NIA THOMAS
Strategic and operations leadership for organisations creating lasting social value.
People-centred, inclusive leadership that combines strategic and systems thinking with human-centred planning and improvement.
My Experience
I’m a strategic and operations leader who helps organisations strengthen their strategy, systems, and culture to achieve measurable and sustainable impact.
Over the past 25 years, I’ve worked across the NHS, local government, civil service and charitable sector, leading complex programmes, guiding teams through transformation, and delivering long-term outcomes for children, families, and communities.
My approach brings together strategic and systems thinking with a deep understanding of how people and structures interact to shape performance and improvement. Grounded in my doctoral research on self-awareness and leadership effectiveness, I support organisations to make better decisions, build accountability, and deliver lasting change.
HOW I CAN HELP YOU
Strategy and Organisational Leadership
I can provide interim leadership as a CEO, COO, Director or Programme Lead, developing strategy, governance, and operating models that are designed for impact and resilience. I also advise boards on risk, assurance, and transformation, ensuring that strategy translates into practical, measurable delivery.
Operational Delivery and Improvement
I specialise in turning strategy into results. I help organisations embed performance and accountability frameworks, streamline delivery, and lead restructuring and change with clarity and empathy.
Public Service and Charity Transformation
Much of my work focuses on improving systems across public and charity sector environments. I design and evaluate policy implementation and service models, build integrated systems across government and voluntary sectors, and support cross-sector collaboration to deliver meaningful community outcomes
Finance and Sustainability
I strengthen financial governance and budget management through budget tracking and team upskilling. I facilitate fundraising and social enterprise planning and privide critical challenge to help organisations think efficiently and outside the box
Impact, Data and Digital Transformation
I lead the design of impact measurement and evaluation frameworks, ensuring data is used meaningfully to inform decision-making. I have also led digital transformation and data governance initiatives, helping organisations use technology to enhance performance, transparency, and service access
People, Culture and Human-Centred Systems Planning
I provide interim leadership through transition, focusing on people, culture, and organisational development. I coach senior teams to lead with inclusion and self-awareness, and I design systems and processes around how people work, lead, and deliver, ensuring that structures best enable performance.
LinkedIn Recommendations
“I have had the privilege of working with and alongside Dr. Nia Thomas, whose leadership style has been truly transformative. With grace and dignity, she has exemplified self-aware leadership, seamlessly integrating it into everyday practices. Nia creates trust and actively supports the growth and development of both individuals and the organisation. She has been a prominent leader, guiding the business and organisation with vision and purpose. Her innovative approach and ability to drive progress have enabled her to navigate complex situations effectively, creating positive change and inspiring those around her.”
Charity CEO
“Nia worked within children’s services in the public sector. She provides creative ideas for solving complex problems managing services and people at a senior level.
Nia has a good understanding how services operate and the management techniques needed to get the best results meeting targets.”
Social Care Leader
“Nia is a thoughtful, calm leader who is always looking at opportunities to grow, build and share knowledge within her team, both with her direct reports and the wider organisation.
Nia has supported the organisation through a time of great change. With our 10 year National Lottery funded Programme coming to an end, Nia has ensured the team are well prepared for that next step in our careers, looking at it as a very positive opportunity.“
Local Authority Manager
“Nia showed incredible tenacity, wisdom, and values-led decision-making as she steered ABSS to a positive and valuing close. Managing the close of an organisation, planned or otherwise, requires a quality of leadership that Nia offered every day: listening beyond surface; posing questions that elicited genuine reflection; instilling and communicating trust in her team; being pragmatic, politically astute, connecting task to wider purpose; remaining flexible and nimble to stakeholder needs, while protecting the longevity and sustainability of projects that might yet continue; being alert to the wellbeing of those she worked with in challenging times. Nia’s presence and authenticity is an inspiration.”
People Centric Management Consultant
“Dr. Nia Thomas, is a truly exceptional leader with outstanding emotional intelligence, compassion and knowledge.
Working with Dr. Nia as her team navigates the transition, I’ve been inspired by her dedication to supporting her staff. Her commitment to their professional development, including my leveraging LinkedIn course to help them connect, network and build their personal brands demonstrates her genuine care for their future success.
Dr. Nia’s kind nature and positive approach make her a joy to work with. She is not only an empathetic leader but also an advocate for her team’s growth during challenging times. I wholeheartedly endorse her for any opportunity that comes her way.
I’d work with Dr Nia again in a heartbeat!”
Change Transformation and Linkedin Strategy Consultant