Patrick McKeown

Background

About Patrick McKeown

Director of Finance at North West Regional College, a key strategic and leadership role within Senior Management responsible for Finance (incl. Procurement and Internal Audit), Estates, Business Support, IT Services, Risk Management and Health & Safety. Worked in the Further Education sector for many years with extensive experience in developing and implementing strategy for the above areas, ensuring appropriate resourcing including the managing and leading of a significant cohort of professional staff. Experience in; Leading the finances for the college – overseeing all finance and regulatory matters relating to a £45m college. Development and implementation of internal controls, achieving very good assurances from all internal audit reviews, including unqualified audit reports every year from the NI Audit Office. Leading on substantial capital development projects, totalling £60m. More recently chairing the College City Deal Project Board (Derry and Strabane City Deal), including the successful development of the Outline Business Case for a new campus in Strabane. Also, a member of the Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deal Executive Programme Board and leading on the college’s proposal for a new innovation and skills centre in the Limavady Campus to be funded from the Growth Deal. Responsible for the college’s Economic Engagement portfolio since 2016. Since taking responsibility for this area, the Business Support Centre (BSC) has grown from 3 staff to 27 staff offering research, development and innovation support to companies and skills development/training not only to local companies but also to FDI companies. Has also overseen the development of the innovation centres – Foodovation and the XR Centre, both in Strand Road Campus, the i4.0 centre in Springtown and the Product Design Centre in Limavady. The NWRC Business Support team been recognised both locally and nationally having picked up five awards in recent years, the most recent being the Time Educational Supplement (TES) FE Award for Employer Engagement. The BSC is now seen as a model of good practice. Directed the restructuring of the IT Services in 2022 leading to a department now well placed to face the constantly evolving opportunities and challenges within IT, including Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security. NWRC was awarded Cyber Essential Plus accreditation in August 2024. Was Interim Principal and Chief Executive of NWRC from April 2022 to September 2022. Currently a member of South West College’s Audit and Risk Committee. Has chaired a number of FE Sector working groups.