Meet Helen Oldroyd – Project Manager/Co-ordinator at GKA

We are delighted to introduce Helen Oldroyd, one of GKA’s Project Manager/Co‑ordinators, who brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team.    

With a strong track record in education delivery, Helen turns complex programmes into clear, achievable plans and then gets them over the line. She has helped multiple Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) develop and grow, supporting everything from trust start-ups and academy conversions to mergers, new school bids, and successful school openings. 

Her experience covers the full project lifecycle, bringing together due diligence, governance, finance, HR, legal, and ICT, alongside procurement, implementation, training, compliance, and Business Continuity Planning. Whether it’s guiding a trust through onboarding and restructure, delivering a large-scale ICT programme, or helping shape the design and opening of a new school, Helen keeps the moving parts aligned and the momentum going. Helen led the successful roll-out of the GKA Monday.com system which is the online project management platform clients access for all our services. 

Colleagues and stakeholders value Helen’s calm, structured, and collaborative approach. She brings clarity to decision-making, keeps communication purposeful, and balances strategic priorities with the operational detail that makes delivery work. Focused on outcomes, Helen manages risk early, builds trusted relationships, and ensures projects are delivered efficiently, on time, and to the highest standards. 

Outside of work, Helen loves travel, interiors, and creative projects, and is usually in the middle of planning or redesigning something. She is happiest exploring somewhere new, especially if it involves sunshine, good food, and being near the sea. Alongside her love of travel, she has recently started learning how to edit drone and 360° footage, as a fun way to capture memories, tell stories from her travels, and explore another creative hobby. 

Why do I like working at GKA:  

“I enjoy working at GKA because every project is different and there is always something new to get stuck into. The work is fast paced and challenging, but also genuinely rewarding, especially when you can see the real impact projects have on schools, staff, and young people. 

What I value most is the people. GKA has a supportive, collaborative team culture where everyone pulls together and brings different strengths to the table. There is also a huge amount of trust and flexibility, which allows me to work in a way that gets the best outcomes for clients while still keeping a sense of humour along the way.”