Experience

THE DEAN CLOSE FOUNDATION

• United Kingdom
• Education Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Human Resources Director

  • Oct 2019 - Present



Optionis Group

• United Kingdom
• Accounting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Group HR Director

  • Nov 2014 - Sep 2018

  The Arkarius and Optionis Groups joined forces to create the largest UK provider of services to the professional self-employed market. The combined group 'Optionis' provides limited company, umbrella, small business accountancy and tax rebate services under the brands SJD Accountancy, ClearSky, Nixon Williams, Parasol and Brian Alfred. As a board member, reporting to the CEO, I transformed the company in terms of organisational structure, job role and performance, equality (pay and opportunity), resourcing (volume, graduates, apprentices) and functionality (systems, contracts, policy). Main focus was ensuring the multiple companies within the group were effectively aligned, efficient, structured for growth and produced transparent results in order to prepare the business for sale with long term assurances of continued growth.



Iress

• Australia
• Software Development
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior HR Business Partner

  • Nov 2010 - Jul 2014

  Providing strategic, structural and project support to the Executive and Senior management team.My role has required leading acquisitions, restructuring, engagement and talent management activities. As a member of the Leadership team I was heavily involved in the Strategic direction of IRESS.Resourcing • Developing and implementing the first graduate recruitment programme (30 entrants in 2011, 25 in 2012, 36 in 2013.• Designed and implemented a recruitment microsite to drive direct recruitment, responsible for a Recruitment BP ensuring a high level of service• 5 major restructures Engagement • Designed and organised a People conference to showcase our products, strategy and engament activities. Unprecedented response (500+ attendees) and outstanding feedback, key timing to use as launch for IRESS brand • Implementing and driving a new ‘engagement’ team across all UK sites to increase employee satisfaction and empowerment, introducing a monthly tracker of engagement• Working with ‘Times top 100’ companies to ensure we have leading edge best practice. improving results for 3 years, currently in the ‘Ones to Watch’Strategy• Member of the Leadership team and chosen to be in the Transition Team to formulate and support the Strategic direction of the business, specifically the People agenda• Focussed on our High Performance Culture (HPC) initiative and conduct the yearly review and refocus of the HPC elements• Focussed on Global alignment of Benchmarking, Resourcing Model and EngagementTalent Management/Succession Planning• Designed and implemented a Succession Planning Process to ensure stability of our proposition, highlighting critical work, hot spots, retention risks, talent management and successor plans. • Designed and implemented new appraisal/performance enhancement procedures to include our values and have a balanced approach to both Performance and behaviours



Chelsea Building Society

• HR Business Partner

  • Oct 2001 - Oct 2010

  Providing front line HR advice direct to senior management on a multitude of topics.70% project based role. Responsible for HR advice to 1000 employees. More recently I have been assigned to the Sales Division as the Senior Business Partner to maximise profit in these key areas through stronger use of HR practices. Responsible for:Performance management/enhancement: Providing coaching and training on HR best practice to increase performance. Designed and implemented a robust performance management process. Enhancing the skills of managers by delivering honest feedback to ensure results. Key success; introduced transformational performance management practices in a Call centre environment which ensured the business produced a profit for the first time in its existence.Flexible Resourcing:Project managed the concept, led discussion meetings and co-ordinated 9 Operational Managers in order to implement a Resource Bank covering Head count circa; 400. Project involved presenting to management committee to gain financial support to proceed.The outcome was a decrease in spend, a more flexible workforce, better Service Level Agreements and better customer experience.Key Success; 85% of bank lent within first year, cost saving in circa £65,000 in first year. Employee Engagement:Ran Employee Engagement surveys and delivered the results to all levels of the business including Management Committee presentations.Critically evaluated the results for each Division and consulted with the Divisional Director on the best ways they can ensure an engaged workforce.Responsibility for designing and implementing the Employee Engagement survey 2009 during severe economic difficulties and producing a 78% response rate (an all time high).