How Scaffold Coaching Helped the University of Hull Build Brilliant Leaders
Transforming Leadership During Organisational Change
At Scaffold Coaching, we believe that technically brilliant professionals deserve more than just recognition, they deserve the support to become confident, capable, and compassionate leaders.
That’s why we were proud to partner with the University of Hull to design and deliver Building Brilliant Leaders—an 18-month, university-branded leadership programme tailored for over 100 middle managers. Delivered during a time of significant restructuring and low morale, the programme aimed to build confident, resilient, and values-driven leaders, equipped to navigate complexity with courage and clarity.
“Scaffold Coaching delivered a unique, values-based programme that exceeded all expectations. Their person-centred approach empowered our leaders and gave our L&D team space to focus elsewhere.”
The Challenge
Facing university-wide change, the University of Hull’s internal L&D team needed a trusted partner to fully design and deliver a leadership programme that could:
Strengthen management capability across departments
Foster collaborative, accountable, and values-led leadership
Support middle managers through major organisational change
Our Approach
We co-created a tailored version of our flagship Building Better Leaders programme, rebranded internally as Building Brilliant Leaders. Delivered under the University’s branding, it aligned with their culture, language, and leadership values. The focus was on authentic leadership, intentional management, and human-centred resilience. The learning environment created space for reflection, curiosity, and growth.
Over 18 months, we supported 100+ middle managers across academic, technical, and professional services through four cohorts. Every session was delivered by our experienced facilitators, combining coaching psychology, practical leadership tools, and inclusive, reflective learning.We delivered a fully managed programme including:
10 bespoke leadership modules for Grades 6–8 staff
Interactive workshops, co-coaching groups, and peer networking
Strong alignment with the University's values and strategy
The Impact
100 leaders trained across academic, technical, and professional services
95% completion rate and nearly 3,000 hours of learning
NPS of 74 (vs. target of +30)
Tangible improvements in:
Communication & collaboration (+19–26%)
Motivation & goal setting (+11–25%)
Problem solving & ethical leadership (+10–24%)
Strategic and inclusive thinking (+7–31%)
What Participants Said
“The course helped me better understand myself and others. It reduced my stress levels and changed how I lead.” – Hazel Holmes
“This changed the way I think about leadership – the coaching skills have been invaluable.” – Sarah Sumpter
“A safe space for reflection and growth. I highly recommend it.” – Keith Hornsby
"The programme has been incredibly valuable to us as an organisation. It's given our leaders the tools and confidence to drive positive change and create an environment where everyone can thrive." – Helen Williams
"The programme has given [our team member] so much confidence to do more, now she knows more. Will there be another run of this programme? Because I would like to sponsor some more people in my team." — University of Hull Sponsor
"This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with my team... it’s been very valuable." — University of Hull Sponsor
Why It Worked
This wasn’t just leadership training—it was learning that stuck. Through carefully spaced modules, co-coaching sessions, and psychologically safe learning environments, we helped build the internal capability the University needed to face the future with confidence.
Want to Build Brilliant Leaders in Your Organisation?
We specialise in helping technically excellent professionals across education, engineering, construction, creative industries and local government grow into people-first leaders. Whether you're looking for a white-labelled solution like the University of Hull, or want to integrate our Building Better Leaders programme into your existing framework, we’re here to help.