explains the implementation process, including discovery, configuration, training and launch, as well as optional service packages such as administration support and additional modules. It provides a clear reference for understanding how Verto assists organisations through setup, adoption and continued platform management.

This 2-page overview introduces Verto as a strategic platform for managing portfolios, programmes and projects. It outlines how Verto helps organisations align work to strategic goals, streamline workflows and improve visibility across teams. The document highlights core benefits, key features and the business challenges Verto addresses, providing a concise snapshot of what the platform enables without going into full technical detail.

This document explains how Verto’s Administration as a Service offering supports organisations by managing ongoing platform configuration and administration tasks. It outlines what VAaaS includes, why organisations choose to outsource platform management and the benefits of accessing dedicated Verto experts for system changes, report requests and day-to-day administration.

A forward-looking webinar covering our take on the P3M transformation trends to look out for in 2026, designed for PMO and portfolio leaders.

A deep dive into the latest Gantt functionality within the Verto platform.

New to Verto or inheriting it? Access the recording of this practical webinar for onboarding tips, quick wins, and the support available to help you get started with confidence.

At DigiGov 2025, Verto’s Chief Product Officer, Ross Mardell, delivered a standing-room-only talk on the role of AI in supporting portfolio, programme and project management across the UK public sector.

Verto Intelligence is our AI powered automation suite designed to help organisations achieve more faster.

This Spotlight session shines a light on Verto's latest AI feature - Data Insights

When Platform Housing Group began their journey with Verto, they wanted to bring order and consistency to programme delivery across a large and complex organisation. Moving from chaos to visibility, they set clear standards for their PMO and gave their teams the clarity and confidence to deliver with impact.

Watch the recording of Verto's Feeds functionality in action in this Spotlight Session

Watch as we delve into more of Verto's AI functionality - Risk Imports.

Verto and consultancy partner i3Works discuss how people, process, and technology come together to deliver successful portfolio management in the public sector.

In this video, we speak to Liverpool City Council about the early-stage implementation of Verto within their ICT team.

Watch the Spotlight session as we run through Verto's top 5 personalisation tweaks to make in your platform build.

Successfully implementing a Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tool is only half the journey. Embedding it into the fabric of your organisation is where the real value lies. This webinar explores the critical steps needed to go beyond rollout and ensure lasting adoption and impact.

Our Spotlight session delves into the Performance Planning functionality within Verto

Watch the recording of Verto's Resource functionality Spotlight Session here

In this episode of the PPM Playbook podcast, host Laura Watts chats to Christina Nicolescu, an experienced IT consultant and programme delivery specialist, to explore the complexities of running effective programs and portfolios. They discuss the importance of aligning people, processes, and technology in project management, the role of PMOs in driving transformation, and the necessity of real-time data visibility for leaders. Christina emphasises the significance of data quality, cultural shifts in digital transformation, and the need for continuous training and empowerment of delivery teams. The conversation also highlights the evolving role of PMOs from policing functions to strategic partners, and the importance of celebrating small wins in project delivery.

In this episode, we sit down with Simon to reflect on his first year in role and explore how leadership, technology, and delivery are evolving across the public sector.

At DigiGov 2025, Verto’s Chief Product Officer, Ross Mardell, delivered a standing-room-only talk on the role of AI in supporting portfolio, programme and project management across the UK public sector. The demand was so high that many people couldn’t even get into the session.

This special edition of The P3M Playbook Podcast takes you behind the scenes at DigiGov, where we spent two packed days speaking with clients, prospects, and colleagues about the real challenges shaping public sector transformation today.

In this episode of The PPM Playbook Podcast, I’m joined by Natasha Osborne (Head of Client Success at Verto) and Simon Hall (Chief Client Officer at Verto) to introduce an exciting new initiative: the Verto Maturity Assessment.

Recorded in February 2025, this episode explores the early conversations and predictions around local government reorganisation plans. We discuss what these changes could mean for the councils affected, the potential challenges they may face, and the opportunities that come with proactive preparation.

We speak to Emma McMillan about running a Project Management Office within a large financial institution. Alongside Emma, Natasha Osborne, who heads up Client Success at Verto and brings her own experience from the financial sector, adds valuable perspective.

We’re joined by The Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero's, Deputy Director of Delivery Capability, Murray Harper, to explore how they tackled their project and programme management challenges by implementing Verto.

Miranda Craig, Director of Strategy and Change at the Financial Reporting Council, shares how they recognised the tipping point for change, and why a PPM platform became essential to future-proofing their programme delivery.

In this episode of the PPM Playbook Podcast, we dive into one of the most critical, and often overlooked, aspects of successful project portfolio management: training.

In this episode of the PPM Playbook Podcast, we discuss the benefits of bringing in a PPM platform to support the business needs but when is it the right time to do so? How do organisations know that this is the next step to take?

Welcome to The P3M Playbook Podcast, the go-to podcast for those looking to explore the world of programme and project management.