As Inclusion & People Project Manager, I am responsible for aligning DE&I initiatives with Sunbelt’s five-year business strategy. By driving employee engagement and retention, I have positioned the company as a leader in diversity and inclusion, evidenced by four award nominations. I actively collaborate with executives, using data-driven insights and feedback from DE&I networks to influence key decisions. This has resulted in progressive policies, such as enhanced Adoption and Paternity leave, which contribute to a more inclusive work culture. I have also launched four Employee Resource Groups to drive inclusion and engagement across the business further. My partnerships with Radius and Inclusive Employers provided bespoke support, enabling me to refine our diversity strategy. Through my efforts, we’ve significantly increased personal data disclosure rates, giving us the insight to continuously adapt our DE&I strategies to employee needs. Additionally, I have implemented a company-wide Inclusion Policy and designed training campaigns that foster inclusivity across global operations, collaborating closely with HR teams in the United States.

In this role, I played a key role in integrating acquisitions and streamlining business operations, including harmonising terms and improving productivity. A major achievement during this period was integrating the German business with UK operations, which positively impacted employee retention. I also developed a £450,000 grading scheme, enhancing career pathways to improve retention, attraction, and engagement. My role involved producing tailored People Plans for different business areas, focusing on workforce planning, retention, and return on investment. I introduced HR data metrics into monthly operational meetings, providing actionable insights to enhance performance across the board.

As the Regional HR Business Partner for 50 stores across three regions, I worked closely with leadership teams to deliver HR solutions aligned with business objectives. I utilised data analysis to identify gaps in performance and retention, implementing strategies that improved both areas. A key focus of my role was to upskill managers to ensure they met key performance indicators and improved talent development within their teams. I also provided legally sound HR advice to ensure maximum regional productivity and compliance.

Leading the delivery of strategic and operational HR initiatives and projects within my specific business areas, ensuring that they are aligned to the company strategy and objectives. Ensuring that people are highly engaged, high performing and work well together to help Speedy deliver its goals.

I provided HR support across the North, Ireland, Scotland, the Midlands, and managed over 600 overseas employees. I was highly adaptable in supporting different teams, providing advice on employee relations, change management, and acquisitions. I managed the employee lifecycle and provided HR insight for tribunal cases, business changes, and employee relations issues. My leadership in absence management initiatives improved engagement and reduced absenteeism.

Promoted to take ownership of talent planning across the group. I led innovative talent attraction campaigns, improving the quality of hires and the onboarding experience. A key achievement was leading the James Fisher Group Graduate Development and Apprenticeship programmes, which utilised the Apprenticeship Levy to provide value to the business. I also facilitated Talent Panels and managed Succession Planning, ensuring the business had the right talent to meet future goals.

Working closely with the Group HR Manager, I helped present strategic HR recommendations to the Board of Directors, contributing to the development of a succession plan that ensured key roles were covered. I supported the implementation of a GDPR-compliant structure, ensuring full ISO27001 compliance and helped streamline HR operations by creating a centralised employee database. I also developed a successful Apprenticeship Programme and delivered HR systems training to increase operational efficiency.

Working closely with the Group HR Manager, I helped present strategic HR recommendations to the Board of Directors, contributing to the development of a succession plan that ensured key roles were covered. I supported the implementation of a GDPR-compliant structure, ensuring full ISO27001 compliance and helped streamline HR operations by creating a centralised employee database. I also developed a successful Apprenticeship Programme and delivered HR systems training to increase operational efficiency.