“It’s rewarding to know that what I do helps make a positive difference to staff and, ultimately, the wider Imperial community.”
Oana is the Training Coordinator for the Great Service Programme, a long-term project which will deliver a range of improvements across People, Procurement, Finance and Research Administration at Imperial.
When she joined Imperial in 2023 as part of the Registry student administration team, Oana focused on coordinating training for student systems and process transformation projects. Now, as part of the Great Service Programme, she’s helping deliver high-quality training to support staff as they move to the new Oracle cloud system, making sure the change feels smooth, engaging, and accessible.
The teamare about to start User Acceptance Tester Training to ensure that the nominated testers from across Imperial have the knowledge they need to test the new system. These testers will play a key role in confirming that the new system works as it is meant to. Training for all users will be rolled out later in the year ahead of moving to the new system.
Modernising our core systems
The move to Oracle is a significant system change that will affect all our staff at Imperial – with the ambition of modernising Imperial’s core systems across People, Procurement, Finance and Research Administration, improving our processes and how professional services work.
“My role is really varied: I plan and coordinate training sessions, manage logistics, and make sure materials meet accessibility and inclusion needs. I also work closely with external teams, vendors, and subject matter experts to create engaging learning resources – from e-learning to quick reference guides and videos.
“A big part of my job is tracking progress and collecting feedback so we can keep improving what we do and make sure the training genuinely supports people through the change.”
For Oana, it’s important that the system transformation works for people, not just for the processes.
“My role supports this key operational change by ensuring that staff feel confident and supported as they adapt to new tools and ways of working. I see my part as helping make the change about people as much as technology – supporting new, more efficient ways of working that fit with Imperial’s wider goals for excellence in teaching and research.”
Oana encourages staff to attend training sessions, ask questions and share feedback
“It really helps us shape training that works for different roles and teams. The more people engage with us and tell us what they need, the better we can support them through the change and make the new systems work well in practice.”
Making a positive impact
Oana says that what she loves most about working at Imperial is its people.
“I get to work with colleagues from all kinds of backgrounds who bring different perspectives and experiences. It’s rewarding to know that what I do helps make a positive difference to staff and, ultimately, the wider Imperial community.
“It’s really inspiring to be part of an institution that’s ambitious and always looking to improve.”
Collaboration, respect and inclusion are the Imperial Values that resonate most with Oana.
“Working on a programme as large and complex as Great Service only works when people come together and share knowledge and ideas. I also really connect with respect and inclusion - I care deeply about making sure training is accessible and that everyone feels supported through change.”
Exploring London and staying active
Outside of work, Oana loves exploring London by walking around different neighbourhoods and discovering new places. She is passionate about language and travel and enjoys staying active through dance, step aerobics and outdoor walks. She unwinds and recharges by spending time with close friends.
Read next
Staff can learn more about the programme on the Great Service webpages and Sharepoint site.
The Professional Services Discussion in March will focus on Great Service, with details and a calendar invite to be shared with staff closer to the time.
Visit the Great Service training webpage.
Learn more about the Transformation team.