Our role
Design and delivery partner for the Change Academy programme
Our deliverable
Hands-on, tailored learning for local government officers
The outcome
Stronger capability to lead transformation
PwC assisted Northern Ireland councils in building their capability to deliver lasting change for local communities.
Setting the scene
Local government in Northern Ireland - like its peers across the UK - is facing pressure to deliver better services with limited resources, while responding to digital change, workforce challenges and rising public expectations.
It is also expected to provide impactful action and sustainable transformation. To make this a reality, the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) partnered with PwC to introduce a structured, hands-on Change Academy for the region.
Our work
PwC worked with NILGA to design and deliver the first Local Government Change Academy in Northern Ireland, building on our experience supporting councils across Great Britain.
The programme combined PwC’s expertise in change management, leadership, operational design and transformation with practical, tailored learning. Each participant applied new skills directly to real organisational challenges, ensuring an immediate impact in their respective councils.
We used structured digital learning tools and collaborative platforms to support interactive sessions, share insights and track progress, helping participants embed new ways of working in real time.
We also implemented structured learning frameworks and collaborative approaches to develop capability in key areas, including change leadership, project management, communication, behaviour change and impact measurement.
Our issues-led and sector-focused approach brought together officers from across councils in Northern Ireland, creating a shared method for delivering transformation and enabling peer learning. In doing so, we established a network for ongoing collaboration and continuous improvement.
“It’s been a privilege to work with and bring together leaders in Northern Ireland’s communities to build the skills and shared approaches needed to drive real innovation in public services.”
Katie Johnston
Local Government Leader at PwC UK
“Growing the Northern Ireland economy starts with investing in our people. By building capability at a regional level and creating a strong peer network, we're accelerating the pace of change and helping councils deliver more for the communities they serve.”
Louise Black
Regional Market Leader for PwC Northern Ireland
The impact
The Change Academy has strengthened the ability of local government officers to lead and deliver transformation. In reflecting on the training, all participants agreed or strongly agreed they felt increased confidence to write clear outcome-based requirements.
Participants also developed the tools, mindset and shared approaches needed to drive meaningful and lasting improvements in how councils serve their communities. For instance, 80% of participants felt an increase in ability to create a dashboard using Power BI after the training.
The cohort model created a consistent approach to transformation across councils and established a strong peer network to support ongoing progress.
The first cohort brought together officers from four councils, building collective capability at a regional level and accelerating the pace of change.
“The Change Academy has allowed participating council officers to build the skills needed to drive real innovation in public service delivery. Participants valued the opportunity to share learning within their teams and are now better equipped to lead transformation across councils and the communities they serve.”
Alison Allen
Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA)
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