Complex Transformation
Academy
Building confidence and capability to lead change in complex systems
With councils under growing financial pressure and operating in increasing complexity, the biggest savings and productivity gains sit in the “complex”, not the simple or complicated. The CTA was created because the sector must be equipped to embrace complexity to be productive and sustainable.
By “complex”, we mean challenges where demand and cost are accelerating beyond control, services are highly demand‑led and interdependent, and traditional in‑year responses are no longer sufficient. Addressing these pressures requires more than restructuring or efficiency measures; it means influencing systems and behaviours, managing long‑term demand, and taking a whole‑system approach to change.
CTA programme overview
The Complex Transformation Academy is a structured six-month development programme for influential leaders focused on cutting-edge skills for designing and delivering successful transformation. The academy supports local authorities to embrace complexity and make progress in tackling their most complex challenges.
Organisations will:
- Build capability and capacity in designing, leading and managing complex change programmes.
- Learn how to navigate the current context of reform, constraint, and socio-economic trends.
- Develop a deep and sustainable peer network.
- Share insight from the programme for a wider audience across the sector.
- Support the direct application of these skills to diagnose and begin delivering solutions within participating areas.
What makes it different?
It goes beyond learning to focus on doing, bringing together action learning, peer support and expert facilitation around real, current challenges, framed by IMPOWER’s EDGEWORK® approach to co‑produce change, work across boundaries and focus on outcomes. The Academy is also supported by practical tools developed with Buckinghamshire Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and delivered in partnership with councils.
Classroom days
Local application and impact
Action learning sets
Smaller groups for peer support, challenge and reflections, designed to be self‑sustaining. Focused on specific challenges.
Published sector insights
Who is it for?
The CTA is designed for senior local authority leaders and chief executives tackling multi-million complex savings and complex, demand-led system challenges.
It is particularly suited to leaders who:
- Are navigating reform, constraint and rising demand across services.
- Need practical tools and approaches to grip complexity and deliver sustainable change.
- Are seeking to influence change across organisational and system boundaries.
- Want to build internal capability while developing a strong, long‑term peer network.
The professionalism, reflection and action in how the programme has evolved over the months we've been together has been really insightful. One of the key benefits for our organisation has been the opportunity for senior leaders from across the local authority to come together and think more strategically about what we can achieve together.
Service Director for Community Social Work and Occupational Therapy for Adult Social Care at Nottinghamshire County Council
We've made amazing progress since joining the Complex Transformation Academy. It was really helpful for us to have the frameworks that the CTA provided to take a step back and concentrate on the issue we were trying to fix, rather than jumping into solutions.
Assistant Director for Corporate Transformation at Hackney Council
The organisational learning that we've been able to deliver by taking back the tools and techniques, but also the ethos, behaviours and culture, has benefited Bracknell Forest Council more broadly. It's been probably the best learning and development opportunity I've ever had.
Assistant Director for Corporate Improvement and Innovation at Bracknell Forest Council
Get in touch
To find out more about the Complex Transformation Academy and the impact we could make together, email [email protected] to request a brochure or have an initial conversation.
Insights on Leading Complex Transformation
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Key learning from children’s services leaders on navigating local government reorganisation while maintaining focus on outcomes for children and families.
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From Fiscal Pressure to Transformational Action: Reflections from Public Finance Live 2026
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Complex transformation is a long game, and confidence matters
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Delivering prevention in a complex reform landscape: what needs to change?
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Leading through complexity: a new challenge for local government leaders
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Complex Transformation starts with Place, People and Trust
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