MY EXPERIENCE

Financial Services - Where it all began

I began my HR career in 1999 with Abbey International (now Santander). I worked on the organisation’s compliance project ahead of the introduction of the Employment (Jersey) Law 2003 and developed their first staff handbook. I also provided advice and guidance to line managers and employees on all aspects of HR policy and procedure - the foundations of my generalist experience.

Government of Jersey - Developing specialist ER expertise

Moving into Employee Relations gave me exposure to complex casework, union engagement, pay negotiations and arbitration, and managing the terms and conditions of more than twenty different pay groups, including nurses, teachers, civil servants, firefighters and prison officers. I provided specialist advice to managers, HR colleagues, whilst also working closely with union representatives on all aspects of Employee Relations. I was also responsible for the review and amendment of all terms and conditions to ensure alignment with the incoming legislation.

Health & Social Services - HR in a 24/7 environment

I first held a generalist HR manager role, overseeing day-to-day employment matters relating to all staff employed across the largest of the Government of Jersey’s departments. I later became Medical Staffing Manager, which focuses on HR for Medical Consultants, Middle Grade doctors and Junior doctors. I led a project to procure a specialist software solution to assist with rota design and monitoring of Junior doctors’ hours in order to ensure the most cost-effective solutions and payments for on-call and compliance with the European Working Time Directive.

Education, Sport & Culture - my most rewarding generalist role

This was one of my most satisfying roles. I loved working here. Responsible for a cluster of 11 primary and secondary schools and advising senior leaders and head teachers on all HR matters. Responsible for the delivery of a project to research and implement a Safer Recruitment policy and procedure, and the design and roll out of training to all head teachers, deputy head teachers, recruiting line managers and admin staff involved with recruitment.

Also when the lunch time supervision was removed from duties of teachers, I delivered a large scale project to recruit and skill more than 100 lunch time supervisors to work across all of our primary and secondary schools - ensuring they received training in safeguarding and playground management. I sourced a specialist trainer from the UK - Shirley Rose. The day I picked her up from the airport, I was 34 weeks pregnant, my waters broke - and my middle son was unexpectedly born!

Highlands College - Supporting cultural change

I spent an academic year here as HR Business Partner and part of the Senior Leadership Team, supporting the College through a period of cultural change. I was a member of the Education Safeguarding Board.

People Services - Strategic HR that made a difference

My most satisfying strategic role - I really felt that my work made a difference - and I relished the autonomy this role brought me. I was responsible for the development of an overarching policy framework to deliver one of the four key pillars of the People Strategy, and the subsequent implementation of a suite of HR policies to enhance employee value proposition (EVP) and facilitate organisational and cultural change. I also led on the implementation of the HR Lounge Report recommendations into bullying and harassment in the workplace. And to ensure the work embedded well - I personally delivered (face-to-face) briefing sessions to more than 900 line managers - with session sizes ranging from 15 to 100 attendees.

High Tide HR Consultancy

When I founded High Tide HR Consultancy, I knew exactly what I wanted to focus on:

  1. Establishing the Essential Foundations for Businesses - developing culture-first HR policies and employee handbooks for employers.

  2. Avoiding the Implementation Gap - delivering training in people management skills to help shape a positive workplace culture.

  3. Providing HR capacity - providing additional HR expertise and support when businesses need it, and

  4. Taking Safer Recruitment Seriously - continuing to spread the word about this vital strand of safeguarding through the specialist training I deliver.

My aim is simple:

  • To help organisations build positive workplace cultures through practical, people-centred HR.