Meet Barbara, a Governence Manager

What attracted me to working at the House of Commons was that I have mostly worked in the public and charity sectors, so it felt like a natural extension of that. I have always been interested in roles that can bring about meaningful change, or at least help lay the foundations for improvement.

I joined the House in October 2024, and for me it is a huge privilege because I am playing a very small part in ensuring the House functions effectively from a governance perspective. I have always loved the history of the House, what it stands for, and the environment. Being somewhere with so much history is something I really enjoy.

Before joining, I worked for a charity as a Governance Manager. The role was about setting up the different governance tools the organisation needed, including a governance framework and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements such as the ICO and Companies House. I really enjoyed my time there because it was different and I could see the difference I was making, which is very important to me.

My career journey started at Westminster City Council in Social Services as a Court of Protection Officer, managing the financial affairs of people who were not able to do so themselves. I then moved to a district council as a Sheltered Housing Manager, where I was responsible for wardens and a 24-hour emergency control centre. Within the same organisation, I later moved into a district Housing Manager role in general needs housing, responsible for housing services and staff management.

From there, I went on to work for the social housing regulator as a Regulation Manager, focusing on governance, risk and compliance. I then moved to an academy trust as a consultant Head of Governance, which was interesting as I had not worked in the education sector before. After that, I worked for a children’s charity in a governance role before joining the House.

Since joining, I have attended a governance conference and spent time understanding how the House works in practice. Going forward, I will be looking at further development opportunities.

My day can be quite varied. Alongside being the Governance Manager, I am also Secretary to the House Administration Estimate Audit and Risk Committee, as well as the Risk Working Group, which is a sub board of the Commons Executive Board. A typical day might involve attending a couple of meetings, preparing for an Audit Committee or Risk Working Group meeting, and working through actions from sub board reviews.

One of my proudest achievements so far has been drafting the House of Commons Governance Framework, which I am very proud of. It had a good level of input from senior leaders, who reviewed and commented on the document.

I do feel part of something meaningful. The work we do at all levels supports and makes Parliament happen. Understanding what I bring, no matter how small, makes me feel part of the bigger picture.

One thing I have learnt is that the House does not operate like any other organisation I have worked in, and that is a good thing. I enjoy the challenges that brings. Overall, the experience has been good. There are things we need to improve, but that is the same everywhere. A good organisation is not about being perfect, but about having the willingness to continually improve, and that is something I see here.