Time out with Ed Matts, Head of IT Business Partnering for ISG and Officer in the Army Reserve

You joined ISG in 2022, how have you found the experience to date?

The last two years have been incredibly busy, with continued developments in IT providing a great opportunity to improve the business and challenge myself and my team. The thing that has struck me most is how willing colleagues are to adapt to these changes. I enjoy the challenges that ISG continues to present, it’s a cliché but no two days are the same, and that keeps things interesting.  

Tell us about your background. What led you to ISG?

Well… actually I had previous roles in project and bid management before I moved into IT business partnering. I have also worked in several roles for sectors such as defence, space, FMCG, manufacturing and, most recently, higher education.

When I got the call to see if I was interested in the role at ISG, I'll be honest, I wasn’t expecting it. But after some consideration, it was a no-brainer as it was an opportunity to shape and influence the IT department at an interesting time.

And I’ve not regretted it. I have been able to forge strong links with our operational excellence and business change teams, and further afield across the business.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My role is all about building relationships and understanding different needs and potential pain points across our IT platforms at ISG. 

I really thrive when inputting at strategic level, supporting colleagues primarily as we adapt with technological change and how we improve the use of technology in the process.

What do you like to get up to in your spare time?

I have two young daughters, so a lot of my time is spent with my family. I’m lucky that I live on a farm in Northamptonshire, which is great for keeping the kids entertained and is partly responsible for fuelling my passion for physical challenges. 

I like to set myself one physical challenge a year that takes me out of my comfort zone, whether it’s during my time as a reservist in the military, or if I’m raising funds and awareness for charity.

You mentioned you are a reservist. What does this involve?

A reservist is a person who is a member of a military reserve force and are otherwise civilians and have careers outside the military in peacetime. 

I am now in my 18th year as an officer in the Army Reserve and am about to take over as Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment. As an infantry unit, our core focus is on ‘war fighting’, there is a lot of knowledge and experience that can be gained from the military. It’s very much a second career that has taken me across the UK, and to countries such as Cyprus, Italy, UAE, Slovenia, Afghanistan and later this year to the US. 

When I joined ISG, I was made aware of its network of armed forces champions that includes ex-military personnel and those who are currently serving as reservists and combine their work with a part-time role in the British Armed Forces. 

The network is part of ISG’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant – a promise that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. We have now received a gold award, recognising our commitments as part of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

The reservist community is always looking at how it can make its community better. I have received thousands of hours of training over the course of my career and learned so many skills from my trips across the world. Whether it’s personal development courses or professional qualifications there is a lot of support, and functions available that you can join in all guises. I’m currently being paid by the military to undertake a post graduate certificate in higher education practice. 

Can anyone be a reservist?

Yes, in theory, although there are certain requirements. To be a reservist, you must be a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen, aged between 17-50 and meet the medical requirements. The minimum requirement for service is 19 days a year, which includes weekends and, in most roles, partaking in a two-week annual camp.

I tend to serve between 40-80 days a year, depending on work and home life. I have been to a patrols competition in Italy and I was able to carry out two operational tours in Afghanistan because it worked with my personal life at the time. However, this isn’t mandatory.

I am what you call a ‘career reservist’ and for anyone contemplating a career themselves, there is already a lot of support available at ISG. Not everything is operational, as a lot of the training available is beneficial for roles including HR, project management, marketing and construction.

Being recognised with the gold award shows that ISG goes above and beyond for its ex-armed forces colleagues, and the additional 10 days you get as part of ISG’s ‘More for You’ benefits programme means you can spend more time out with your units. 

Do you have any highlights from your time as a reservist?

It's actually very hard to pick a highlight as I have been very fortunate to experience lots during my time as a reservist. The first time I stepped out on patrol in Afghanistan with my soldiers was a special moment because it was a culmination of all my training that led me to that point in my career. It was also great to meet the locals and experience the culture.

You should join the Reserves if you want to learn a lot – and it’s something I hold closely to ISG’s ‘Never stop learning’ core value. Now a Lieutenant Colonel, I work as teaching staff at the UK Defence Academy until my new roles starts next month. Previous to this, I was working at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. It’s really rewarding when you work with the military students. Being able to give them advice and share my own learning, and eventually see them graduate, is special.

Do you also find ways to share your own learning and advice in your role at ISG? 

Yes, there are a lot of tools and techniques I have learned from my time in the military that I share with my team and colleagues. I have also signed up to ISG’s mentoring scheme to share this knowledge more formally with others as they progress through their careers. We undertake reverse mentoring in the military, which is where the most senior officers pair up with new recruits to understand how they can learn from a new generation as they start the first steps of their careers.

Find out more about ISG’s armed forces commitments here or visit this UK Government site for a quick guide to armed forces reserves.