London, England, United Kingdom, June 2025 – Marisa Colbourn has joined the Houses of Parliament Restoration & Renewal as Head of Human Resources, taking on the critical task of shaping and leading the people strategy for one of the UK’s most ambitious restoration projects. In this pivotal role, Marisa will oversee all HR aspects for the programme, building a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative workforce as the organization undertakes the biggest and most complex restoration ever attempted in the UK.
Prior to this appointment, Marisa Colbourn served as Senior Human Resources Business Partner – Head of HR Ops Mids, SW, East, LTC & Ops Control at National Highways. She played a significant role in developing and delivering people strategy for National Operations, supporting Traffic Officers and infrastructure specialists across the UK. Marisa was instrumental in leading key projects such as organizational restructure, relocations, and complex consultation processes, and was recognized for her strategic decision-making and ability to cultivate effective HR business partnering services.
Before joining National Highways, Marisa held the position of PwC Management Consultant – HR, Transformation, Organisational Strategy at PwC, where she drove large-scale transformation and workforce planning projects across the government, defence, health, and aerospace sectors. Her portfolio included the redesign of government agency operating models, implementation of global HR capability programs, and the development of innovative strategic workforce planning solutions.
Earlier, Marisa was with the UK Ministry of Defence as Head of Department (Crisis, Surge and Priority Resourcing) and Head Office HR Business Partner, where she was at the forefront of strategic workforce planning, crisis resourcing, and organisational design. Her notable contributions included leading the HR response during the Afghanistan evacuation, COP26 coordination, the Omicron Vaccination Booster Programme, and rapid mobilization efforts in response to global and national emergencies. She also acted as Civil Service Reform Champion and was integral in shaping leadership and engagement communities of interest.
Marisa’s earlier career spans impactful HR roles at Ofsted, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Bupa, Believe HR Consultancy, Bristol Community Health CIC, Mitie, and Accenture. She has led major transformation and change initiatives, provided HR consultancy at the highest level, and contributed as a lecturer at the University of the West of England and Weston College. Currently, Marisa also serves as Branch Chair for CIPD West of England.
About Houses of Parliament Restoration & Renewal
The Houses of Parliament Restoration & Renewal programme is an unparalleled project established to safeguard and restore the Palace of Westminster—a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the iconic heart of UK democracy. With origins dating back 900 years, the Palace now requires urgent repair and modernization to continue serving as the seat of the UK Parliament for generations to come. The programme will engage leading experts in architecture, engineering, project management, and heritage preservation to undertake this complex restoration, ensuring the protection of this Grade I listed building’s legacy and its role in British political history.
The Delivery Authority is building talented and diverse teams, fostering an environment of inclusion, accessibility, and belonging, and is committed to creating a collaborative culture that reflects the rich heritage and the forward-looking vision of the project.
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