The RNLI is the largest charity that provides sea rescue services in the UK and Ireland. It operates over 230 lifeboat stations and 330 lifeboats and lifeguard units, supported by over 7,600 operational volunteers and 35,000 fundraising volunteers, as well as 1,500 full-time staff. In 2011, the RNLI rescued over 7,900 people through 8,905 launches. The RNLI relies on voluntary contributions as it receives no government funding. The Finance and Information Systems Director at the RNLI discussed the charity's IT strategy, which focuses on providing seamless service to customers while saving lives at sea in a cost-effective manner, though numerous issues around managing expectations, communication, and financial oversight were also addressed

1. Charity Finance Group
IT Conference 6 March 2012
Strategy for the IT FD
Mark Hallam
Finance & Information Systems Director
RNLI

2. The RNLI’s IT FD
The non technical, technical IT expert on
the RNLI’s management team

3. The RNLI
[short film]

4. The RNLI
• Provides Sea Rescue Service to UK and Ireland
• Formed 1824 – since then saved over 139,000 lives
• Largest dedicated lifeboat service in the world
• Lifeboat crews are predominantly volunteers
• No government funding – totally dependent upon
voluntary contributions – a traditional charity

5. The customer base
• Over 230 lifeboat stations
• Over 330 all weather and inshore lifeboats
• Over 150 lifeguard units
• Over 7,600 operational and
35,000 fundraising volunteers
• Supported by over 1,500 full time staff

6. The customer’s day (and night) job
• 8,905 launches in 2011; 24 per day
• 7,976 people rescued by lifeboats
• Over 17,600 people aided by lifeguards
• 438 lives saved by lifeboats and lifeguards
• 2010 cost: £121M. Funded by voluntary
contributions from the general public

7. The IT resource
• Microsoft platform
• Major Business applications: SAP & Charisma
• 150 servers
• 250 site WAN
• 1,000 PCs, 350 laptops and 19 Apple Macs
• 46 IS staff

8. The IT team
• SAP applications team (13)
• Web team (5)
• Charisma application team (4)
• Network & Telecoms (5)
• Server Support (6)
• Helpdesk (10)

9. The RNLI’s IT strategy (1)
• The published strategy
• The unpublished strategy
• Cost
• Managing the life cycle
• Platform v v Applications

10. The RNLI’s IT strategy (2)
• The amateur IT specialist
• Standardisation
• Lockdown
• BYOD
• Security

11. The RNLI’s IT vision
• Seamless service
• Happy customers
• Value for money
• Occasional recognition
• Saving lives at sea

12. Issues issues issues
• Trustees / directors and Business ICT
• Complexity & cost
• Managing expectation
• Communication
• Financial management

13. Issues issues issues issues
• The business IT expert
• IT salesmen and business shoppers
• Want not need
• La mode
• Solutionising
• Detailphobes & mindreading

14. Issues issues issues issues issues
• Cost benefit / business case
• Projects and project management
• Specification creep
• The Finance director v v the IT director
• Resource
• Insource / outsource / cosource

15. RISKS
• Data security
• Network security
• Mobile security
• System backup and restore

16. The non IT IT Director
- on the management team
• Credibility
• Visibility
• Accountability
• Responsibility
• Representation
• Champion

17. The non IT IT Director
- in the department (1)
• Credibility
• Visibility
• Representation
• Profile
• The font of gratitude
• Champion

18. The non IT IT Director
- in the department (2)
• Director not manager
• Hands off leadership
• It’s all about the people

20. Thank you
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea
Registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SCO37736). Charity Number CHY2678 in the Republic of Ireland