Stewarding the “OI Way”: why we’re hiring a Director of Delivery

By Poss Apostolou

Oxford Insights turns ten next April. In consultancy years, that’s a lifetime. It’s a moment to look back at the impact we’ve had – from our Global AI Readiness Index to building new services for the Ministry of Justice – but more importantly, it’s when we define our next decade.

When I joined as Managing Director, I spent my first few months listening. I wanted to understand the “what, why, and how” that allows a small, remote-first team to advise governments worldwide.

I found a culture of thoughtfulness and a deep belief that tech must serve the public good. The team calls this the “OI Way.” We’ve had some fun with it, turning it into the “OI Spirit”, complete with its own personality and, naturally, plenty of stickers (more on that, another day!).

But we are growing fast – between 25% and 50% year-on-year. At this scale, “spirit” alone isn’t enough. To grow without losing our soul, we need to turn that intuition into the foundations that support the next ten years. 

That is why we are looking for our first Director of Delivery.

Scaling the OI Way

We are at a pivot point. We aren’t just a UK team doing international work; we are a global partner. Today, our consultants are working across the Middle East, Central Asia, and Latin America, helping the UNDP and UNESCO navigate the complexities of AI.

Working across three continents requires more than just project management; it requires a steward.

We need someone to join our Senior Leadership Team and own the quality of our craft. This person will define what “good” looks like at Oxford Insights, making our methodology visible and repeatable for our clients and our team.

Keeping the “human things”

In high-growth companies, there’s a temptation to solve scaling with rigid bureaucracy. I’ve been guilty of some of this in my own past. We want to do the opposite.

We need a leader who understands that in government transformation, the “hard” stuff only works if the “soft” stuff is right. In our recruitment pack, we talk about “Minimum Viable Processes.” This isn’t about red tape; it’s about creating the psychological safety and the frameworks that allow our consultants to do their best work.

As we double and triple in size, we must stay intentional about internal comms, hearts and minds. The human things that matter to us, and to the incoming Director. 

The mission

The challenge is an enviable one: you get to help shape this business exactly when the field of GovTech is being defined.

You won’t just manage a portfolio; you’ll grow teams, empower individuals, facilitate client workshops, and ultimately, ensure that every engagement honours the heritage of the first ten years as we move into the next.

If this sounds like the work you want to do, then we’d love to hear from you.

Grid photo by Photo by Amelie Mourichon on Unsplash