Who am I?
I’m a talent acquisition professional with over 13-years experience of successfully delivering in an agency and in-house capacity focused on technology and digital. I’m currently enjoying being a freelance Talent Acquisition Manager and I’d be happy to discuss project-based, interim, contract or FTC opportunities based UK-wide.
As a technology recruiter, I primarily focus on building digital teams comprising of Product (HoP, Managers and Owners), Creative (UX/UI/Visual), Dev (F/E, BE, iOS, Android, Python) Programme (Prog Mgrs, PM’s, PMO’s), Operations and Testing folks. In terms of seniority, I have recruited from the C-Suite (CTO, CEO, CIO) all the way through the management levels.
What do I deliver as a talent acquisition professional?
Career history & deliverables:
Talent Acquisition Project Manager
Dec 2018 – Present
Working with Digital Works Group (DWG) on the internal recruitment process and external partnerships as the business progresses with its growth plan for 2019. DWG specialise in supporting companies adopt a customer-led approach throughout their strategy while identifying areas where digital can be used to meet these needs. Whether helping companies transform, turnaround, innovate for growth, or simply solving a specific digital pain-point. Bringing benefits in reach, revenue, profit or competitive positioning.
I continue to partner with clients and deliver talent acquisition and recruitment projects and my most recent project is with BT focused on the BT Technology Graduate Programme to increase personalisation, engagement and retention through the application and assessment process.
Talent Acquisition Project Lead
Code First:Girls
Jul 2018 – Nov 2018
Partnering with Code First: Girls (CF:G) on one of the most exciting programmes that the CF:G team have ever run in a groundbreaking partnership with BT. Named the BT FurtHER programme, it offers a free full-time training programme run from November 2018 to the end of February 2019, which will take 30 fantastic women from a coding beginner to the level of a junior software developer.
I was engaged to create the recruitment process, from application to interview stage, for the programme. This included the questions for the application form and the interview process and the marking criteria behind both stages of the recruitment process. Everything created was bespoke to this programme.
In addition, my current role also includes management and delivery of direct hiring for CF:G team which included two senior hires in the Head of Communities and Community Programmes Manager.
Digital Talent Acquisition Project Manager
Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Apr 2018 – Aug 2018
Leading the assignment at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and partnering with the Group CTO, I was tasked to use the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Profession Capability Framework to create job profiles and job specifications for 30+ positions within the Directorate across the Digital, Platforms and Applications and Technology teams. This also encompassed creating job specifications for new hires into these teams and that of the newly founded Local Digital Collaboration Unit.
Summary of responsibilities included:
- Scoping talent acquisition requirements and create job specifications and plans for permanent recruitment campaigns.
- Managing end-to-end talent acquisition campaigns.
- Utilising a combination of social media, advertising and direct talent sourcing to increase talent engagement and attraction.
- Manage the sourcing and onboarding of specialist interim/contract hires through a combination of 3rd party providers and managed service providers.
- Partner with key Director level stakeholders to design and create new talent acquisition packs and assets to drive talent engagement and attraction for campaigns at all levels.
- Designing and creating recruitment best practice documentation and assets for use across the Department.
- Advising Hiring Managers on go-to-market strategies for opportunities.
- Leading initiatives to align internal MHCLG functions to deliver process improvements to the go-to-market strategy.
Digital Talent Acquisition Project Manager
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Nov 2017 – Mar 2018
Leading on an assignment at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and partnering directly with the Digital & Media Group Directorates that include, Telecoms, Cyber Security & Data Protection, Trade & International and Digital and Tech Policy. I was engaged to provide a specialist talent acquisition service at the request of the Director General, Matthew Gould.
Summary of key responsibilities;
- Engage with all Directors to scope talent acquisition requirements and create job specifications and plans for permanent recruitment campaigns.
- Managing end-to-end talent acquisition campaigns.
- Utilising a combination of social media, advertising and direct talent sourcing to increase talent engagement and attraction.
- Manage the sourcing and onboarding of specialist interim/contract hires through a combination of 3rd party providers and managed service providers.
- Partner with key Director level stakeholders to design and create new talent acquisition packs and assets to drive talent engagement and attraction for campaigns at all levels from Policy Analysts to Senior Civil Servants / Deputy Directors.
- Lead on internal DCMS initiatives to design and create recruitment best practice documentation and assets for use across the Department.
- Support Hiring Managers in the process of interviewing candidates for interim / contract posts within DCMS.
- Advising Hiring Managers on go-to-market strategies for opportunities within niche sectors including Artificial Intelligence (AI).
- Leading initiatives to align internal DCMS functions to deliver process improvements to the go-to-market strategy.
Hudson Global Resources
March 2010 – October 2017
Hudson is a leading provider of professional recruitment, executive recruitment, talent management and people development and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) services worldwide. Hudson’s Digital Transformation Practice was formally established in November 2016 and it’s based on 3 key pillars; Customer Experience (CX), Data, Analytics & Insights and Digital Marketing.
Practice Lead – Digital Transformation – Customer Experience (CX)
Jan 2016 – Oct 2017
As a co-founder of Hudson’s Digital Transformation Division, I am responsible for the Customer Experience (CX) Practice. In my capacity as Practice Lead, I led by identifying C-Suite individuals and HRD’s that are navigating their way through the different stages of delivering digital transformation.
Summary of key responsibilities;
Client Engagement & Account Management
- Influence and shape client requirements and manage the client engagement from pre-engagement through the different phases of the recruitment process from talent attraction & engagement, assessment and screening and interviewing through to successful onboarding and post placement follow-ups.
- Key contact for the client throughout the project of recruitment or as the single point of contact for account management (UK wide).
- Guide the client expectations of the relationship with Hudson Digital Transformation; ensuring the appropriate resources/assets are brought to the recruitment project and/or process.
- Communicate concepts, ideas and talent acquisition strategies up to C-Suite and HRD level using a range of written and oral presentation methods.
- Responsible for effectively linking client talent challenges to Hudson’s Talent Management and Digital Transformation solutions across assessment, coaching and development and recruitment.
- Lead cross-functional Hudson teams to deliver recruitment projects while being the key client contact for all middle to senior management level stakeholders.
- Responsible for identifying and fostering new client relationships by attending networking forums, industry events and representing Hudson at roundtables and industry body events.
- Instrumental in establishing and working with an ecosystem of partners which include Digital Consultancies, Specialist Organisations and Social Enterprises; to support clients across a range of services and requirements complementing Hudson’s own core service offerings.
- Identify opportunities for cross-functional PSL agreements and new revenue streams through targeted and structured business development activities.
- Create and present the commercial proposal to the client and agree on the commercial model for the project deliverables.
- Proactively manage the client and manage any requests for amendments or additions to the project; be aware of the contractual obligations should they come into question.
Recruitment Delivery
- Communicate and shape talent acquisition solutions for the client through utilising business and technology tools and platforms.
- Define client engagement and drive successful delivery across the client portfolio through managing and coaching the Hudson team and engaging client internal stakeholders’.
- Responsible for the quality and standards of the delivery whilst managing any risks and resolving any key engagement issues.
- Leading talent management projects which include vendor partnership management and delivery.
- Proactively sourcing and managing a pool of diverse quality and qualified candidates, preparing them to apply for opportunities and working with them to secure, suitable new job opportunities.
- Offering support, guidance, ‘know how’ and encouragement to team members on sourcing new candidates and managing existing candidate relationships.
- Events management, blogging and creating thought leadership and encouraging team members to self-learn and identify interests in their own markets.
People Management and Mentoring
- Build a positive working environment for the team and encourage transparency and proactive communication internally and externally.
- Coach others in the value of collaborative working and demonstrate its value.
- Support team members with career progression through 1-2-1 formal and informal mentoring.
- Managing team members against KPI and soft target metrics which are aligned to the Practice targets.
- Drive performance to deliver against Practice, Team and individual financial targets on a quarterly and annual basis.
- Promote opportunities for team members to explore new markets and progress their career goals.
Principal Consultant – Digital Transformation
Jun 2015 – Jan 2016
Leading Hudson’s Digital Transformation Practice, I partnered with clients across multiple industry sectors including Banking / Financial Services, Retail, Technology Consultancy, Tourism and Digital Media. My primary aim was to provide talent solutions that met the client’s challenges to attract, develop and retain talented digital professionals as the business progressed through a digital transformation journey.
Each client engagement started with a diagnostic conversation to understand the current status of the digital transformation journey utilising the Hudson Digital Transformation Journey matrix. Topics included;
- Discussing the current senior leadership structure and the individual responsibilities of each senior leader.
- What are the client’s current talent acquisition and management strategies and how these are aligned with the overall digital strategy and roadmap.
- The skills and experience required for each stage of the digital journey.
- What is the current talent assessment process and is there a process to identify and promote high-potential employees.
Principal Consultant – Payments Practice
Apr 2011 – Jun 2015
(Promoted from Senior Consultant in May 2014)
As the Principal Consultant of Hudson’s Payments recruitment team, I partnered with a portfolio of payments clients to deliver first-class recruitment consultancy for mid-to-senior level hires within the Transformation, Business Change and Technology programme and project domains.
My clients* included Global Card Schemes, International Card Acquirers and Payment Processors, Omni-Channel Payment Providers, Global Alternative Payment Providers and newly established and innovative m-commerce and m-payment providers (*currently under NDA)
Having identified the massive potential for growth in areas such as e-commerce, m-payments and alternative payments market alongside the disruptive influence of payment methods such as Bitcoin; the competition for market share was fierce. Translating business strategy into success was driven by identifying and hiring the best talent and my role was to ensure my clients’ talent requirements were met and exceeded.
- 2014 revenue generation exceeded £250k
- 2013 revenue generation exceeded £350k
- 2012 revenue generation exceeded £250k
- 2011 revenue generation exceeded £275k
Senior Associate Consultant – Retail Financial Services
Mar 2010 – Mar 2011
As a Senior Associate Consultant at Hudson, I was responsible for full 360-recruitment of clients and candidates within the IT Corporate and Business Change Division. The client portfolio consisted of clients from the Banking, Financial Services, Investment & Wealth Management, Insurance and Global IT Consultancy industry sectors.
Managing relationships directly with end-clients and/or RPO’s and MSP’s, I built a desk from zero to bill £50k by December 2010.
Spring Technology
July 2005 – February 2010
Spring Technology is an established leader in the global IT recruitment market and the UK’s largest technology staffing provider. Spring Technology is part of the Adecco Group.
Senior Resource Team Leader – IT Corporate Accounts
Feb 2007 – Feb 2010
As a Resource Team Leader I was responsible with providing full candidate lifecycle management in support of a portfolio of Corporate Accounts within Government & Defence, Retail Banking, Investment Banking, Insurance & Life & Pensions, Pharmaceutical, Asset Management, Financial Solution Providers, New Media, Telecommunications & Mobile Network Providers and the Public Sector. My goal is to find the ideal candidate for the client while managing candidate’s expectations in terms of their career progression and their experience of Spring.
Senior Resource Consultant – IT Corporate Accounts
Jul 2005 – Jan 2007
I joined as a Resource Analyst in July 2005 and swiftly worked my way up to Senior Resource Consultant with experience of successfully delivering for a portfolio of Corporate Accounts within the Contract Division. A highlight whilst working within this role was being awarded Resource of the Year for the achievement of the most deals and related revenue in 2006. I was responsible for full 360 candidate management and client engagement.
Education:
BSc in Sports Science – London South Bank University – 2001 – 2004
