London  ·  Currently open to full-time and contract engagements

I close the gap between
strategy and execution.

I take ownership of the priorities that fall between functions, need judgment to drive, and can't wait for later.

Twelve years  ·  National-scale programmes  ·  High-stakes delivery  ·  AI-first operations

Get in touch See my work
Executive Leverage· Systems Design· Operational Architecture· Change Management· Cross-Sector Partnerships· AI-First Operations· Strategic Clarity· Stakeholder Influence· Executive Leverage· Systems Design· Operational Architecture· Change Management· Cross-Sector Partnerships· AI-First Operations· Strategic Clarity· Stakeholder Influence·

About

Logic. Clarity.
Execution.

I lead complex problem-solving initiatives and I'm exceptionally good at it. Over 12 years I've developed three rare abilities working in combination.

Navigating ill-defined problems — turning ambiguous briefs into clear priorities and delivery plans before anyone else has framed the question.

Aligning disparate partners around common goals through influence and shared purpose, not authority. The work that makes national-scale programmes possible, and is rarely in the job description.

Absolute execution discipline once direction is set. Relentless on timelines, accountability, and delivery. Catches drift early. Course-corrects without drama.

Based in London since mid-2025. Looking for a role where this combination is recognised and rewarded.

90%
Reduction in negative outcomes — Oranga Tamariki
50%
Increase in public participation — Auckland Council
4
Major national regulatory reforms led
12+
Years in high-stakes policy and programme delivery
01

Structured under ambiguity — Repeatedly brought in to establish structure before anyone knows what the programme is.

02

Autonomous initiative — Identifies something that needs to exist and builds it before being asked. Consistent across every role.

03

AI-first operator — Restructured programmes around AI workflows and independently built web applications and automation tools.

Thomas Murray, London

Selected Work

The work that
defines the pattern.

01 Ministry for the Environment · NZ · 2023–2024

New Zealand's National Climate Change Adaptation Programme

Built New Zealand's national climate adaptation framework from nothing — in conditions where the brief itself was still being written. Defined the problem, established the governance, coordinated ~40 professionals across policy, science, legal, and planning, and ran five concurrent legislative workstreams against a live political deadline. The challenge wasn't just delivery: it was figuring out what needed to be delivered, by whom, and in what order, before any of that was clear.

Programme ManagementGovernance DesignMulti-WorkstreamNZD $4m Budget
02 Ministry for the Environment · NZ · 2021–2023

Enterprise Portfolio Management Office — Zero to One

The executive leadership team had no picture of how the organisation's resources were balanced across strategic priorities — and nobody had identified this as a problem. Without being asked: designed organisation-wide project reporting, secured executive agreement to make it compulsory, built the portfolio dashboard, and presented it alongside resource allocation advice. The team requested it monthly. Then stood it up as a permanent function. This is the pattern across every role I've held: identify something that needs to exist, build it, demonstrate its value, be trusted with more.

Internal ConsultancyEPMOOperating ModelZero to One
03 Food Standards Agency · UK · Dec 2025–Present

Future of Food Regulation — Operational Build

Brought in to lead a national regulatory reform programme at the point when direction was still unclear and operational infrastructure didn't exist. Built the programme's structure from scratch under genuine uncertainty: AI-optimised project management templates deployed across the team, a change impact assessment process adapted for the FSA's role as a regulator, and prototypes translating legal obligations into machine-readable format. Three zero-to-one initiatives, none of which were asked for.

Regulatory ReformAI-First OperationsChange ManagementProgramme Design
04 Ministry for the Environment · NZ · 2020–2021

National Innovation Partnerships — Climate & Circular Economy

Built two national cross-sector programmes from scratch — from identifying the opportunity, through designing the partnership structure, to managing delivery. The Creative HQ partnership produced New Zealand's first government-backed climate tech accelerator; first cohort companies raised over $5m combined. The Sustainable Business Network partnership delivered Go Circular and the national Circular Economy Marketplace. Neither programme had a template to follow.

PartnershipsInnovationClimate TechProgramme Build
05 Oranga Tamariki · NZ · 2019–2020

Mokopuna Ora — Social Services Change Programme

Social work services across two regional offices were producing serious negative outcomes. The programme needed a workforce that understood why change was necessary and knew how to operate differently — not just a new process to follow. Built the change narrative, established the change management framework, and equipped managers to lead their teams through genuine uncertainty. Services were co-designed with frontline staff and whanau. The result: a 90% reduction in negative outcomes.

Change ManagementService DesignStakeholder Engagement

How I Work

Three things.
Rarely all in one person.

01

Find the problem before solving it

Most difficult work fails not because of bad execution but because the problem was never clearly defined. I navigate ill-defined challenges and guide teams through figuring out what they're actually trying to solve. The starting condition for some of my best work: the problem itself wasn't yet defined.

02

Choreograph without a title

Delivery in complex, multi-organisation environments rarely follows reporting lines. I drive results through credibility, listening, and genuine relationships, not by outranking people. Effective in matrix environments, across sector boundaries, and where nobody controls everything.

03

Build what doesn't yet exist

Across every role: identify something that needs to exist, build a version of it, show why it matters. The EPMO at the Ministry for the Environment. AI-optimised processes at the FSA. The Climate Response Accelerator. I don't wait to be asked.

"

I extend the capacity of leaders by taking ownership of the hard stuff.

Thomas Murray  ·  Strategy & Operations Leader

Recommendation

Thomas led the development of a major policy programme for us at the Food Standards Agency, working at pace following an announcement at budget. He is quick to grasp complex context, build relationships and take initiative, working confidently to support us as SROs in designing the new programme and supporting Board discussions to agree the scope. He is always ready to take suggestions or adapt the approach, and equally ready with his own ideas. He oversaw the successful inception of this high profile piece of policy and legislation programme and will be a positive, expert, high impact addition to any team.

Beth Chaudhary
Director of Strategy
Food Standards Agency  ·  UK

Contact

Let's talk about
what's not
working.

Currently open to full-time and contract engagements. I'm looking for a role in a mission-driven organisation — somewhere my effectiveness translates more directly than in government. If you're a leader who needs someone to take ownership of the complex stuff and make it happen, I'd like to hear from you.

LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/1thomasmurray