We’re delighted to welcome Emma Sanderson to ivolve as our new Chief Operating Officer, strengthening our Executive team as we continue to develop specialist support across the UK.
Emma brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience spanning specialist care, autism, education, quality and complex multi-site operations. She joins us from Outcomes First Group, where she was Managing Director of Momenta Connect, bringing together specialist education, therapeutic and attendance support for schools, children and families.
Her wider leadership experience at Outcomes First Group also included responsibility for one of its largest care and education divisions, operating across England, Scotland and Wales. During that period, the division achieved Good or Outstanding quality outcomes across all of its care and education services.
It is a breadth of experience that brings additional strength to ivolve at an important point in our development. As we invest in our existing services, open new homes and respond to increasingly complex support needs, Emma will play a key role in making sure the operational foundations behind that work remain strong.
“I’m really excited to have joined ivolve. What has struck me very quickly is the passion people have for the individuals they support and the ambition to keep making things better.”
Emma Sanderson
ivolve Chief Operating Officer
Experience across operations, quality and specialist support
Emma’s career gives her a broad view of what it takes to lead and develop high-quality services. Alongside large-scale operational leadership, her experience spans specialist autism provision, education, quality and regulation for both adult and children’s services, with previous roles at Horizon Care and Education Group, Kisimul Group, the National Autistic Society and Ofsted.
It is the combination of those perspectives that is particularly valuable. Emma understands the complexity of leading organisations at scale, while also knowing that strong performance is never created by systems and structures alone.
It relies on capable leaders. Confident teams. Clear expectations. Good decisions being made close to the people they affect. And a culture where quality is something experienced every day, rather than simply measured.
Emma said, “I’m really excited to have joined ivolve. What has struck me very quickly is the passion people have for the individuals they support and the ambition to keep making things better.”
“For me, great support starts with listening. My role is not to arrive with all the answers, but to understand what is already working, ask good questions and help create the conditions for people and teams to thrive.
She continued, “There is already so much experience and energy across ivolve. I’m looking forward to getting out into our services, meeting people and building on that together.”
That focus on listening and building from what is already strong will shape Emma’s first months, as she spends time across our services meeting colleagues and getting closer to the people, homes and communities at the heart of the organisation.
“We have a lot to be proud of at ivolve and plenty more we want to achieve. Emma brings fresh perspective, curiosity and experience that will help us build on those strengths without losing the things that make us who we are.”
Tim Davies
ivolve CEO
Strengthening our Executive team
Emma joins ivolve at a time of real momentum. We are continuing to develop new services in response to local need, invest in our existing homes and environments, strengthen our specialist expertise and build closer partnerships with commissioners, families and other professionals.
With that opportunity comes the need for strong, experienced operational leadership. Emma brings that experience in abundance, leading complex organisations through change and growth, strengthening performance and quality, and bringing different functions together around a shared purpose.
For CEO Tim Davies, the combination of experience and a leadership approach made Emma a strong fit for ivolve. Tim said, “I’m really pleased to welcome Emma to ivolve. She brings a huge amount of experience, but what impressed me most was how closely her approach to leadership aligns with the organisation we want to be.
“Emma understands that good operations and great support aren’t separate things. When we get the environment, leadership and culture right around our colleagues, they are better able to do what matters most; support people well.
“We have a lot to be proud of at ivolve and plenty more we want to achieve. Emma brings fresh perspective, curiosity and experience that will help us build on those strengths without losing the things that make us who we are.”
Emma’s appointment strengthens an already experienced Executive team and adds further operational depth as we look ahead.
But our ambition is not simply to become bigger. It is to build an organisation capable of supporting more people well, responding thoughtfully to increasingly complex needs and making sure specialist expertise and good practice can travel across our services.
There is plenty to build on, and plenty still to come. Welcome to ivolve, Emma!
Discover how we help people Strive
A good life looks different for everyone. Our Strive model of support helps us understand what matters to each person and turn those ambitions into meaningful, everyday progress.