Helen Smith

Dr Helen Smith is a specialist in strategy, organisational transformation, and performance management within knowledge-intensive organisations. With a background in life sciences and extensive experience across Europe and the United States, she has worked widely within healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and education, including ongoing work with the NHS.

Her expertise centres on enhancing team effectiveness and organisational responsiveness, with a particular focus on addressing challenge, correcting dysfunctional behaviours, and enabling sustainable performance improvement. As a dual-intensity academic and practitioner, she combines rigorous academic insight with hands-on consultancy, ensuring her work with clients and in executive education remains grounded, practical, and impactful.

Helen integrates professional practice with leading and teaching on postgraduate HR and Sports Master’s programmes. She also acts as a personal tutor, supporting individual learning and development. In addition, she is a LEED (Learning Enhancement Education Development) Scholar across the university, focusing on The Student Success Ecosystem.

She has previously served as a Board Member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) for two years and led a local coaching network. Across her academic and professional roles, her specialist interests include team dynamics, motivation, and strategic capability development. She is recognised for her ability to support leaders and teams in achieving ambitious goals and translating organisational vision into effective practice.