Piers Francis Horner

Piers Francis Horner, PhD, MPhys (Hons.) Experienced senior manager with a passion for policy development and sustainability, and a proven record of managing challenging portfolios. Analytical by background, with a PhD in Astrophysics, and an ability to effectively combine big picture thinking and in-depth analysis. Self-starting and innovative. A skilled communicator and relationship builder who is comfortable working across organisations and at all levels to deliver impactful results and drive decision making. Professional experience – UK Civil Service Senior Lead – Science Capability in Animal Health Business Case (fixed term interim role) | UK Civil Service – Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) | Mar 2021 – Oct 2021. • Led work on a c. £7bn business case for the transformation of critical UK national infrastructure, working with senior ministers and officials to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based strategic case. • Supported the Director and Program Director with advice, briefing and analysis. Head of Policy Strategy team | UK Civil Service – Cabinet Office | Nov 2019 – Oct 2020. • Senior leader in the Cabinet Office’s Transition Taskforce, which oversaw cross-Whitehall preparations for the end of the Transition Period following the UK’s EU Exit. • Delivered strategy and policy papers for the Cabinet committees (XO and XS) responsible for Transition. • Delivered essential advice to the Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office and Number 10. • Set up the portfolio office function for the Transition Taskforce and led a team of 15-20 developing intelligence and data-driven strategy for the Government’s overall approach to Transition. Head of Legislative PMO | UK Civil Service – Defra | Aug 2019 – Nov 2019. • Headed the department’s crisis Programme Management Office, delivering the largest programme of legislation required for delivering ‘No Deal’ EU Exit across Whitehall departments. • Managed a dedicated Operations centre and multi-disciplinary team, which included delivering key management information, dashboards, etc to different teams within Defra. • Delivered daily briefings to ministers and senior officials and led rapid issue resolution. Analytical and modelling team lead | UK Civil Service – Defra | Mar 2017 – Aug 2019. • Led analysis informing regulatory reform for the department. • Set up and led a bespoke analytical team delivering innovative analytical tools to design and stress-test planning for the department’s legislative programme. • Led monitoring and reporting of the programme, including automation of reporting and diagnostic measures, allowing for early interventions in specific workstreams. Additional role: Head of Profession for Operational Research (OR) in Defra | Nov 2017 – Jun 2019. Additional corporate role with responsibility for representing, strengthening and growing Defra’s OR community of c. 20 analysts, engaging with other analytical senior leaders (including the Chief Economist and Chief Scientist) to increase the profession’s impact. Contract Management Reporting lead | UK Civil Service - Ministry of Justice (MoJ) | Jan 2015 – Mar 2017. • Led a change management programme to re-design performance reporting for the Ministry’s highest priority contracts, representing £2 billion of annual spend. • Ensured reporting aligned with MoJ strategic and financial priorities. • Provided regular performance analysis for the Ministry’s senior commercial board and to inform regular attestation reviews. OR Fast Stream (graduate) scheme | Defra, MoJ | Oct 2012 – Jan 2015. • Led monthly workforce reporting and insight for the MoJ’s executive committee. • Led analysis of MoJ staff performance data, in particular to inform diversity and equality policies. • Led a rapid evidence review and multi-criteria analysis of funding options for the- Rural Development Program for England (RDPE) • Supported development of the Intervention Logic for the- RDPE, serving as a basis for the program’s monitoring and evaluation. Additional role: Cross-Government representative for the OR Fast Stream | June 2013 – Oct 2014. Voluntary role representing the interests of the Civil Service’s OR community to leadership of the Government OR Service (GORS) and across all functional strands of the Civil Service Fast Stream. Professional experience – Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) GRI Taxonomy Senior Lead | GRI | July 2023 – present (includes six month overlap with Senior Manager, Report Services and Software & Tools program) Responsibilities include: • Delivered a major transformation program for GRI to enable digital reporting using the GRI Standards, including developing an XBRL taxonomy based on the Standards. • Provides internal and external leadership, building an effective network with the XBRL community. • Advises GRI’s CEO, COO and management board on matters relating digital reporting • Developing and implementing an effective adoption strategy, including working with regulators to advocate for the use of GRI in regional sustainability reporting standards. Senior manager, Report Services and Software & Tools program | GRI | May 2022 – Jan 2024 Manager (maternity cover), Report Service| GRI | Nov 2021 – May 2022 • Led transformation of GRI’s software certification program; establishing a new commercial licensing unit consisting of seven staff, generated 20% year on year growth. • Led a team of eight, delivering report services to circa. 500 organizations annually. • Led contract negotiations with software developers and consultancies. • Managed budget preparation and financial management, including managing bad debtors. Other Experience Associate/ strategy consultant, Lime Green Consultancy, Feb 2015 – Mar 2017. Provided strategy training and facilitated workshops for a consultancy supporting small charities. Education PhD Astrophysics, Cardiff University, awarded 2010. MPhys Astrophysics, First class (Hons), Cardiff, 2005. Other skills and achievements • • • • • Extensive experience using a range of facilitative, problem structuring and strategic tools (Soft Systems Methodology, System Dynamics, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, Logic Modelling, SWOT analysis, etc.) XBRL taxonomy development, data modelling, business rule development and reporting. Previous coding experience in a variety of languages including SQL, R and VBA. Intermediate Dutch (level B0). Author: ‘Short Stories of Space’, self-published, 2020 and ‘Short Stories of Space II’, published 2025.