Chris Norris

Senior Programme Manager, Innovation Programmes

Chris Norris is a Senior Programme Manager working on the Accelerating Ideas programme.

Chris Norris is a Senior Programme Manager. He is currently working on Accelerating Ideas, a programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund to scale up eight innovations that help people to age well, feel connected to others and be part of active, engaged local communities.

Chris previously worked on Rethinking Parks, a partnership with Big Lottery Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund which supported innovators to address the challenges faced by public parks. He also worked on the Centre for Social Action Innovation Fund.

Before joining Nesta in September 2013, Chris was a project manager at Lambeth Council working in economic development. In this role, he worked on projects to support town centres and social enterprises. He started his career in local government as a participant in the sector’s National Graduate Development Programme, working at Reading Borough Council in a range of service areas including education, neighbourhood regeneration and adult social care.

Chris holds a BA (Hons) in Industrial Economics and an MA in Corporate Social Responsibility from the University of Nottingham, and a postgraduate diploma in Local Government Management from Warwick University.

Outside of work, he is a trustee of the Friends of Ruskin Park and a volunteer, fundraiser and patient advocate for Bowel Cancer UK.