Job title:HR director
Organisation:ACNielsen
What are your key responsibilities?
Managing an HR team that provides strategic and tactical HR support to market research company ACNielsen in the UK and Ireland for approximately 1,000 people.
Previous jobs (both HR and non-HR)?
My most recent roles have included head of HR for outsourced customer service management organisation Ventura and personnel manager for home shopping company Grattan.
Why did you choose ACNielsen?
At the time of my initial interview, ACNielsen was embarking on organisational and business changes and HR was at the forefront of these changes.
What attracted you to a career in HR?
I realised very early in my career that the management of the human elements of any business could make or break a company. I am only attracted to HR roles that offer the opportunity to be a business partner.
What key skills do you need to be successful in your current role?
Business savvy. I have to understand the key drivers and long-range organisational targets and translate them into HR practice that supports the business.
What do you enjoy most about your current job?
Knowing I have the full support of my director colleagues.
What do you enjoy least about your job?
The lingering impression some people have that my team and I are a group of social workers.
What has been your greatest achievement in work?
The proudest moments have been seeing my team succeed at becoming professional HR business partners.
What is the most important contribution that HR can make to a business?
Making sure that the basic HR admin processing happens like clockwork, and concentrating on the projects and activities that will make the biggest difference.
If you werent working for ACNielsen, which company would you most like to work for?
Any organisation that sees HR as a strategic partner at the highest possible level.
What measures do you use to see how good a job you are doing?
Staff turnover, numbers recruited, performance levels achieved and so on but the greatest indicator is the extent to which HR is involved in major business projects, as leaders and project managers.