2231 Courses in Sheffield

This workshop is very practical in its nature and aims to give delegates an opportunity to not only learn about the key aspects of successful bid writing, but to also put them into practice. The workshop helps delegates understand what is most important to buyers and how to successfully convey they proposition to them. 1 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS 2 THE MINDSET OF SUCCESSFUL BID WRITING * The mindset needed for successful bid writing * Thinking from the buyer's perspective and not your own 3 DECISION MAKING * The way buyers make decisions - rational and emotional * Understanding buying motives * Looking at how to present ideas against those motives * The idea of cognitive fluency * How to pitch an idea in a way that leads to a positive decision 4 TO BID OR NOT TO BID? * Writing a bid is a big commitment; a clear understanding of the chances of winning is required * Understanding of the implications of winning and the impact it will have on the organisation 5 UNDERSTANDING YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION * Framework to help identify unique proposition and how that fits in with the requirements of the bid 6 THE TENDER PROCESS * Understanding the process to enable a successful chance of winning the bid * Different types of tender processes * Evaluation of criteria and the impact on bid writing 7 WRITING SKILLS * Different ways of writing and structuring bids to ensure their messages gets across well in a way that will be looked on favourably by the buyer 8 SUMMARISE 9 CLOSE

No-one in business will succeed if they are not financially literate - and no business will succeed without financially-literate people. This is the ideal programme for managers and others who don't have a financial qualification or background but who nonetheless need a greater understanding of the financial management disciplines essential to your organisation. This course will give the participants a sound understanding of financial reports, measures and techniques to make them even more effective in their roles. It will enable participants to: * Overcome the barrier of the accountants' strange language * Deal confidently with financial colleagues * Improve their understanding of your organisation's finance function * Radically improve their planning and budgeting skills * Be much more aware of the impact of their decisions on the profitability of your organisation * Enhance their role in the organisation * Boost their confidence and career development 1 REVIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS * What each statement contains * Outline * Detail * Not just what the statements contain but what they mean * Balance sheets and P&L accounts (income statements) * Cash flow statements * Detailed terminology and interpretation * Types of fixed asset - tangible, etc. * Working capital, equity, gearing 2 THE 'RULES' - ACCOUNTING STANDARDS, CONCEPTS AND CONVENTIONS * Fundamental or 'bedrock' accounting concepts * Detailed accounting concepts and conventions * What depreciation means * The importance of stock, inventory and work in progress values * Accounting policies that most affect reporting and results * The importance of accounting standards and IFRS 3 WHERE THE FIGURES COME FROM * Accounting records * Assets / liabilities, Income / expenditure * General / nominal ledgers * Need for internal controls * 'Sarbox' and related issues 4 MANAGING THE BUDGET PROCESS * Have clear objectives, remit, responsibilities and time schedule * The business plan * Links with corporate strategy * The budget cycle * Links with company culture * Budgeting methods * 'New' budgeting * Zero-based budgets * Reviewing budgets * Responding to the figures * The need for appropriate accounting and reporting systems 5 WHAT ARE COSTS? HOW TO ACCOUNT FOR THEM * Cost definitions * Full / absorption costing * Overheads - overhead allocation or absorption * Activity based costing * Marginal costing / break-even - use in planning 6 WHO DOES WHAT? A REVIEW OF WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCOUNTANT DO * Financial accounting * Management accounting * Treasury function * Activities and terms 7 HOW THE STATEMENTS CAN BE INTERPRETED * What published accounts contain * Analytical review (ratio analysis) * Return on capital employed, margins and profitability * Making assets work - asset turnover * Fixed assets, debtor, stock turnover * Responding to figures * EBIT, EBITEDIA, eps and other analysts' measure 8 OTHER KEY ISSUES * Creative accounting * Accounting for groups * Intangible assets - brand names * Company valuations * Fixed assets / leased assets / off-balance sheet finance

This five-day programme empowers participants with the skills and knowledge to understand and effectively apply best practice commercial and contracting principles and techniques, ensuring better contractor performance and greater value add. This is an assessed programme, leading to the International Association for Contracts & Commercial Management (IACCM)'s coveted Contract and Commercial Management Practitioner (CCMP) qualification. By the end of this comprehensive programme the participants will be able to: * Develop robust contracting plans, including scopes of work and award strategies * Undertake early market engagements to maximise competition * Conduct effective contracting and commercial management activities, including ITT, RFP, negotiated outcomes * Understand the legalities of contract and commercial management * Negotiate effectively with key stakeholders and clients, making use of the key skills of persuading and influencing to optimise outcomes * Undertake effective Supplier Relationship Management * Appreciate the implications of national and organisational culture on contracting and commercial activities * Appreciate professional contract management standards * Set up and maintain contract and commercial management governance systems * Take a proactive, collaborative, and agile approach to managing commercial contracts * Develop and monitor appropriate and robust KPIs and SLAs to manage the contractor and facilitate improved contractor performance * Appreciate the cross-functional nature of contract management * Collaborate with clients to deliver sustainable performance and to manage and exceed client expectations * Understand the roles and responsibilities of contract and commercial managers * Use effective contractor selection and award methods and models (including the 10Cs model) and use these models to prepare robust propositions to clients * Make effective use of lessons learned to promote improvements from less than optimal outcomes, using appropriate templates * Effectively manage the process of change, claims, variations, and dispute resolution * Develop and present robust propositions * Make appropriate use of best practice contract and commercial management tools, techniques, and templates DAY ONE 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims * Objectives * KPIs * Learning strategies * Plan for the programme 2 THE CONTRACTING CONTEXT * Key objectives of contract management * Importance and impact on the business 3 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS * Essential features of professional commercial and contract management and administration * The 6-step model 4 PUTTING THE 'MANAGEMENT' INTO COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT * Traditional v 'new age' models * The need for a commercial approach * The added value generated 5 DEFINITIONS * 'Commercial management' * 'Contract management' * 'Contracting' * ... and why have formal contracts? 6 STAKEHOLDERS * Stakeholder mapping and analysis * The 'shared vision' concept * Engaging with key functions, eg, HSE, finance, operations 7 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES * Contract administrators * Stakeholders 8 STRATEGY AND PLANNING * Developing effective contracting plans and strategies DAY TWO 1 CONTRACT CONTROL * Tools and techniques, including CPA and Gantt charts * A project management approach * Developing effective contract programmes 2 THE CONTRACTING CONTEXT * Key objectives of contract management * Importance and impact on the business 3 TENDERING * Overview of the contracting cycle * Requirement to tender * Methods * Rationale * Exceptions * Steps * Gateways * Controls * One and two package bids 4 TENDER ASSESSMENT AND CONTRACT AWARD I - FRAMEWORK * Tender board procedures * Role of the tender board (including minor and major tender boards) * Membership * Administration * Developing robust contract award strategies and presentations DAY THREE 1 TENDER ASSESSMENT AND CONTRACT AWARD II - PROCESSES * Pre-qualification processes * CRS * Vendor registration rules and processes * Creating bidder lists * Disqualification criteria * Short-listing * Using the 10Cs model * Contract award and contract execution processes 2 MINOR WORKS ORDERS * Process * Need for competition * Role and purpose * Controls * Risks 3 CONTRACT STRATEGY * Types of contract * Call-offs * Framework agreements * Price agreements * Supply agreements 4 CONTRACT TERMS I: PRICING STRUCTURES * Lump sum * Unit price * Cost plus * Time and materials * Alternative methods * Target cost * Gain share contracts * Advance payments * Price escalation clauses 5 CONTRACT TERMS II: OTHER FINANCIAL CLAUSES * Insurance * Currencies * Parent body guarantees * Tender bonds * Performance bonds * Retentions * Sub-contracting * Termination * Invoicing 6 CONTRACT TERMS III: RISK AND REWARD * Incentive contracts * Management and mitigation of contractual risk DAY FOUR 1 CONTRACT TERMS IV: JURISDICTION AND RELATED MATTERS * Applicable laws and regulations * Registration * Commercial registry * Commercial agencies 2 MANAGING THE CLIENT-CONTRACTOR RELATIONSHIP * Types of relationship * Driving forces * Link between type of contract and style of relationships * Motivation - use of incentives and remedies 3 DISPUTES * Types of dispute * Conflict resolution strategies * Negotiation * Mediation * Arbitration DAY FIVE 1 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT * KPIs * Benchmarking * Cost controls * Validity of savings * Balanced scorecards * Using the KPI template 2 PERSONAL QUALITIES OF THE CONTRACT MANAGER * Negotiation * Communication * Persuasion and influencing * Working in a matrix environment 3 CONTRACT TERMS V: DRAFTING SKILLS * Drafting special terms 4 VARIATIONS * Contract and works variation orders * Causes of variations * Risk management * Controls * Prevention * Negotiation with contractors 5 CLAIMS * Claims management processes * Controls * Risk mitigation * Schedules of rates 6 CLOSE-OUT * Contract close-out and acceptance / completion * HSE * Final payments * Performance evaluation * Capturing the learning 7 CLOSE * Review * Final assessment * Next steps

Fraud should not happen, but it does. It can happen at the highest to lowest levels in an organisation. Recent surveys show that incidents of fraud are not decreasing. Fraud costs companies money and, perhaps even more importantly, reputational damage. The losers are not just the shareholders, suppliers, customers, etc, but society as a whole. This programme shows why frauds happen, how organisations put themselves at risk and what they can do to prevent it. This programme will help directors and others understand: * The motives for committing fraud * Directors' responsibilities for identifying and reporting fraud * What types of frauds there are * How frauds are perpetrated * How they can be prevented * How regulators deal with fraud Above all, the principal objective of this programme is to help make your organisation as secure as possible from the threat of fraud. 1 MOTIVES FOR COMMITTING FRAUD - DRIVERS OF FRAUD Session objective: to understand why people might commit fraud * Drivers of fraudulent behaviour * Ambition * Greed * Theft * Conceit? * And more! 2 ACCOUNTING MECHANISMS THAT ALLOW FRAUD Session objective: to review the elements of the accounting, internal control and management processes that allow creative accounting * Income or liability? * Asset or expense? * Coding errors and misclassification * Netting off and grossing up * Off-balance sheet items 3 STRUCTURES THAT ALLOW FRAUD Session objective: to consider company and trading structures that allow frauds to be perpetrated * Group structures * Trading structures * Tax havens * Importing and exporting 4 INTERPRETATIONS AND OTHER NON-COMPLIANCE THAT ALLOW FRAUD Session objective: to look at how creative interpretations of law and accounting practice may permit fraud * The place of accounting standards * Accounting policies * Trading methods * The place of auditing standards 5 MONEY LAUNDERING Session objective: to review what constitutes money laundering * Types of money laundering * Identifying laundering * Preventing laundering 6 PREVENTING FRAUD - PROPER MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES Session objective: to review the place of proper corporate governance * Corporate governance * Company management structure * Audit committees * The place of internal audit 7 PREVENTING FRAUD - PROPER ACCOUNTING Session objective: to review best accounting and auditing practice * Accounting standards * Internal accounting policies * Adequacy of internal controls * Internal audit 8 PREVENTING FRAUD - REGULATION Session objective: to look at how regulators aim to prevent fraud * The regulatory environment * Financial services regulation 9 CONCLUSION * Course review * Open forum * Close 10 COURSE SUMMARY - DEVELOPING YOUR OWN COST ACTION PLAN * Group and individual action plans will be prepared with a view to participants identifying their cost risks areas and the techniques which can be immediately applied to improve costing and reduce costs

All organisations today operate in an environment of constant and rapid change. Managing this change effectively is often achieved through a portfolio of formal projects. Many organisations today have qualified and experienced project management staff to run their projects. Some organisations today have dedicated functions, staff or processes to support their project management teams. The very largest organisations have in-house Enterprise Programme Offices, or project management specialists in corporate audit or risk functions; or organise 'Red Team Reviews' of a project by other staff with project management experience who are not participating in the reviewed project. But for many mid-size businesses and SMEs - and even some larger organisations - these resources are simply not available. For them, having access to external expertise to assure project management disciplines and to coach project managers can be a major contributor to project success. Such reviews can take place at project initiation; at major stage-gates (especially if significant capital is to be committed at the stage-gate); or at any other time if concerns arise concerning project quality, cost or timescales. And it is for those organisations that we offer the necessary expertise, on an ad hoc basis, in reviewing projects and coaching senior project management staff. A document review and workshop led by one of our consultants can help you assess whether: * The strategic goals and priorities for the project are clear and being addressed * Governance of the project within the business is defined and being effectively executed * Project roles and responsibilities are clear and effective * The credibility and robustness of the project plan can be enhanced * Performance measures and reporting procedures are effective * Critical risks are identified and being managed and contingencies are agreed * The roles, responsibilities and capabilities of the key players in the project team are fit for purpose * Budgets are realistic and costs being managed effectively * Communication and change management activities are effectively planned and being executed At your discretion, you can capture the outcomes from the workshop for yourselves, in terms of identifying opportunities for improvement, or you can have our consultant write a report and make recommendations to you.

Health and safety awareness training is mandatory for staff at all levels of an organisation. This is the ideal course to satisfy that requirement - a stimulating 'entry-level' programme explaining how health and safety should be managed in any working environment. The course outlines the basics of health and safety law and how organisations and individuals can become liable for health and safety offences. Roles and responsibilities for health and safety are discussed by reference to the key legislation and the expert trainer will explore with the delegates how these responsibilities are managed in practice in different types of organisation. The principles of risk assessment will be considered and their practical implementation discussed in relation to the management of the various hazards that are likely to be present in a typical workplace. This course will give staff: * An understanding of health and safety law, liability and enforcement * An explanation of the principles of health and safety management in the workplace and an understanding of who should be responsible for different aspects of health and safety * A practical explanation of risk assessment and what constitutes a suitable and sufficient assessment * A broad knowledge of the typical hazards in a workplace and how these should be managed 1 OVERVIEW OF HEALTH AND SAFETY LAW * Statute and civil law * Liability and enforcement * Statutory duties * Contract law 2 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK * The workplace - extent of responsibility / shared responsibility * Relevant legislation 3 MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY * Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 * Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 * Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 * Accident Reporting (RIDDOR) * Consultation with Employees and Safety Committees 4 RISK MANAGEMENT WITHIN YOUR ORGANISATION * Business risk management * Health and safety risk management * The principles of risk assessment * Transferring the risk to contractors and third parties 5 RISK ASSESSMENT EXERCISE - 'CHALLENGE ANNEKA' 6 MANAGING THE HAZARDS IN THE WORKPLACE * Work equipment * Lifting equipment * Display screens * Manual handling * Fire * Chemicals (COSHH) * Personal protective equipment (PPE) 7 PRACTICAL EXERCISE - WORKPLACE INSPECTION 8 QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION AND REVIEW

M&O of engineering plant and services is becoming more important to the success of the core business. To select the right M&O technique for specific plant and equipment it is necessary to know what options are available, what they deliver and how they should be implemented. This course will help you consider options and techniques that provide best value based on that thorough understanding of the business need. M&O will increasingly be required to demonstrate it is delivering the optimum of cost and value and the main purpose of the course is to show how this can be achieved. Note: this is a purely indicative list of topics that can be covered. The content, duration, objectives and material used would all be adapted to match your specific requirements. This course will help you: * Determine what the business needs from the M&O service * Determine the cost and value of the various M&O options * Prepare and present the business case for the selected M&O strategy * Introduce meaningful KPIs based on performance-based service by the M&O provider * Undertake a review of current M&O and make recommendations for improvement * Introduce energy and carbon management performance criteria in M&O * Better deal with project risk and uncertainties * Motivate others to deliver a reliable and cost effective M&O service Note: this is a purely indicative list of topics that can be covered. The content, duration, objectives and material used would all be adapted to match your specific requirements. 1 WHAT IS MAINTENANCE AND WHAT IS OPERATION? - THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE TO THE BUSINESS 2 COMPARISON OF THE VARIOUS MAINTENANCE OPTIONS AND TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING: * Planned preventative * Run to failure * Condition monitoring * Business focused * Business critical * Total productive * Reliability centred maintenance 3 FORMS OF CONTRACTS AND SERVICE, INCLUDING: * Comprehensive * Input driven * Output driven * Limited replacement * Performance based M&O 4 SELECTING THE RIGHT OPTIONS AND MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE 5 CONTINUOUS COMMISSIONING AS A TOOL FOR DELIVERING BEST VALUE 6 CASE STUDIES

This very practical workshop is designed to enable participants to improve the impact, clarity and accuracy of their business documents - both internal and external.: This workshop will help participants: * Identify the purpose of writing their documents - to themselves and to their readers * Recognise and meet the needs of their readers * Plan documents systematically and improve the layout, flow and structure * Express the content more clearly, concisely and correctly * Adapt the tone and style of writing to the circumstances * Proof-read and edit work effectively, using formal marks and techniques * Improve visual layout, format and appearance 1 COURSE OBJECTIVES * Welcome and Introductions * The problems now - group discussion 2 WRITING BETTER BUSINESS DOCUMENTS * What points to highlight / exclude * Starting off * Introductions * Conclusions * Executive summaries 3 RULES AND STANDARDS * George Orwell's famous maxim * Why write? - clarifying your aims and objectives * A seven-step method for better preparation * The three-stage process for writing well * Grouping information for your reader 4 PROOF-READING AND EDITING * The difference between proof-reading and editing * Proof-reading methods and strategies * Proof-reading marks and techniques * Training your eye for detail * Knowing what to look for 5 EFFECTIVE EDITING * Grammar and English standards * Words - usage and spelling * Sentences - units of thought * Paragraphs - themes * Punctuation - spotting and correcting common errors * Say what you mean - active v passive language 6 HOW'S YOUR ENGLISH? * Grammar quizzes and punctuation test * Spotting spelling errors * Rephrasing jargons and clichés * Common error's and mistakes 7 DOCUMENT LAYOUT * House style * Use of white space * Fonts and effects 8 ONE-TO-ONE WORKSHOPS * These are practical sessions with one-to-one consultation with colleagues and the trainer * They are held at key points to consolidate the learning from different sessions 9 COURSE SUMMARY * Summary of key points * Action plans

How do you manage yourself under pressure? Are there times you get hijacked by your emotions and find it hard to deal with setbacks? How good are you at dealing with change? Resilience is all about having the ability to adapt, deal with change constructively and bounce back from adversity. While some people are naturally more resilient that others it is something that can be learnt. This session focuses on helping you respond positively to the pressures and demands of work and take specific steps in building your personal resilience. Take away: Action planner for i-resilience profile. You will have the opportunity to: * Gain insight into the relationship between work pressure, performance, wellbeing and resilience * Explore your natural strengths and how to manage what pushes you into a less resourceful state * Understand the skills and techniques that underpin the behaviours and attitudes of highly resilient people

Mental Health First Aid England Aware is an introductory course designed to increase mental health awareness and give an understanding of how to look after wellbeing and challenge stigma. Through an interactive instructor-led live session, you will learn: * What mental health is and how to challenge stigma * An introduction to some common mental health issues * Confidence to support someone who may be experiencing mental ill health * Ways to look after your own mental health and support wellbeing OUTLINE * What is mental health? * Mental Health Continuum * Factors that affect mental health * Stigma * Stress and stress management * Spotting signs of distress * Mental health conditions: * Depression * Anxiety disorders * Psychosis * Eating disorders * Suicide * Self-harm * Recovery * Take 10 Together - starting a supportive conversation * Supporting mental health in the workplace * Useful statistics * Helpful resources