What is the Great Service Programme?

The Great Service Programme’s aim is to deliver a range of improvements, across HR, Procurement, Finance and Research Administration at Imperial. There are two components to this, replacing our current system, ICIS, with a new cloud based system, and improving our processes and ways of working.

Endorsed by Provost Board in 2022, governed by the Operations and Infrastructure Committee and supported by the Strategic Programmes and Change team, the Great Service Programme is one of the university’s key strategic initiatives, helping Imperial to deliver a world class professional service. 

Why is it important?

Ever find it hard to work out how to get basic processes done? Or unclear what the process is?  Can’t work out which data is the right data? Or maybe you don’t have access to the data you need to do your job? Then you will understand why the Great Service Programme is important. 

Our aim is to get the basic processes right across Finance, Procurement, HR, Payroll and Post Award Research. 

This seems simple right?  Actually, at the moment we are held back by out of date systems and infrastructure, and a long history of evolving processes and workarounds. But the Great Service Programme wants to change that.

How is it going to help? 

The Great Service Programme is going to improve our systems by moving to a new cloud-based software Oracle Fusion which will enable us to redesign our processes around three key objectives:

1. Improved user experience - a better experience for those accessing Finance, HR and Research Administration services and make it easier for those providing them to deliver great service to our colleagues
2. Simplified and consistent processes - enabling the right outcome to be delivered first time by the right people
3. Data-informed decision making - improved quality, accessibility and transparency of data to enable timely and effective decision making

Moving to Oracle Fusion will allow us to take advantage of the automation and evolving functionality afforded by the cloud, making us not just more efficient on implementation, but also helping us to continue to be quicker to improve going forward.  

Where are we now on the Great Service Programme?

We have already bought our new software, Oracle Fusion and at the moment we are in the process of deciding who will be the best fit as our delivery partner to help us make this project a success.  We are expecting to make that announcement about our chosen delivery partner in October 2024 and moving into design in January 2025.

We expect to be going live with our new ways of working in August 2026.  However, we will be wanting to engage with you much earlier about what the future holds and how you will be supported on adopting new ways of working.

Who is delivering the Great Service Programme?

The Great Service Programme team brings together a multi-disciplinary team, with hands on experience and lived knowledge of working at Imperial from both Professional Services and Faculties. They are supported by technical, change, business analysis and delivery professionals who have experience of delivering large scale digitally enabled change.  You can get to know one of our Process Outcome Designers, or PODs, in the latest Imperial People blog by Emma Bowman where she discusses her role, time at Imperial and what keeps her busy outside of work.

We will also be working with you, as the people who on a daily basis rely on these processes to do your job.   

How can you find out more and get involved?

This webpage will be your main gateway into the programme so do come back for updates.  We will be adding content so you can learn more about not just the programme, but also what the future processes will be and how you can get yourself ready for new ways of work. 

Look out for our engagement opportunities where you can feed in your thoughts. From early 2025 we will be sharing ways to learn about future ways of working. 

If you can’t wait, please reach out on email at greatservice@imperial.ac.uk.