CAPABILITY
Strategy & Operating Model
Know where you're going. Design how to get there.
From theory of change to operational reality.
In 30 Seconds
Many organisations have bold ambitions but unclear pathways. Strategy documents gather dust because they don't connect to how the organisation actually operates.
We help you bridge the gap between strategic intent and operational reality:
- ClarityTheory of Change that actually guides decisions
- DesignPrograms and projects structured for delivery
- OperationsOperating models that turn strategy into daily action
Navigate + Build: Our Corporate Action content explains where organisations need to go. This capability helps you design how to get there.
The Challenge
For Growing Organisations
You've proven your model works. But what got you here won't get you there. The operating model that worked at 5 people breaks at 25.
- • How do we scale without losing what makes us effective?
- • What functions, roles, and processes do we need?
- • How do we maintain coherence as we grow?
For Mission-Driven Organisations
You know your mission. But translating that into a clear theory of change, program logic, and measurable outcomes is harder than it sounds.
- • How do we articulate our theory of change convincingly?
- • What should we actually measure?
- • How do we design programs that deliver outcomes, not just outputs?
The gap: Strategy without operational design is aspiration. Programs without clear logic are activities. Operating models without strategy are just bureaucracy. They need to work together.
How We Help
Four service areas connecting strategic intent to operational reality
Theory of Change
Clarify your logic
- •Impact Pathways: How do your activities lead to the outcomes you seek?
- •Assumptions Testing: What needs to be true for your theory to hold?
- •Indicator Design: How will you know you're succeeding?
A ToC that guides decisions, not gathers dust.
Program & Project Design
Structure for delivery
- •Program Architecture: How do multiple projects combine into coherent programs?
- •Logic Models: Inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes – designed for learning
- •M&E Frameworks: What to measure, how to measure it, how to use what you learn
Programs that deliver outcomes, not just activities.
Operating Model Design
How you actually operate
- •Functions & Roles: What capabilities do you need? Who does what?
- •Processes & Workflows: How does work flow through the organisation?
- •Decision Rights: Who decides what? How do escalations work?
An operating model that enables, not constrains.
Business Planning
Positioning and growth
- •Strategic Positioning: Where do you play? How do you win?
- •Revenue Model: How does sustainability translate to financial viability?
- •Resource Allocation: How do you prioritise with limited resources?
Plans that connect ambition to action.
Who We Help
NGOs & Charities
Mission-driven organisations needing clear theories of change, program design, and impact frameworks.
How we help:
- • Theory of Change development
- • Program design & logic models
- • M&E framework design
- • Funder-ready documentation
Social Enterprises
Hybrid organisations balancing mission and sustainability, needing operating models that serve both.
How we help:
- • Hybrid business model design
- • Operating model for growth
- • Impact-revenue integration
- • Strategic positioning
Sustainability-Focused SMEs
Growing businesses integrating sustainability into strategy, needing operational clarity.
How we help:
- • Sustainability strategy integration
- • Operating model evolution
- • Business planning
- • Team structure design
Landscape & Conservation Initiatives
Multi-stakeholder programs needing governance, coordination, and operational design.
How we help:
- • Multi-stakeholder governance
- • Program architecture
- • Coordination mechanisms
- • Adaptive management design
Navigate + Build
SUSTAINABILITY
“Where do you need to go?”
Corporate Action, Governance, Embedment – the sustainability journey
CAPABILITY
“How do you get there?”
ToC, program design, operating model, business planning
Our sustainability content explains what corporate action looks like.
This capability helps you design how your organisation delivers it.
AI-Enhanced Strategy Work
We use AI extensively in our strategy and design work:
- •Research synthesis: Comprehensive landscape analysis and best practice review
- •Documentation: ToC narratives, logic models, operating model documentation
- •Framework application: Systematic application of proven frameworks to your context
This means more comprehensive analysis, better documentation, and frameworks you can build on.
Ready to Design Your Path Forward?
Whether you need a clearer theory of change, a program that delivers outcomes, or an operating model fit for where you're heading – let's talk.
Start with the basics:
- • What are you trying to achieve?
- • What's unclear or not working?
- • What would “good” look like?