Nicola graduated with a degree in European Law from the University of Essex and Copenhagen Business School. She has extensive experience of working in health and social care, housing, place-based regeneration and funding and investment models. specialising in creating and delivering innovative approaches that disrupt and challenge traditional delivery.
Nicola’s work in Kindred is the culmination of 32 years working on funding projects across Liverpool, Wirral and Greater Manchester. She is the key contact for our STOs, and often the first official contact in the Kindred team. She works individually with STOs to see what they need throughout the investment and peer-to-peer process, moving them towards investment readiness and supporting the development of their skills.
Her work with STOs helps them evidence their aims, track record and social value, and builds trust and confidence.
She works with STOs to support and prepare them for money panels, taking them through Kindred’s five steps – financial understanding and aims, a clear story, social value and collaboration within the community. Post-panel, she is responsible for brokering the contracts for each STOs, creating a bespoke, viable agreement with Kindred for each of them. And Nicola monitors STOs’ repayments, supporting investees and the sustainability of the both STOs and Kindred’s money.
She also works alongside the wider STO community, developing trust and relationships amongst STOs and building consensus across the group. She translates their needs and ambitions into an emergent strategy, for the Kindred board to agree and wider team act upon. Her support helps build capacity in the STO community, by identifying ongoing support from Kindred and peer-to-peer learning.
Within Kindred, she is responsible for the operational functions of the organisation, from reporting, policy and processes to supporting the Kindred team’s wellbeing. Beyond the office, Nicola works with other like-minded investors across the UK and beyond to share common vision and good practice.