Danny Smith

Consultant

Armakuni

Pole Star EAM

Chief Operations Officer

Oyster®

Consultant - Remote Workplace Design & People Ops

Delocate (acquired by Oyster)

Principal Consultant

RED Academy

VP Technology

Global Curriculum Director, Technology

Lead Instructor

Ada. National College for Digital Skills

Curriculum Designer & Lecturer

CharlieHR

Senior Software Engineer

Sparta Global

I wore *a lot* of hats as we grew from a 3-employee startup to 80+ folks

All Sorts

Royal Air Force Air Cadets

Adjutant, Central Training Team, HQ RAFAC

COO & Consultant | Creating high-performance remote organisations 👨‍💻🌍

I work with leaders to intentionally design remote organisations & ways of working, laying the foundations for rapid scaling, long-term organisational health, and a globally distributed workforce.

I spent 2021 at Oyster, scaling their fully-remote (globally distributed) company from 14 to 500 people (and a $1bn valuation). Which was absolutely wild.

I work mostly at the intersection of system design, human behaviour, remote work & operations. I'm convinced that knowledge work has no borders and the "remote work revolution" has the power to make the world a fairer and more equal place for everyone. Globally distributed companies are the future.  And the remote workplace should be diverse, safe & supportive for all.

I talk about "Organisational Health" a lot because healthy orgs feel calm when ploughing through unknown waters at 1000mph and can operate on the edge of chaos without being chaotic: much better for our people, and our business. Since systemic health problems have a disproportionately large effect on distributed remote teams (and quickly compound with scale), I'm on a mission to help folks be more intentional about how they design & transform remote-first orgs.

➡️ Read more on this → https://danny.is/writing/organisational-health

I love meeting new folks, so hit me up if you wanna chat 🙂☎️

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Wanna learn about remote best practices? 👇

· Oyster Reef → https://oysterhr.notion.site/Welcome-to-The-Reef-Oyster-s-Open-Source-Employee-Guide-fc482e3f107c4afd8c85ed217f1d0c1d
· Some tiny remote working tips → https://danny.is/remote

If you've read this far you *might* be interested to know...

· I've a sporadic sideline in personal coaching and team facilitation.
· I used to be a software engineer, but realised I have a much bigger impact when I help others do their thing better. And now that's my thing. (I still code, but just for fun.)
· Before that I was a blues musician. I still perform and jam lots: music has this weird ability to transcend language and cultural barriers.
· I'm a generalist. Obviously. Sorry not sorry.


In the past, my desire to "make work better for everyone" saw me doing:

· Education → curriculum design, learning design, teaching etc.
· Engineering process → DevOps, architecture etc
· Agile coaching & delivery process (SAFe still gives me nightmares).
· Design systems before they were hip.

Greater Anglia

Responsible and accountable for the systems Greater Anglia's Engineering department and Fleet uses and the data they create - including IT Solutions, systems interfaces, wayside collection, on/off train data and other initiatives.

To ensure that the end-to-end IT systems used within the Engineering directorate are fully defined and fit for purpose.

To manage the Fleet Information Systems team, including a systems engineer and a data scientist.

To oversee ongoing projects and management of systems, products and report packages, and provide peer review of workstreams.

A senior management role within the Performance and Planning Team of Greater Anglia's Engineering department.

Fleet Information Systems Manager

Safely allocate all units to the most effective diagrams in alignment with the maintenance plan while optimising mileage and maintenance loads. 
Build and maintain a schedule of stock deployment and ensure maintenance requirements of rolling stock are adhered to.

Plan and control delivery of units for maintenance, cleaning and repair activities for all rolling stock fleets while ensuring depot output and rolling stock deployment meets the requirements specified by the train service plan and company quality management system.

Utilise Network Rail infrastructure to ensure delivery of required units to service and maintenance locations; via service, empty coaching stock or VSTP movements - deploying knowledge of routes, traction and infrastructure limitations.

Work closely with Operations Control Team, and Network Rail to provide timetable required unit availability, developing and implementing contingency plans during times of service disruption, events or non-availability of rolling stock. 
Provide support to the engineering planning team to improve design and develop processes and plans.

Stock Maintenance Controller

Safe Driving and movement of trains in high frequency yard and station environment.

Trouble fitter activities including fault find and fault rectification on EMU 25KV fleet of trains.

Unit allocation of fleet for daily departures following maintenance requirements, utilising drivers, stock and timetabled movements.

Management of Yard and Platform movement acceptance utilising Network Rail panel equipment and contact with Signaller.

Depot Train Driver

FirstGroup plc

To train, coach and develop over 1000 staff employed in Essex in the importance of customer service methodology and implementation.

By encouraging drivers and staff to identify passenger personality profiles and their associated needs in respect of the requirements that satisfy their need for excellent customer service.

Developed in conjunction with Brand Biology (a consulting firm), I am trained to deliver the CPC (JAUPT Approved) course to staff, develop their skills and turn high customer satisfaction into an attainable, reachable goal.

CPC Trainer - Journey Makers

To ensure a safe, punctual reliable and cost effective delivery of services by:

- Managing the flow of drivers (≈280) and vehicles (≈120) out of depot, along route and back into depot

- Identifying and communicating issues with schedule, allocations, specific vehicles and/or personnel

- Forward planning of on-the-day and upcoming service requirements


Main responsibilities include:

- To oversee the driver reporting for work, to cover service due to absence on the day, to ensure accurate recording of drivers duties and attendance

- To ensure drivers leave the dept on time, ensure the correct vehicle allocation (matching scope of contracted and tendered service requirements)

- Liaise with Engineering Supervisor and Customer Agents to maximise resources, to liaise with Supervisors, Inspectors and Officials, to take charge of emergency situations

- To liaise with depot management, to ensure issues are documented and communicated correctly

- To manage the cash collection from depots and maintain records of all events on the day (changeovers, breakdowns, congestion) and record log of mileage lost

- Maintain record of payroll information, allocate duties and overtime into proprietary systems. Ensure drivers are working within legal regulations

Relief Controller

Getting customers from A to B in a safe, efficient, comfortable and timely manner
Providing exceptional customer services and relations for the UK's largest transport operator

- Completed and passed driver training (D+D1 and CPC) in record time

- Excelled through local and city routes to more complex and further cross country routes

- Selected for FirstEssex's primary express and luxury service, the X30

- Delivering exemplary professionalism and resourcefulness exceeding expectations of customers by placing them at the very core of the service

- Subsequently trained new X30 drivers in route, utility and manner ensuring that the X30 service is held to the same high standards of customer satisfaction that I aim to maintain

- Assertive of my cause, I am fast becoming a recognisable, approachable and knowledgeable personality within the depot, with many colleagues coming to me with problems and ideas

Driver

Financial Ombudsman Service

Delivering impartial and independent assessments of unresolved complaints from the general public; providing answers specifically relating to payment protection insurance, its mis-sale and surrounding issues

- Primary point of contact for consumers, claims management companies and financial businesses for telephone, email and postal correspondence

- Excellent consumer issue rectification, explaining complex financial processes and systems in layman’s terms to confused, angry or upset individual

- Investigate and determine a true account for individual case sales processes, providing a fair and reasonable outcome based on the merits of each case

- Communicate effectively with consumers and businesses to ensure they understand how and why I made my decision

- Most effective at solving complex issues arising from legal, corporate and investigative procedures; such as jurisdiction matters and cases requiring a sensitive touch

Adjudicator

Royal Air Force (RAF)

Ensuring the security of the largest RAF base in the UK. Directly responsible for the protection of 20% of the Air Force's fleet of aircraft (around 80 aircraft), as well as protectively marked materials, cargo and passenger handling facilities and sensitive UK defensive assets

- Proven experience of access control and security violation management 

- Trained in crisis management, conflict resolution, evidential interviews, basic forensics, protective security

- Promote and adhere to health and safety aspects at all times as set out by RAF Policy and Military Law

- Management of health and welfare of the working dogs on the Police Dog Section with specific care and responsibility for the specifically licensed animals

- Responsible for the welfare, discipline and law enforcement the service personnel of armed services

- Checked by the Criminal Reference Bureau and Home Office to an enhanced level

- Vetted by the Defence Vetting Agency to SECRET level

RAF Policeman and Dog Handler

Civil Aviation Authority - Safety Regulation Group

Responsible for the management, upkeep and distribution of technical documentation to aircraft surveyors responsible for ensuring the airworthiness of the UK's civil aviation aircraft
- Main driving force behind a project to upgrade the CAA's technical documentation to digital status for storage and distribution. Project included tender specification and selection, testing, instruction, upkeep and maintenance of a remote server distribution system utilising Citrix and remote technologies
- Daily workflow included verbal and written communication with major international aircraft manufacturing companies including Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Eurocopter, Cessna and Raytheon
- Provided a remote support system and help desk for users having difficulties connecting, using or locating documentation
- Provided a liaison between CAA aircraft surveyors and aircraft manufacturers, specifically engineering, licensing and technical support departments

Technical Documentation Administrator

Homebase (Home Retail Group PLC)

First employed as a check out assistant, I progressed through the company until I was a supervisor on the customer service desk.
Responsible for management of personnel, customer problems and complaints, ordering and stocking procedures and cashing up after the days sales.

Customer Service Supervisor

Ambitious, determined and innovative: I'm technically minded, a natural service provider and analytical thinker.  
I strive for efficiency and effectiveness at the workplace in order to develop and nurture a successful, problem-solving atmosphere.
With discipline and drive deeply ingrained from an early Military Police role, I have the presence, confidence and conviction to make decisions and comfortably lead teams to success.

taplio

The Battle

Danny Smith

Dan Everest

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