Experience

Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Community Development Officer

  • Dec 2021 - Present

  Work with partners including North Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire and local Voluntary Sector organisations to facilitate effective engagement and partnership working. Work collaboratively with internal and external colleagues to provide support to the Voluntary Sector.Line manage team of Community Development Officers.

• Development Officer

  • Apr 2015 - Dec 2021

  • Support and work with community and voluntary sector organisations and their volunteers.• Support organisations to achieve the Volunteer Friendly Quality Award.• Attend events to represent VANL and promote volunteering.• Deliver training and talks to organisations.• Signatory for the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme.• Plan and host a series of Locality Network Events Throughout North Lanarkshire.• Lead contact for the North Lanarkshire Third Sector Employability Network.• Vice Chair of Young Enterprise Scotland (Lanarkshire Team).• Chair of the North Lanarkshire Home Visiting & Befriending Network.• Member of the Community Matters & Participatory Budgeting Steering Groups.• Health & Social Care Consortium member for the Motherwell area.Key Achievements in this role: Building and developing thematic and locality networks. Growing the membership of the North Lanarkshire Third Sector Employability Network from 10 to 22 and arranging speakers form the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament. Supporting consortium members of the North Lanarkshire Home Visiting Befriending Network to secure almost £200,000 in Health & Social Care funding. Co author of the Community & Voluntary Sector Strategy for 2020-2023. Facilitating contacts both within the sector and with external partners.

• Monitoring & Support Officer

  • Sep 2008 - Mar 2015

  • Monitor and support organisations participating in employment initiatives.• Develop policies, procedures and processes.• Individual compliance and capacity checks for organisations and preparation of action plans.• Support organisations with ongoing monitoring & reporting.• Liaise with partner referral organisations including Job Centre Plus & North Lanarkshire Council.• Deliver Pacific Institute courses for partner organisations.Key Achievements in this role: Member of strategic partnership recognised by DWP for contribution to the voluntary sector involvement in Future Jobs Fund. Developed the Wellwynd Employment Initiative utilising the Future Jobs Fund Model. This was a partnership with Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire Council and Clyde Valley Housing Association.


Michelle Thomson
• Australia
• Medical Practices
• Personal Development Coach & Mentor

  • Jan 2022 - Present


VOLUNTARY ACTION NORTH LANARKSHIRE

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Locality Link Officer

  • Mar 2020 - Aug 2020

  During Covid 19 I have the role of Locality Link Officer working closely with colleagues from North Lanarkshire Council and NHS Lanarkshire. VANL is providing the link between the Community & Voluntary Sector and North Lanarkshire Council's Community Assistance Team & Financial Inclusion Team. • I have responsibility for the Motherwell area and coordination of the Motherwell Team. • Duties include sending referrals to the most appropriate Community & Voluntary Sector organisations who are supporting those that are shielding or self isolating. • Support local organisations where required. This is in addition to my normal role which has been adapted to meet current guidelines. Liaising with both colleagues and the sector via various means including MS Teams, Zoom and email.



CVS Hamilton/East Kilbride

• Network Development Officer

  • Jun 2004 - Aug 2008

  • Develop and maintain a database of Lanarkshire social enterprise organisations. • Promote and raise awareness of social enterprises in Lanarkshire.• Assist new and existing organisations to identify enterprising opportunities and provide ongoing support with areas including finance, promotion and partnership working. Key Achievements in this role: Worked with and supported social enterprises in Lanarkshire. Raising awareness of social enterprise as a model which would reduce grant dependency.

• Project Worker

  • Jul 2005 - Jul 2007

  • Mapping exercise for social enterprise activity within urban South Lanarkshire.• Consulted organisations to establish current service provision.• Supported a number of new social enterprises.Key Achievements in this role: Established an up to date list of social enterprises operating within urban South Lanarkshire and supported a number of new organisations.

• Development Worker

  • Jun 2004 - Jun 2005

  • Work with and support the Local Communities Development Trust.• Prepare a funding strategy and complete funding applications.• Manage the Trust budget.• Support the Board as required.Key Achievements in this role: Full support provided to the Board to allow them to pursue new opportunities



Intelligent Finance

• Australia
• Financial Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Resources Administrator

  • Apr 2002 - Jun 2004

  • Production of stats and coordination of staff rota system for over 800 people for Intelligent Finance.• Prioritise and reallocate staff in accordance with business need.• Chair daily resource meetings for St James Place Bank.Key Achievements in this role: Management of resources to optimise service delivery.

• Deputy Team Manager

  • Jul 2001 - Mar 2002

  • Deputy Team Manager for a team of 15 staff.• Supported the Team Manager to carry out performance reviews and deal with staffing issues.• Attended daily management meetings.• Dealt with solicitors and customers regarding remortgage legal issues and assigned tasks to be performed within required timescales to release funds.Key Achievements in this role: Worked alongside other teams, the contact centre and solicitors to ensure customers remortgages were processed in a timely manner.

• Customer Service Administrator

  • Jun 2000 - Jun 2001

  • Liaised with a panel of solicitors regarding legal issues impacting on remortgages.• Preparation of funds release for remortgages.• Working with the contact centre for any general customer enquiries.Key Achievements in this role: Provided excellent customer service to ensure customers were kept informed of the process and that funds were released in a timely manner.



British Steel

• Mining

• Commercial Assistant

  • Jun 1992 - Mar 2000

  Processed orders for home & export customers which required a knowledge of requirements for different sectors and countries.Project management of high value orders including production, finance and logistics.Key Achievements in this role: Gained knowledge and worked within a variety of requirements to ensure customers received excellent customer service.

• Clerical Assistant

  • Apr 1991 - May 1992

  • Carried out a wide range of clerical tasks including dealing with customer enquiries and compiling offers of steel plate supply.Key Achievements in this role: This role allowed me to work in several specialist teams and gain knowledge and experience of dealing with a variety of customers and their requirements.

• Commercial Trainee

  • Sep 1988 - Mar 1991

  • Spent over two years training in all aspects of production, sales, finance, logistics and project management.• Monthly rotations in various departments and locations including Dalzell Steelworks, Scunthorpe, Leeds and Teesside.Key Achievements in this role: This training provided me with the skills and knowledge to deliver excellent service to customers.



Macharg Houston McFarlane

• Trainee Auditor

  • Jun 1988 - Aug 1988

  • Assisted Auditors with annual audits at client's premises. • Assisted Auditors with annual audits at client's premises.