Masuma Khanom

From Northamptonshire, UK	Place of study and course BA in Politics and Post-Graduate Diploma in Law from King’s College London	Fun fact I completed the New York Times Wordle for 174 days in a row in 2023!

Who are the Business Transformation Team (BTT) and what do they do?   

In a nutshell, BTT supports and leads strategic project delivery across the firm. They sit within Business Services and provide the expertise stakeholders require in delivering change within the firm.  For example, the team may support the shaping of the strategy of a new project, advise on structural and organisational pain points and evaluate potential risks and impacts of a change. The work that BTT do is valuable as it contributes to the firm’s wider strategic objectives, driving NRF’s competitive edge within the legal market. The projects you work on as a BLOG can be varied meaning the breadth of knowledge and topics you cover can be wide. You also have the opportunity to meet different stakeholders across the firm, as each project will affect a different group of people.  

What do you do day-to-day?    

The tasks vary depending on the projects you are working on. Recently I was creating the first draft of a project charter for a new initiative, building change impact assessment documents, making PowerPoint presentations to support project delivery and developing process maps. I regularly attend meetings to discuss the status of projects and potentially lead some meetings, depending on the agenda. Beyond this, I will take time to develop my knowledge by completing online courses on topics I am not familiar with.   

As a BLOG, you are encouraged to get involved in wider firm activities. I joined and have taken leadership roles within two diversity networks at NRF, and help with conducting research or supporting event planning. At the time of writing, I have completed nearly three months within the seat but have been exposed to a range of work which has positively pushed me out of my comfort zone and developed my learning.   

What skills do you gain from this role?  

As a BLOG in this seat you’ll learn capability and process mapping, project plan building, data analysis and requirements gathering. You will gain technical knowledge on topics like change and project management or stakeholder analysis, whilst also developing your PowerPoint skills to create presentations to a high professional standard. A soft skill you are likely to develop is adapting to work with a range of different people. As the team is internal facing, you'll learn how to build relationships with people across the firm, manage multiple projects and gain a stronger understanding of how change is implemented on a wider scale.

What skills are needed to do a seat in BTT?  

There is no expectation to have any technical knowledge when joining the seat. However, you are expected to be proactive, work well in a team, have strong communication skills and be enthusiastic. As the work in this seat can be so varied, these soft skills will help you perform well, but also support your learning throughout the 6 months of your seat.