What is a Governance Assurance Review?

A Governance Assurance Review is an independent examination of a programme's governance health - its structures, decision-making processes, risk and issue management, financial controls, and stakeholder management. It produces an honest assessment of whether the governance is fit for purpose and specific recommendations for improvement.

Who typically commissions a Governance Assurance Review?

Boards, audit committees, investors, and senior executives who want an independent view of whether a major programme is being governed effectively. It is also commissioned by programme sponsors who want to identify governance gaps before they become failures.

How is a Governance Assurance Review different from a programme health check?

A programme health check typically covers delivery status - whether the programme is on time, on budget, and on scope. A Governance Assurance Review focuses specifically on the governance mechanisms - whether the right decisions are being made by the right people with the right information, and whether risks and issues are being managed appropriately.

What does a Governance Assurance Review examine?

It examines: governance structure and decision rights, the quality and frequency of programme reporting, risk and issue management processes, financial governance and budget management, dependency and interdependency management, stakeholder engagement and escalation paths, and the programme leadership's ability to make difficult calls.

How long does a Governance Assurance Review take?

Two to four weeks for most programmes. Larger or more complex programmes may take up to six weeks. We calibrate the timeline to the size and urgency of the review.

How do you handle a review where the findings are uncomfortable for the programme team?

We present findings directly and accurately. Our obligation is to the commissioning party - typically the board or investor - not to the programme team. We are constructive about improvement recommendations but do not soften findings to manage sensitivities.

Can a Governance Assurance Review be used during programme delivery rather than at the end?

Yes - in fact a mid-programme review is often more valuable than a post-delivery review. Identifying governance gaps while the programme is still running allows them to be fixed before they contribute to failure.

What changes typically result from a Governance Assurance Review?

Common outcomes include: restructuring of the steering committee or governance hierarchy, improvement of risk and issue escalation processes, introduction of more rigorous financial governance, changes to reporting format and frequency, and - occasionally - changes to programme leadership.

Can you lead the governance improvements recommended in the review?

Yes. We can transition from assessment to implementation - helping to redesign the governance framework, embed the new processes, and support the programme team in operating the improved governance model.

What does a Governance Assurance Review cost?

Fixed fee, calibrated to the size and complexity of the programme. It is typically a modest investment relative to the scale of the programme being reviewed. Contact us for a specific indication.

Programme Governance · Assurance Review

Governance Assurance Review

Check whether governance is strong enough to carry the programme you are trying to deliver.

FeeBespoke

Output10-slide board summary

ReadoutSLT session included

IndependentYes

Why this exists

Delivery can exist without governance being fit for purpose. Scope creep, weak sponsor engagement, inconsistent reporting, and poor change control accumulate quietly. By the time they become visible delivery failures, the cost of correction is significantly higher than the cost of this review.

An independent governance assurance review looks at what is actually in place - not what the programme documents say is in place - and provides leadership with a prioritised, honest assessment of where governance is strong and where it is not.

What it covers

Governance structure

Review of governance arrangements, decision authority, and escalation protocols against what the programme actually requires.

Scope & change control

How scope is defined, how change is controlled, and whether the change control process is actually being followed.

RAID log & risk management

Quality of the RAID log, whether risks are being actively managed, and whether assumptions are being tracked and tested.

Stakeholder & sponsor engagement

Whether the sponsor is genuinely engaged, whether stakeholder communication is timely, and where gaps exist.

Delivery cadence & reporting

Review of the delivery rhythm - whether milestones are meaningful, reporting is accurate, and the board is getting a true picture.

What it includes

Independent review of programme governance structure and controls
Scope, RAID log, and change control assessment
Stakeholder and sponsor engagement review
Delivery cadence and reporting rhythm assessment
Prioritised governance gap recommendations
One-hour governance readout with the SLT

What you receive

Governance gap report

Prioritised recommendations across all governance areas reviewed, with suggested remedial actions

Board-ready programme health summary

10-slide summary of governance findings suitable for board or sponsor presentation

SLT readout session

One-hour session presenting findings to senior leadership with Q&A and challenge

Ideal for

Programmes where delivery is in motion but governance feels weak or inconsistent
Sponsors wanting an independent check on whether controls are actually fit for purpose
Boards that need confidence the programme can be managed reliably through to delivery
Organisations preparing for a gateway review, audit, or escalation to a new sponsor

Clarity. Confidence. Control.

Clarity

An independent view of where governance is working, where it is not, and what needs to change.

Confidence

Evidence-based assurance for boards, investors, and sponsors that the programme is on track - or what to do if it is not.

Control

A prioritised set of governance improvements with named owners and clear timelines.

Natural next steps

Partnership support based on findings and recommendations

A governance review often identifies the right next intervention.

Product	Fee	Duration
Embedded PMO	Bespoke	3-12 months	Learn more →
Programme Recovery	Bespoke	Rapid triage	Learn more →
Implementation (Delivery)	Bespoke	60 days	Learn more →
Leadership (Interim / Fractional)	Bespoke	As required	Learn more →

Practitioners - not process factories

An independent assurance review delivered by senior practitioners with operating-level programme experience.

What we do

Every review led by a Principal Consultant who has operated at the level they are assuring
Honest - we will tell you if the programme is not viable in its current form
Commercially oriented - findings focused on financial and outcome impact
Independent - benchmarked against 150+ businesses

What we are not

A rubber-stamping audit that produces what management wants to hear
A staffing business with an interim bench
A vendor-aligned advisor
A firm that produces reports that sit in a drawer