Role: Human Resources Manager
Company: Allied Bakeries
Track Record: ‘The biggest reward for me is achieving what I set out to do and gaining respect from everyone I work with,’ she says.
What does your job entail?
I have recently joined Allied Bakeries as HR manager for Ireland so at the moment I am developing the HR strategy for the coming years and getting to understand their business and the challenges they face.
Like so many companies they have undergone massive change over the past year within a highly competitive and challenging marketplace. My focus is currently on helping the business to continue to embed the changes and make sure we bring our employees with us.
We’ve a big team – over 340 employees – development is a key priority. We are currently in the process of introducing a centralised HR admin centre which will bring more changes for the team.
Is it 9-5?
The office hours are 8.30am to 5pm but in reality you do what you need to do to get the job done. Sometimes, that means working outside the norm but work life balance is important to me so I make sure I plan and manage my time well.
How did you get into this line of work?
Most of my career has been spent working in human resources and having worked in a number of different roles I have found I most enjoy being a generalist HR manager as you get involved in all aspects of human resources making sure the business has the right people with the right skills to get to where it wants to be.
Outline your career to date?
I worked in a variety of HR roles within Ulster Bank for the majority of my career. I started out in employee relations and this gave me good background in working with trade unions and helping the company to implement large change programmes.
From that I moved into HR project management and business partnering roles. I decided to leave the bank just over three years ago and worked as an interim HR manager with Equiniti ICS and Premier Foods before joining Allied Bakeries at the start of the year.
Tell us about your qualifications/training
I studied economics at Queens and am a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD. I learn best from watching what other people do well and have been lucky enough to work with some really talented people from MDs to shop stewards over the years.
What qualities are required for your job – personal and professional?
You need to be pragmatic and resilient to deal with changes. Within Allied Bakeries we look for the right fit between the person and the company, it’s important to us that our people are treated well, so integrity and emotional intelligence are key within human resources.
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?
Resource is always a challenge in difficult times when everyone is trying to do more with less. The biggest reward for me is achieving what I set out to do and gaining respect from everyone I work with.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I would like say I play golf but it’s more like I try to play golf! Someday I will crack it. I have two boys, Adam and Harry, so mostly my spare time is spent with them. We recently bought a holiday home in Donegal so there have been lots of walks on the beach.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
I enjoy DIY and can turn my hand to decorating, making curtains and have even recently attempted a bit of tiling.
Who has inspired you most in your life?
I am inspired by people who work hard but always have time to laugh and not take themselves too seriously. My Dad instilled a strong work ethic in me and he continues to inspire me with his ability to win golf competitions at the age of 78.