Paul Freeman is a strategic learning consultant with over 20 years of experience in learning and development. He specializes in learning strategy, managed learning service outsourcing, change management programs, and helping organizations improve performance and demonstrate value from their learning and development efforts. Previously he held several director roles at large learning outsourcing companies, delivering significant cost savings and performance improvements for clients.

1. Paul Freeman
3 Johnson Court, Kings Road, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 3GE
paul.freeman@optimiselearning.co.uk / Tel: 07387 190721
A highly strategic individual with a successful track record of delivering business performance
improvement through strategic learning optimisation initiatives. Contribution to and implementation of
client organisational learning strategies. Responsible for understanding ongoing business challenges
and developing propositions to deliver subsequent business benefit.
A leader and motivator, providing thought-leadership and strategic direction. Seen as a trusted
partner and internal mentor with the ability to deliver against performance targets in very challenging
environments.
Optimise Learning Ltd – Strategic Learning Consultant Jan 2017 – Present
An independent consultancy providing strategic advice and guidance to the world of Learning and
Development. Working with clients to define critical business challenges and providing clear direction
towards solution design and implementation. With around 20 years experience in the world of L&D
and managed learning service outsourcing I help organisations improve the performance of L&D and
ensure it is accountable in demonstrating the value it is adding back into the business.
Specialities include;
- Learning strategy / Operating model reviews
- Managed Learning Service outsourcing (business case planning, readiness planning, review and
implementation)
- Consulting and facilitating strategic change and organisation development programmes
- Learning programme management – inc. ROI measurement
- Supply chain management – particularly focusing on cost saving challenges
- LMS Implementations
- IT Capability and professionalism development – including SFIA implementations
- Apprenticeship levy readiness
Capita Knowledgepool Ltd (CKGL) Oct 2011 – Dec 2016
Europe’s largest provider of managed learning services, managing a pass-through spend of £70m
across around 6,000 external L&D Suppliers.
Client Management Director (July 2015-Dec 2016)
Paul Freeman - CV 1

2. Working as a member of the CKGL Leadership Team with executive responsibility for both executing
the CKGL organisational strategy and managing a team of 9 ‘Performance Consultants’ to deliver
against client strategic learning objectives and challenge the status quo to deliver Learning and
Development performance optimisation.
Key achievements
• Successful contractual renewals through the Executive sponsorship of 10 strategic client
relationships.
• Delivery of £800k cost savings through operating model review and subsequent learning
transformation for global UK Automotive company.
• Achieved £430k cost savings (35%) in a UK City council through operating model review and
transformation implementation.
• Removal of £300k of in-year operating costs through internal re-structuring of Client
Management Division in July 2015 as part of a wider off-shoring transformation strategy –
Senior Client Partner Oct 2011 – Jul 2015
Leading the strategic client relationship with the UK’s largest financial bank for the provision of all
managed learning. Partnering over 20 Exec stakeholders to optimise their Learning and Development
department as part of a wider Simplification agenda.
Key achievements
• Delivery of over £42m incremental cost savings over three-year contractual period.
• 70% Supplier Reduction (1450 to 450) in Year 1 through rationalisation strategy
• Improved colleague advocacy scores by 14% across contractual term
• £19m incremental increase in sales performance through scope, contracting, design and
implementation of a Trusted Partner programme in a UK Bank.
• Delivery of £500k operational cost savings through curriculum transformation across multiple
induction programmes
Reed Learning May 2010 – Oct 2011
One of the UK's largest providers of outsourced learning managed services combined with an internal
portfolio of approx 350 classroom-based training courses.
Account Director
Responsible for delivery of a learning managed service contract into one of the UK's largest financial
services as well as accountability of delivering a large-scale management and personal development
programme into a global media organisation. Additional responsibilities of sourcing and managing
new business opportunities for learning managed service outsource contracts.
Paul Freeman - CV 2

3. Key achievements
• Consistent Service level client satisfaction score of 98.4% against SLA of 75%
• Continued sourcing and ownership of large-scale programme roll-outs across a vast range of
portfolio areas and delivery modalities including e-learning, virtual classroom training and
70:20:10 approaches
• Successful implementation of academy based curriculum into various divisions underpinning
strategic competence based development model.
Parity Training 2000 – 2010
A leading supplier of IT related training solutions, offering clients the ability to develop their people
capabilities by utilising a wide breadth of learning resources.
Account Director 2008 - 2010
Contributing to Parity Training’s Sales strategy selling large scale learning solutions to strategic clients
and understanding Parity Training’s main competitive advantage. Working collaboratively with the
national Sales team and Bid team to convert large scale sales into a sole provider Managed Service
contracts.
Key achievements
• Sole accountability for Parity Training’s largest client – Lloyds Banking Group – delivering
£3.3m per year revenue
• Doubled client base from 70,000 to 130,000 colleagues by winning tender to extend existing
service (HBOS) into Lloyds TSB
• £4m p.a. new business contribution through 9 new client wins
• Implemented strategic skills management solution (SFIA) into HBOS.
Senior Relationship Manager 2004 - 2008
Delivering against Parity Training’s Sales strategy by pro-actively contacting and meeting new
business clients and selling across the Parity portfolio to a selected account base as well as
generating new business and building relationships with new and existing contacts within an allocated
account portfolio.
Key achievements
• Year on year delivery of sales targets – averaging 17% over-achievement
• Won £750k contract with large financial insurance company for delivery of leading edge
technology training solution
• Won Managed Training Service contract with leading Telecoms provider – worth £500k
• Won Managed Training Service contract with outsource IT solutions company – worth £400k
Paul Freeman - CV 3

4. • Sold strategic project/programme management competency solution into Dept of Health –
worth £300k
Relationship Manager 2000 - 2004
More information available on request
Previous roles available on request
EDUCATION
Post Graduate Certificate in Management – Leicester University
BA (Hons) Degree (2:1) in Physical Education and Public Media – Leeds University
Level 4 BTEC Professional Award in Business Impact and ROI Measurement - July 2011
PRINCE2 Foundation
ITIL v3 Foundation
Paul Freeman - CV 4