Edith Lawrence (Chartered Mcipd) Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

I facilitate interviews to assess and acquire highly skilled staff for senior positions at the UNDP. My role includes report writing, analysis and making recommendations to the organisation that are in line with the strategy of the organisation.My work builds on my ability to discuss and plan talent requirements of organizations and analyse the gaps between availability and requirement. It builds on my experience in building strategies to address gaps and measuring the success of the implemented plans.

London, England, United Kingdom

I audited the HR Universal Policy Handbook and its Appendices to identify the gaps that were inconsistent with the Mastercard Foundation’s Procedure. The policies needed to align with International Administrative law and local labour laws for Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Canada.I reviewed and updated the Employee Universal Handbook ensuring it is reflective of current employment legislation and the organisation’s procedures, is aligned to the HR strategy, is forward-looking and compliant with best practice. I researched and benchmarked with comparator global organisations to ensure the Foundation remained an employer of choice.My role included working with host country legal advocates, in-house legal counsel and subject matter experts to redraft key policies and recommendations together with the Standard Operating Procedures for each policy, aligned to local labour laws, current trends and international best practices. I rolled out and trained all staff and people leaders on grievance and disciplinary policies and processes to ensure understanding and compliance.Other consulting work at Mastercard Foundation:Change Management - determining and documenting the Change Management Approach, and developing appropriate strategies and plans. Applied an agile methodology, led change management activities and assessed the change impact per geographical area.I developed a Stakeholder Plan and Resistance Management Plan. I supported the project design and definition of roles and responsibilities and led transition management, ensuring that business as usual is maintained during the transition and the changes are effectively integrated into the business.

London, United Kingdom

Reporting to the Director HRD, I effectively delivered HR advisory, strategic and support services to senior management and designated client group(s) in recruitment and selection, employee relations, staff development, performance management, change management, HR administration, job evaluation, human resource planning, employee wellbeing and reward management. My role had responsibility for strategic partnerships and supported staff engagement, equality of treatment and morale, while creating an enabling environment. •Led transformational change, to drive efficiency and effectiveness to improve HR services. •Led the strategic and operational people and culture function for my client groups across our global portfolio, leading and managing a diverse team of professionals.•Provided high-level advice and support to Senior Management on all HR related issues. • Updated the employee handbook ensuring it is reflective of current employment legislation and organisation’s procedures, is aligned to the HR strategy.•Advised on contentious issues to mitigate risks and to sensitively maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders.•Delivered the HR Strategy, managed projects, supported and guided managers through organisational change - including restructuring of teams/organisation, redeployment, redundancies, compromise agreements, job evaluation and reasonable work adjustments in line with HR policies.•Rolled out a new Performance Management Policy, monitored its development and implementation and evaluated its effectiveness using audits and skill gap analysis.•Reviewed and coordinated refinement of existing policies to ensure their continued effectiveness and relevance to the organization’s needs and against best practices. •Assisted in promoting staff development and career support programmes through learning and development interventions.•Provided HR oversight, representation and advice for field consultants across 4 Commonwealth Youth Regional Centres.

London, United Kingdom

I strategically managed internal and external client partnerships covering a number of thematic and HR initiatives, including achievements in the following areas:• Designed outsourcing interventions to support implementation of corporate strategy. • Researched and advised on HR policy guidelines, bench-marking with comparator international organisations in line with best practice.• Led and represented the Secretariat on the recruitment on the Northern Uganda Project (Gulu Project) which was a flagship partnership project between the Government of Uganda and the Commonwealth Secretariat. This recruitment required me to exercise diplomacy and develop an understanding of the socio-cultural sensitivities of the project. I regularly engaged and consulted with senior management including the Deputy Secretary General (Political) and other external (Uganda) senior officials and stakeholders.• Conducted a Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) HR Function (HR audit) for the four Commonwealth regional youth centres located in Guyana, India, Zambia and the Solomon Islands to ensure competitiveness using local and comparator international organisations. The findings and recommendations resulted in a review of the terms and conditions of both local and international staff and of the HR function • Benchmarked Secretariat policies and procedures with those of comparable organisations and recommended improvements for management consideration.• As part of the change process, managed the job evaluation system and audited HR processes. • Advised and provided training on the performance appraisal system using a competency based framework• Maintained relationships with key stakeholders such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, our host government, to ensure that we kept abreast of developments and changes in immigration rules that may impact our internationally recruited staff. My role required me to be proactive and negotiate concessions, where necessary.

London, United Kingdom

This role focused on enabling efficient delivery of services and support to member Governments through managing the resourcing and placement of Consultants and Experts across the 53 Commonwealth countries. Accountable for the following areas: • Managed the team responsible for recruiting and repatriating consultants to Commonwealth member countries within the Africa and Caribbean regions.• Provided guidance and interpretation of policies to Technical Experts in various CFTC Programmes, Program Advisers and other staff in CFTC Divisions to ensure effective HR service delivery. I had to ensure that the recruitment and retention reflected the specific geographical, gender, regional and diversity requirements of the Secretariat and CFTC. • Contributed to HR policy development by engaging with member governments, technical experts, Programme Staff and other HR specialists to provide the agreed feedback and evaluation cycle. This was the focal one stop shop contact which was required to maintain strategic partnerships with designated client groups. • Co-managed the team that reviewed, analysed, advised, negotiated, co-ordinated and implemented the revised TACOS for both Long and Short term consultants (employed outside the UK) ensuring that the Commonwealth Secretariat remains an employer of choice.

London, United Kingdom

Generalist with responsibility for key HR areas, including the following:• Managed a team of six HR Assistants responsible for providing HR support to over 300 employees at the Secretariat headquarters in London.• Advised Directors on strategic HR matters and prepared briefs on HR issues for senior management consideration/approval• Prepared staff communication materials to support the implementation of new terms and conditions of service.• Designed ‘One Stop Shop’ HR structure to provide integrated services to the headquarters in London. • Redesigned Secretariat’s assessment centre process to reflect ‘best practice’.

Zimbabwe

Appointed Personnel Officer for Mazowe Mine, and was later promoted to Personnel Manager. During this period, I was assigned to a Lonrho Mine with a staff complement of 1,500.Key Responsibilities • Recruitment, retention and repatriation of staff and their families to various countries within Sub-Saharan Africa. • Provided support services in the fields of resourcing, development, pay, job evaluation (Patterson Grading System) and employee relations required by management to fulfil their HR responsibilities resulting in greater employee development and motivation.• Advised on organisation structures, policy and procedures and succession planning• Social development and employee engagement i.e Initiated Adult Literacy classes enabling illiterate adults to read and write with the hope of attaining GCSE, educated families on the importance of contraceptives. Over a period of 24 months the birth rate reduced by 6% and encouraged participation of the lower income employee’s spouse in self - help projects to enable them to sell their products to the community and earn their own income through sewing, bread and soap making projects. • Regularly participated in the Outward Bound Management Training sessions.

Chartered Member (Mcipd), Professional Assessment Of Competence (Pac). Dissertation: “The Use Of Social Media In Recruitment

Post Graduate Diploma, Marketing, Sales And Public Relations, First Class Award

Graduate Management Training Programme

Bachelor Of Science (B.Sc.), Political Science And Public Administration, Honours