Role: Senior Human Resources Manager
Company: Allen & Overy
Track Record:
ME AND MY JOB
“I was once at a meeting addressed by Sir Anthony O’Reilly when he said, ‘you should aim to do the ordinary things extraordinarily well’. This continues to resonate with me because it is through getting the basics right that you build your credibility in any organisation and in doing so earn your entitlement to sit at the strategic table,” said Ciaran.
What does your job involve?
I’m responsible for the delivery of all aspects of human resources within Allen & Overy’s Belfast office.
We employ almost 350 people who provide support to our offices across the globe. Our activities cover finance, human resources, IT, marketing, creative services, document production and legal services.
We can still be considered new to the Belfast market but in the two years we have been here we have grown very rapidly.
The office employs more than 300 people and delivers both legal and support services to our global network of 42 offices. Our challenge is to consolidate this growth and remain an attractive employer in an increasingly competitive employment market place.
Is it 9-5?
The bulk of the work which we carry out in Belfast is supported in normal business hours.
However, given the global nature of our operation some of our teams provide services on a 24-hour basis.
While there is the imperative to get the job done and support our client offices we also enable a healthy work-life balance and offer the opportunity for colleagues to get involved in extra-curricular and outreach activities through our partnerships with local schools and charities.
We recently confirmed a year long charitable partnership with Down’s Syndrome Association Northern Ireland and our staff are undertaking a range of projects and initiatives to raise funds — some of which take place outside of office hours.
We’re proud to be supporting a charity that makes a real difference in the lives of people with Down’s syndrome.
How did you get into this line of work?
After completing a degree in languages and business at the University of Ulster I started working in a contact centre in Dublin using my language skills.
Over a short period of time in that company my role evolved towards recruitment and then HR.
Over the course of the last 18 to 19 years I have worked in HR positions within airlines, utility companies, and professional services firms.
Tell us about your qualifications/training.
I’m a member of the Chartered Institute of Professional Development and have primary and postgraduate qualifications in languages and business from the University of Ulster. What qualities are required for
your job — personal and professional?
I believe that to be effective in the HR field you need to strike a balance between being a people advocate and a partner for the business you are sup-porting.
Normally these are not conflicting pri-orities, however, when they occasionally do, the skilful practitioners can manage both.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
I was once at a meeting addressed by Sir Anthony O’Reilly when he said, ‘you should aim to do the ordinary things extraordinarily well’.
This continues to resonate with me because it is through getting the basics right that you build your credibility in any organisation, and in doing so earn your entitlement to sit at the strategic table.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have three young children, the eldest of whom is four years old, so they keep me and my wife very busy.
We also have an energetic black labrador called Musto. Going for runs with him in the mornings before work and in the evenings is also a small highlight of each day.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
I’m a keen leisure sailor and I make the most of living on the shores of Strangford Lough. I did my first Round Ireland Yacht Race in 2010 on Gumdrop — my father-in-law’s boat.
We probably had the oldest boat and the oldest skipper in the fleet but still held our own against some stiff competition.
Family and work commitments permitting I hope to chalk up a few more Round Irelands.
Who has inspired you most in your life?
I have been inspired by a lot of great people, but the person who stands out most for me is adventure athlete Mark Pollock. In 2010 we did the Round Ireland race on a fully-crewed yacht — he did so on a two-handed boat.
His story is one of incredible courage and determination, to keep going against incredible odds and setbacks.