Leads the HR Solutions Team in Air Support, a £2 billion turnover business in BAE Systems, BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space.

Designs, develops and delivers innovative HR solutions to drive the BAE Systems business transformation in the UK military air sector. The business is going through a major transformation to deliver a new business model for and service, and the HR solutions team anticipate future people and organisation requirements including organisation design, strategic resourcing, people capability and the leadership challenge.

• Leads the HR Transformation Programme for Air Support, managing the delivery of a complex suite of business solutions to support the MASS business transformation. Activities support c£4 billion of new business opportunity.
• Developed a attraction strategy for the UK Military Air Sector, to deliver c1400 new recruits to BAE Systems within a seven month timeframe. Designed a ‘rapid recruitment team’ to deliver large scale recruitment generated by the new attraction strategy
• Developing a corporate reputation model to position the business employment offer against demanding perception issues amongst potential applicants. Developed the Air Support employment brand, including an employee value proposition to attract new talent into the business, and ‘re-recruit’ existing employees.
• Re-scoped the recruitment service requirement for UK BAE Systems (c40, 000 employees) to an outsourced service provider. Delivering improved service through SLA and vendor management, moving from a transactional volume based recruitment approach to targeted talent acquisition.
• Built an in house recruitment service for niche resourcing requirements for new business opportunities, requiring organisation start ups on military operating bases across the UK
• Re-engineered the resource planning process in Air Support, devolving responsibility to the business. Moved planning process from capacity to capability planning
• Defined and delivered a ‘Leadership Strengths Profile’ for the future Air Support Business Model using a strengths based framework, defining future leadership requirements for Air Support
• Led the development of a ‘Partnering Maturity Model’ to maximise the relationship between BAE Systems and the UK Ministry of Defence in future collaboration. Use of approach de-risked £3m to major contract

Head of HR for Harrier and AeI, a £150m business unit within BAE Systems. Delivered the Harrier HR strategy through the Harrier and AeI Leadership Team, focused on improving business unit performance through 1000 people across various UK sites

• Delivered a comprehensive HR business partner service to the business, covering employee relations, reward, people development and organisation design and development
• Led the reorganisation of the Harrier and AeI leadership team following the growth of the MASS business to a group structure
• Managed the business employee relationship with Amicus. Negotiated a productivity deal in 2005 with the introduction of performance management processes and variable pay
• HR lead for Harrier business development, delivering people solutions to exploit opportunities arising from the Ministry of Defence requirement to reduce costs and improve aircraft availability through partnered and outsourced contracting.
• Lead HR consultant to the Ministry of Defence in the development of a whole aircraft availability contract for Harrier (Value £700m). Manages a joint programme of work covering organisation design, partnered working, TUPE, stakeholder engagement and business restructuring
• Developed a business winning toolkit for HR professionals to develop business winning opportunities in availability contracting
• Key architect of the integration of a major software capability business (£50m t/o) into the Harrier Business Unit, following acquisition by BAE Systems in 2004

HR Manager for Reality Group, part of the Argos Retail Group, and the UK’s largest provider of integrated business solutions, encompassing electronic enablement, customer care and logistics.

• Provided a commercially focused HR support service to a key operational area, employing over 6000 people. Worked with the Operational Director to create and deliver the HR business agenda
• Delivered significant change in people practices across Reality’s Logistics Division, redefining the role of managers and supporting working practices
• Modernised Reality’s HR service offering through a radical restructuring of the Logistics HR team, moving from a traditional administrative focus to a more value added service. Reduced HR operating cost by 40%
• Worked within multi-union environment at national bargaining level to achieve change and improve employee relations

HR Manager for AXA Insurance, part of the largest insurance company in the world. Responsible for the creation, development and delivery of new HR services following the acquisition of GRE by AXA in 1999, including a HR Service centre (HR Direct), HR Web and support teams. Created and led of a team of 20.

• Key architect of HR vision for AXA Insurance. Built a team capable of delivering service excellence to the business, decreasing HR headcount from 160 to 90 within 1 year of conception
• Launched HR Direct, a Service Centre of 6 HR professionals providing advice and guidance to line managers on all HR issues. Service live within six weeks of team selection and rolled out to managers of 5000 employees within three months of launch
• Developed self-service HR Web, as information point for managers and employees, enabling reduction in HR administration headcount
• Managed outsourcing of payroll services to external provider, providing savings of £600k p.a.
• Introduced self-service HR system for 5000 employees within 3 months of decision to move from existing system, saving over £1m in license costs. Rationalised existing HR management information processes within the business and built new HR MI systems fit for purpose
• Managed transitional teams across the UK (30 employees) to achieve successful migration to end state for the HR function. Managed and motivated team members due to be made redundant over the next 12 months
• Developed a selection strategy to deliver the open selection of all 4500 roles in the new organisation, following the acquisition of GRE by AXA Insurance. Processes developed to successfully manage re-engineering of over 400 roles to support the business going forward, including the definition of competencies required to ensure success in each role. Successfully sold the process to line management, unions and the board.

Reported to the Managing Director and managed a professional HR team within AXA Direct, a major direct insurer. Managed HR support to call centres, IT, Marketing, Finance and other support functions. . Delivered HR processes that focused on business issues and enabled rapid expansion and growth in direct financial services.

• Transformed the business HR Team from a reactive administration based set up to a proactive support unit providing internal consultancy to senior and line managers. Succeeded in raising the profile and credibility of the function and increasing internal customer awareness and satisfaction.
• Developed HR strategy to support business growth and market positioning of AXA Direct as an employer of choice. Developed core competencies and development plans for the HR team to deliver the strategy. Managed HR implications of business growth from 250 employees in 1995 to over 600 in 1999. Project managed HR implications of second site launch in January 1999 (350 call centre staff).
• Developed a competency approach for call centre areas, embracing recruitment, training and development, succession planning and salary modelling, Established an operational team of 12 Trainers to support competency approach.

Provided in-house consultancy service to Head Office function on full range of HR and change issues. Added value by helping client managers to translate business plans into actions.

• Designed and implemented a cost effective development strategy to enable transition of business unit in change situation. Strategy included major cultural change, and subsequent implementation of self managed work teams.
• Managed restructures, relocation and downsizing situations. Handled redundancy situations at both a business and individual level with counselling/ outplacement support.