If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Charlie Watson via email cwatson@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

00350959

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Supporting the effective implementation of transformation initiatives, including small- and large-scale acquisitions and business integration projects.
• Coverage of Head of People role during her maternity leave.
• Designing and implementing an HR Operations model across West Midlands, Thames Valley and M25 regions (550 people).
• Ensuring turnover rates stay below finance and accounting UK average (22%)
• Reduced ER cases by 90% through targeted coaching for first line managers, while headcount increased by 13%
• Assisted with improved Best Companies engagement score from 1 star to 2 stars over 18-month period
• Implementation of Cascade (HR Information System) - Upskilling administrators and users through demos and creating support guides and videos, shared via a dedicated Teams site
• Automation of the performance review processes; including feedback and performance review processes, seeing a 20% increase in participation.
• Implementation of trainee salary matrix, ensuring fair and equal pay across grades, in line with DE&I policies
• Providing external clients with HR support, from contract and handbook creation to tailored advice on employee relations issues.

CAREER HISORY:

May 2019 – August 2024

Accountants

November 2023 – August 2024

Accountants

Human Resources Business Partner

Reporting to Senior Business Partner and Head of Audit South

Best Companies’ #1 Best Accountancy firm to work for in the UK – CP is a top 15 UK accountancy firm with a focus on clients with £10-£200m revenue, providing Audit and Outsourcing (including accounting and bookkeeping services), Tax, Corporate Finance and Wealth Management services to clients.

• Accountable for the HR support for your business areas and taking the autonomous lead on delivery of HR processes and projects through your team.
• Delivering professional HR advice and support aligned to the business plan and HR strategy including engagement, resourcing, succession, performance management
• Playing a crucial role in ensuring that performance management, development, succession, and hiring are aligned to a Gallup Strengths based approach
• Working with the wider people team to develop our talent attraction, retention and development strategies.
• Identifying opportunities to increase employee engagement – reviewing key themes from feedback methods and ensuring action plans are implemented as a result
• Working with the senior leadership teams to develop behaviours and drive appropriate change to transform and improve organisational effectiveness across the business
• Partnering with Head of Department, influencing and challenging people decisions and bringing balance and conscience to decision making.
• Leading key business projects such as acquisitions, or organisational change work with a focus on cultural integration.
• Collating and analysing people data to identity trends and creating actions plans as required.
• Data focussed, keeping track of internal engagement and headcount data to track budgets and contribute to making decisions.
• Supporting and developing the People Advisors and Junior People Business Partners.

May 2019 – October 2023

Accountants

Regional People Manager

Dual reporting line into Head of People and Equity Partner.

A UK Top 15 firm of Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors, helping SME business owners reach their goals.

Advisory and Business Partnering

• Trusted advisor and sounding board to senior leadership team, including equity partners and managing partners.
• Developing and sustaining strong business relationships with key stakeholders and employees across accountancy, audit, tax, and legal advisory firms, business support functions, and the wider group, to become a trusted advisor.
• Rolling out new starter and leavers’ interviews and working with the partners to consider feedback collated to identify key themes to address; finding appropriate solutions and supporting groups to implement them.
• Partnering with TA team to introduce pre-employment DE&I best practices.
• Providing regular strategic management information to leadership and management, via quarterly bespoke dashboards, and continually looking for ways to add to and improve what is provided and how it is utilised.
• Working with the partners to ensure the structure of their teams is appropriate and meets the firm’s business needs.
• Ensuring a strong understanding of the work, people, challenges and intricacies of the relevant businesses to ensure advice is proactive and tailored appropriately to support the changing needs of the people and the firms.
• Providing high quality advice and guidance to partners to support with attracting, retaining and developing the best talent.
• Supporting performance, career development, wellbeing, absence, complicated disciplinary, grievance and other employee relations issues which support the effective management and development of people.
• Working with L&D colleagues to ensure partners and employees have the right skills, experience and knowledge to manage people effectively, including identify training needs.
• Facilitating and delivering training programmes in conjunction with L&D as appropriate, such as feedback and objective setting workshops.
• Working closely with the People Senior Advisors supporting the regional offices, collaborating and sharing best practice to drive consistency wherever possible.
• Operations
• Managing, aligning, and improving HR operations workflows across three regions by leading review of all HR processes to identify opportunities for improvements to better meet the needs of business; driving efficiency and improving the employee experience
• Managing all aspects of the life cycle of employees, from running the regional induction, embedding new employees, through to offboarding.
• Managing relationships and oversight of managed payroll provider
• Managing visa sponsorship as Level 1 User for visa applications
• Managing and streamlining salary review process, with introduction of Willis Towers Watson benchmarking data
• Proficient user of Cascade and Breathe HR systems.

Management

• Developing and mentoring the People Coordinator
• Playing a proactive role in the wider people teams - role modelling behaviours, encouraging cross team working and knowledge sharing

February 2018 – May 2019

Business Management

HR Business Partner, Europe and Russia

Reporting line into Head of People

A $1.5 billion-dollar global professional services firm notable for its work in turnaround management and performance improvement.

• Proactively addressing employee matters with leaders and providing guidance, ensuring consistency in approach and mitigating risk for the firm.
• Partnering with leaders in the business and operations teams in the annual compensation process.
• Responding to employee issues/concerns regarding policies, staffing and disciplinary actions, while providing feedback to functional managers to ensure appropriate action is taken.
• Partnering with the learning and development team to ensure that programmes are addressing business needs.
• Implementing a People Analytics Dashboard from raw Workday data, to provide metrics and reporting to the practice, such as turnover, recruiting, engagement and diversity & inclusion metrics which helped drive people decisions.
• Working with the HRIS team to automate People Analytics Dashboard.
• Working on internal transfer/visa/immigration issues.
• Initiated a pilot wellness programme for the UK offices.
• Part of the selected project team implementing Workday Payroll in the UK.

October 2015 - February 2018

Real Estate and Facilities Management

HR Advisor

Reporting line into HR Manager

Providing housing and property management services across private and public sectors, employs over 2,300 professionals, with a turnover of more than £90 million.

• Supporting managers in change management activities in accordance with employment law and in consultation with Trade Unions as appropriate, particularly TUPE transfers and changes to terms and conditions.
• Fielding enquiries for all HR related issues via phone, e-mail and in writing.
• Advising as a panel member at formal hearings and producing written outcomes to protect the company against potential tribunal claims.
• Supporting and coaching managers in all aspects of employee relations, providing business focused, consistent and timely advice in accordance with employment law and HR procedures, including; Disciplinary, Grievance, Capability, Performance Management and Sickness Absence Management.
• Co-ordinating and updating the company induction process.
• Maintaining awareness and knowledge of any HR issues in the business, including training and development needs.
• Proficient in ADP and Cascade HR Information systems.

March 2011 - October 2015

Business Supplies and Services Distribution Sector

HR Advisor (February 2015 - October 2015)

The largest specialist multi-channel distributor of business supplies and services in the UK and Ireland with a turnover of over £500 million.

• First point of contact for managers and employees, providing guidance on basic HR issues.
• Offering advice on legislative requirements and company policy on aspects of leave, sickness absence, maternity, paternity and flexible working.
• Developing policies, processes and documentation.
• Supporting line management in formal and informal ER issues, including health/capability, performance management, absence, grievance and disciplinary matters.
• Drafting invite and outcome letters; attendance at employee relations meetings when required.
• Assisting line managers with completing the redundancy process including drafting letters, providing redundancy calculations and ensuring all relevant paperwork has been completed.
• All other HR administrative duties, as per below.
• Supporting on a large-scale change management programme. Including due diligence, harmonisation of T&Cs, collective consultations with Trade Union representation.

Retail and Wholesale Sector

HR Assistant (September 2012 – January 2015)

• Shadowing and assisting Head of HR in ER issues.
• All other HR administrative duties, as per below

HR Administrator (March 2011 – August 2012)

• Liaising with recruiting managers to create job descriptions and draft and publish internal and external adverts.
• Issuing offers and particulars of employment.
• Requesting and collating references and relevant paperwork for payroll.
• Administration and harmonisation of employee benefits schemes, ranging from healthcare, pension, Sharesave, life assurance and income protection.
• Management of company car fleet, car allowance scheme and fuel cards.
• Maintaining staff files, organisational charts.
• Reporting for HR Statistics and providing management information.
• Redesign and development of the People pages, a SharePoint site dedicated to providing staff with online advice, and access to HR policies, processes and documentation.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• 2022 - General Intelligence Assessment (GIA) Practitioner
• 2022 - Personal Profile Analysis (PPA) Practitioner
• 2001-2005 – University, English with Media Writing BA (Hons)
• 1997- 1999 – College, A Level, Biology, English Literature & AS General Studies
• 1995 – 1997 – Secondary School – 9 GCSEs, Grades B-C

References Available Upon Request

If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Charlie Watson via email cwatson@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

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