This role involved leading the HR team and providing managers with HR support, advice and guidance. I managed employee relations casework, providing guidance to management to ensure issues were dealt with in an effective manner and in line with legislation. Other responsibilities included coordinating recruitment and talent activity across the business and managing high volume TUPE activity to tight timescales.

Within this role, I worked collaboratively with unions and key stakeholders throughout restructure, redesign and change management projects. My role required in depth knowledge around the specifics and nuances of each union agreement and relationship, in order to ensure the correct allocation of individual terms and conditions. Across all projects, I analysed and mitigated risk, providing information about the appropriate course of action to negotiation agreements. This required a solution focused approach, with the ability to manage the demands of various stakeholders. My role involved direct liaison with employees, communicating business drives and ensuring their understanding of, and commitment to, change. I created an open culture, encouraging dialogue and communication. Alongside employee communications, I worked with line managers and senior business leaders to ensure they understood the full implications and processes related to any change. I managed complex Employee Relations issues, providing compliant, consistent and effective management across the organisation. I led on various projects, including the writing of national agreements, as well as drafting reports and papers and providing insight and recommendations to the Board. Throughout all projects, I provided advice, guidance, and expert opinion on issues including affiliation agreements and collective bargaining. Having adapted the format of Union meetings to be held remotely during Covid; I organised and attended these regularly to advise on ER areas and contribute to discussions around requests, agendas and issues. I managed the full project lifecycle from inception through to PIR activity, analysing and reporting on successes and opportunities. I delivered recommendations to provide greater efficiencies in future projects, implementing actions and learning outcomes consistently.

This role was instrumental in delivering change projects across the organisation – which related to people, processes and technological enhancements. The people projects involved restructures and operational design, whereby I managed the full process including TUPE and redundancies.I worked collaboratively with stakeholders at all levels, including colleagues, managers, project teams and trade unions. The projects had organisational wide impact, therefore it was essential to have professional working relationships across all areas.I provided insight, data and analysis which informed strategic level decision making, highlighting risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities along with proposals to mitigate the impact of any change.My technological projects included self-scan shopping apps, an on-line payroll system and self-service models. I effectively managed resistance through collaboration and communication of the benefits whilst supporting line managers to convey information and effectively manage the rollout and engagement across their teams.I sat the on the DC Pension Panel, attending regular meeting and acting as expert advisor to review proposals and propositions and gain feedback from colleagues. These required effective evaluation skills, considering benefits and impact of any potential change.A large aspect of my role was the delivery of training, coaching and mentoring to managers and leaders, to upskill on HR aspects of their role, and promote a consistent approach across business areas.

Within this role, I managed HR teams across 4 supermarkets with a headcount of 1000+ employees. I was approached by Regional HR Partners to undertake the role on a trial basis, shaping the future structure and role responsibilities.This was a business partnering role, working collaboratively with store managers to develop a people strategy which combined operational business elements as well as growth and future planning, and customer service. I provided expert advice, leadership and management to direct reports and less experienced HR Managers, successfully developing team members into leadership positions and participating in the female mentoring project.I championed change and development through upskilling store managers in all HR related responsibilities. Alongside the managers, I undertook systems reviews, demonstrating an agile and adaptable approach to generate efficiencies.I acted as Talent Lead for the region, focussing on succession planning, and delivering a weekly workshop which developed future leaders through coaching, mentoring and training. My role also involved leading on change projects which included commercial reviews, TUPE, My Time releases 1/2 and 3 and a corporate focused trial of 48 hour contracts. I submitted a report to Board level which led to approval of the contract.Throughout my liaisons with all stores, I embedded a culture of inclusion, leading on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. I role modelled and advocated for early intervention and pro-active management in order to deal with issues in a timely, efficient manner.

This role involved the management of an HR team, whilst providing Employee Relations and generalist HR advice to managers across all business areas. I was responsible for all aspects of people management, including payroll, attendance, recruitment and selection, training, Employee Relations issues, disciplinary and grievance and pay / benefits and reward. I was the Diversity Lead for the region, and designed and delivered equality and diversity training to managers. As part of my Diversity Lead role, I led activities for “a year like no other”, hosting guest speakers and inspirational events related to our corporate sponsorship of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.I worked closely with managers to deliver training and mentoring which enabled revised processes to be cascaded and implemented at store level. I provided the full scope of HR and ER advice, ensuring this was in accordance with legislation, statutory guidelines, best practice and internal policies and procedures.

My earlier roles within Sainsbury’s include: Personnel Manager, London & Surrey (November 2002 – August 2008) Retail Implementation Team Member, Field Based (January 2000 – November 2002) Retail Department Manager, London & Surrey (September 1995 – January 2000)