Kirsty Hickson (she/her)

Kirsty is a Senior Consultant working within the Transformation and Change team of Altair.

A creative thinker, Kirsty enjoys working with clients to build solutions which fit their aspirations and needs, critically evaluating the impact at an operational and strategic level.

Kirsty places high value on establishing and maintaining effective relationships with key stakeholders. Kirsty strives to deliver a credible and engaging ‘personal brand’ through demonstrating conscientiousness, dependability, and inspiration.

Expertise

• Leadership and Management.
• Transformation and service improvement.
• Service delivery model.
• Change management.
• Strategy
• Social Care and CQC.
• Supported Housing – Extra Care, Independent Living Services. Homelessness. Housing Management.

About Kirsty

Kirsty has 10 years’ experience as a senior leader within the social housing and care sector, with five years social care management before this. She has a postgraduate diploma in Management Consultancy, alongside vocational qualifications in leadership, and health and social care.

Kirsty is experienced in delivering services within the specialisms of services for people with learning disabilities, older people and people experiencing homelessness. Kirsty has worked as and managed CQC Registered Managers within social care settings.

At Altair Kirsty works with housing association, care and support, local authority and private investment clients; spending most of her time delivering service reviews, strategic options appraisals, policy research, service improvement, and operating model projects

Recent Altair Assignments

• Implementation support for operations within a national care and support provider.
• Project support and judge for Thinkhouse Early Career Researcher’s Prize 2022
• Independent options review of an ALMO for a Local Authority
• Development of Target Operating Model for large care and support provider
• Options development of Independent Living Service
• ‘Deep dive’ service review of Homeowner Service for large national RP
• Research into UK and international housing and care models

Background

Homes and Communities Lead – Coastline Housing

Postgraduate Diploma in Management Consultancy

APMG Change Management Practitioner

Prince2 Foundation

NVQ Level 7 Diploma Management

CIH Level 4 in Housing

NVQ 4 Health and Social Care

IOSH Managing Safely

Publications

The plight of social care – how can housing come to the rescue?

Fun Facts

Alongside her employment, Kirsty volunteers as Treasurer for a local Preschool Committee and is the Chair of the Local Authority Independent Remuneration Panel.

Kirsty has a young family and enjoys spending time with them exploring her native Cornwall. She also enjoys running and cycling and recently took up paddleboarding. And she loves cats!