Tom McGovern

Internal Communications Manager, UK Research Innovation

One of the major opportunities that the course opened up for me was the opportunity to carry out my management consultancy project with Huddersfield Town Football Club, who were in the Premier League at the time.

Why I chose to study at Leeds Trinity   

One of the main reasons for choosing Leeds Trinity’s MBA was that all of the lecturers on the course had significant industry experience.  They weren’t just academics; they had worked for huge global companies like Proctor and Gamble and McKinsey, and in very senior positions.  That was very important for me.  I didn’t just want to learn about business models and practices in theory, I wanted to learn from people who had experience of applying them in the real world. The insights and experiences they can share are invaluable.  

The highlights and my favourite aspects of the MBA  

One of my favourite aspects was the mix of people on the course.  Everyone was at different stages of their career, from people in graduate jobs looking to make the next step to experienced senior managers.  This created an extremely strong and diverse learning environment that I benefitted a lot from.  I also really enjoyed the practical elements of the course.  A particular highlight for me was the business simulation project, where we were put into teams and had to manage a virtual business.  It was a lot of fun and a brilliant way of putting our learning into practice.  

 Amazing opportunities     

One of the major opportunities that the course opened up for me was the opportunity to carry out my management consultancy project with Huddersfield Town Football Club, who were in the Premier League at the time.  They commissioned me to explore ways the club could create a more inclusive matchday environment and diversify their fan base.  After carrying out significant research into the issue, I presented the club with a number of proposals and was subsequently asked to stay on in a consultancy capacity to help them implement several of my proposals.  The project received a lot of local media coverage and I have since gone on to work with a number of other football clubs in a similar capacity.  

 Balancing my studies with work

The University and programme team were extremely supportive in helping me balance my studies with full-time work.  All of the teaching was carried out on the same day each week which made it easier for me to negotiate and agree a plan with my employer and I was also able to tailor my schedule to suit me.  Many people on the course were undertaking multiple modules at a time but I was able to select a longer pathway which was much more manageable with my other commitments.    

Managing Internal Communications    

In January 2021 I took on the role as the Internal Communications Manager for UK Research Innovation, the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK.  This role involves the responsibility for keeping the organisation’s 7,500 employees informed and engaged in the business and where it’s headed.  

The knowledge I acquired from my MBA of how organisations work and what makes them tick has definitely helped me get to where I am in my career.  I work very closely with the organisation’s senior leaders and what I learnt from the course around leadership and business strategy are absolutely key in my ability to effectively support and advise them on a day-to-day basis. 

My advice to prospective students thinking about enrolling on to the MBA at Leeds Trinity

I could not recommend the MBA at Leeds Trinity highly enough.  If you are interested in furthering your career and taking the step into management, then this is the perfect course.  It will help you acquire the knowledge and skills you need, but it will also help you grow as a person and become a much more rounded professional.