HR Business Partners
Involved in restructuring and workforce planning, and want stronger frameworks to challenge and advise the business.
Home / For HR Professionals The OD CatalystTM
Move from supporting Organisation Design to leading it.
A personalised 1:1 mentorship and masterclass programme for aspiring Organisation Design leaders. Six private sessions over three months.
Why this programme exists
Organisation Design is more than charts and boxes.
It means translating strategy into choices, navigating politics, recommending with incomplete information, challenging roles, layers and costs, and leading decisions that are highly visible and deeply personal.
The gap
Yet many professionals are asked to support Organisation Design without a clear methodology, practical frameworks or experienced guidance. They are expected to deliver without a roadmap.
From
contributing
in the background
contributing
in the background
TheOD
CatalystTMA practical roadmap from contributor to confident OD leader.
CatalystTMA practical roadmap from contributor to confident OD leader.
To
leading OD
from the front
leading OD
from the front
Who it's for
Professionals ready to be recognised as OD leaders.
OD Analysts & Project Leads
You know the analysis and want the judgement, facilitation and stakeholder skills to lead complete engagements.
Talent, SWP & Transformation
You want to see how strategy, operating models, structures, capabilities and workforce decisions fit together.
Internal Consultants
You want to diagnose problems more sharply and guide senior leaders to practical solutions.
Consultants moving in-house
You know the frameworks and want to apply them within the realities and politics of an organisation.
Emerging OD Leaders
Already doing parts of the work, but without the visibility, confidence or recognition it deserves.
The transition you will make
Become a full-stack Organisation Design professional.
Someone who can diagnose, design, influence and implement.
| From | To |
|---|---|
| Updating organisation charts | Diagnosing the real organisational problem |
| Responding to structure requests | Connecting strategy, operating model, structure and workforce |
| Applying frameworks mechanically | Applying frameworks with judgement |
| Presenting analysis without a recommendation | Facilitating high-quality leadership decisions |
| Waiting for leaders to define the problem | Challenging assumptions with confidence |
| Operating mainly as an HR support resource | Advising senior stakeholders as a trusted partner |
| Struggling to explain the commercial value of your work | Positioning OD as a driver of business performance |
What you will learn
Eight modules
Drawing on Galbraith's Star Model, McKinsey's 7-S, EODF practices, capability-led design, spans and layers diagnostics, organisation network analysis and more. The aim is knowing which tool to use, when, and how to adapt it.
01
Module 1 of 8Organisation Design Foundations
Core concepts, leading models and best practices
What OD is and isn't, how it differs from organisation development, restructuring and workforce planning, how to frame an engagement before jumping to solutions, and how to set design principles and decision criteria.
02
Module 2 of 8Strategy and Operating Model Alignment
Translate business strategy into the right operating model
Connecting strategy to operating model and design, analysing value chains and capabilities, deciding what to centralise, decentralise, outsource or automate, defining governance and decision rights, and building a case for change.
03
Module 3 of 8Organisation Structure Design
Design fit-for-purpose structures, spans, layers and governance
Functional, divisional, geographic, product and matrix structures; layers and reporting lines; spans of control; duplicated roles and fragmented accountability; balancing control, agility, cost and customer responsiveness.
04
Module 4 of 8Frameworks, Tools and Practical Methodologies
Use proven frameworks and digital tools for real-world application
Applying established models to real challenges: Star Model, 7-S, operating model principles, value-chain and activity analysis, role and accountability mapping, network analysis and effectiveness diagnostics.
05
Module 5 of 8Strategic Workforce Planning and Future Capabilities
Build your workforce for today and tomorrow
Translating strategy into workforce demand, identifying critical roles and skills, evaluating build, buy, borrow, bind, bounce and bot options, and the implications of AI and alternative workforce models.
06
Module 6 of 8Leading Change Through Organisation Design
Drive adoption and sustain impact
Navigating politics, facilitating difficult structure and role conversations, influencing without authority, anticipating resistance, and keeping momentum after sign-off.
07
Module 7 of 8Executive Communication and Stakeholder Influence
Tell a compelling story and influence with data and insights
Presenting complex analysis simply, structuring executive recommendations, communicating risks and trade-offs, and speaking the language of growth, cost, productivity and execution.
08
Module 8 of 8Career Positioning as an OD Professional
Build your brand, network and opportunities
Turning projects into career stories, strengthening your CV and LinkedIn, preparing interview examples, building internal visibility and planning your next move.
Your learning journey
Six private sessions over three months
Each session builds on the last, moving you from contributing to Organisation Design in the background to leading it from the front.
Month 1Build clarity
Month 2Build capability
Month 3Lead with impact
OD in the background Leading OD
from the front 123456
- 01 · Month 1
Diagnose your starting point
Your OD exposure, confidence, career goals and live challenges, and the capability gaps to address.
Personal OD capability diagnostic - 02 · Month 1
Strategy, operating models and design principles
Frame the problem and connect strategy to operating model choices and capabilities.
Frameworks and templates - 03 · Month 2
Structure, roles, spans and layers
The practical mechanics of structure, role clarity, governance and layers.
Real-world case examples - 04 · Month 2
Workforce, skills and AI transformation
How SWP, future skills, automation and AI are changing how organisations design work.
Live-project application - 05 · Month 3
Influence, change and executive communication
Navigate politics, challenge constructively and present to senior stakeholders.
Personalised feedback - 06 · Month 3
Career transition and personal positioning
Consolidate learning, strengthen your narrative and set a roadmap for your next step.
Career-positioning support
Runs throughout Between-session supportApplication assignmentsFeedback on your work
The sequence adapts to your experience, objectives and live projects.
Questions
This isn't another course you finish and forget.
Places are intentionally limited to protect the depth and personal nature of the programme.
Do I need previous Organisation Design experience?
You don't need a formal OD title. The programme is most valuable if you have some exposure to transformation, restructuring, workforce planning, HR business partnering or organisational change.
Is this a certification programme?
No. It is a practical mentorship and capability-development programme, designed to help you apply OD thinking, not collect another qualification.
Can I use a live project?
Yes. Where confidentiality allows, sessions can work through a current challenge, structure review or transformation initiative.
Is it tailored to my sector?
Yes. Examples, assignments and discussions are adapted to your role, sector, experience and priorities.
How is it delivered?
Virtually, through six private sessions over approximately three months.
Will it help with career progression?
Career positioning is a core component: articulating your experience, strengthening your narrative and preparing for internal or external OD opportunities.