And the BAFTA Goes To...
All types of organisations need good people to get projects done.
Safe to say, Daria Polovina is one of the best.
Daria joined Complete Projects as our first employee in February 2010 after graduating from the University of York. Back then, our version of onboarding was Daria and myself sat on the benches outside The British Library!
Complete Projects (c. 2013), Daria (right)
In the 7 years succeeding her graduation, not only did Daria progress from Project Assistant to Senior Project Manager, successfully delivering many projects for our clients, but she also studied Economics, travelled the world, organised (and performed in) live charity music gigs and even did a stint as a DJ!
Daria then left Complete Projects to complete a Masters in International Development, going on to deliver projects for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Haringey Council and The Selby Trust. Despite this, there was never a doubt we would stay in close contact with such a talented individual.
In fact, in 2022 we were able to tempt Daria back to deliver projects for the prestigious screen arts charity BAFTA. And when Daria popped up in the background of the Guardian's BAFTA’s after-party feature, it felt like testament to her success and drive, after years of hard work delivering a difficult transformation programme for a renowned company in a somewhat volatile industry. It truly goes to show that delivering projects well in any environment can lead to opportunities to deliver for many diverse organisations.
But far beyond that, Daria is also testament to what can happen when children and families are welcomed into other countries and societies, and given safety from war, violence, or any number of other natural or human-made disasters.
And the award goes to Daria for being a star performer at Complete Projects!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mick is the PPPM Lead at Complete Projects which he founded in 2008; he is a proven leader with over 35 years of experience in Operations and PPPM, spanning social care, legal services, government, energy, manufactured goods and digital education. Mick also brings broader HR, IT, L&D people and team leadership from having senior management responsibility in diverse environments.