Helen Cady

Helen on her role

My role is all about our customers. I work with them to help them transform their performance. The thing I love most about my work is the variety – it involves everything from leading strategy workshops to delivering business improvement programmes, streamlining operations and assuring quality. I offer these advisory services to a range of customers spanning aviation and local government, so there are also opportunities to cross-pollinate learnings between sectors.

Over the course of my career, I have worked on numerous technically challenging infrastructure projects. I have sponsored multi-million-pound projects within large programmes of work with regulatory deadlines, such as Wastewater Treatment Works, Biomethane Gas Holders and DG5 Flooding schemes. Regardless of the scale of the commission, I always work hard to ensure the best outcomes for customers.

Innovation has been a golden thread throughout my career. By introducing new technologies and new ways of working, we can offer sustainable, practical and efficient solutions to the challenges our customers face. However, we can’t overlook the importance of securing the buy-in of wider customer teams - implementing successful change management programmes is fundamental to embed new approaches and ensure they deliver long-term benefits. This is an element of my role which I particularly enjoy.

  

Helen’s typical day at work

I love an early start. My most productive time is when I am in my home office after a walk with my dog, Gin, and everything is quiet because everyone else is still in bed. It is strange that I am drawn to that, as I am an energetic person in meetings, running workshops, at events, and when socialising.

 

Helen’s biggest professional achievement and why?

I worked at United Utilities in the Flooding Mitigation team earlier in my career, before joining Costain. We reduced the impact of wastewater flooding for customers by fitting protection devices to minimise impingement. We won multiple awards for the speed and efficiency of the service, but that was only a small part of the achievement for me. The best part was knowing that people would no longer be affected by distressing sewer flooding incidents.

 

What Helen wants to professionally achieve in the next five years?

I have always found that the best method of success is to enable others to shine. If I can encourage other people to grow and develop to make themselves and the company proud, I will be extremely happy.

 

Three things you might not know about Helen

1. I have a shotgun. Yes, with a licence. My favourite discipline is Skeet.
2. Knitting is a huge form of relaxation for me, and I especially enjoy knitting baby clothes. There is something really satisfying about creating something useable and beautiful from a simple ball of wool.
3. I make wedding cakes and have even made cakes for my sister and several friends. It all started from taking cakes into the office on Fridays and getting lots of requests to make more!

 

Connect with Helen on LinkedIn or alternatively send her an email.