Profile
A proactive, pragmatic and highly influential HR and Executive Recruitment Consultant in the FE sector with a strong network of contacts, innovative problem-solving skills, and a proven track record of recruiting the best and most respected leaders in the sector while also helping colleges save £multimillions through restructuring and mergers
Career & Achievements To Date
HR & Executive Recruitment Consultant
2015-date
Simon Allenby Graham Consulting
• Provided HR consultancy and senior executive recruitment services for the FE sector, nationally and internationally
International Director
2013-2015
Protocol: A leading recruitment agency in the Further Education sector
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• As International Director, established & led a team advising colleges how to achieve their international ambitions
• Helped FE institutions enter the overseas marketplace to regain funding lost due to cuts in their UK allocations
• Contracted to service the recruitment needs of 18 colleges in Saudi Arabia, China and Malaysia within 18 months
• Delivered high fill rates and strong retention figures for the colleges, winning £300k of new income for Protocol
• Recognised as a knowledge expert by UKTI, invited to attend key events and network with potential new clients
Managing Director of College Leadership Services
2011-2013
Protocol: A leading recruitment agency in the Further Education sector
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Managed one of the FE sector’s leading senior executive recruitment services, personally appointing key leaders
• Led the HR Task Force delivering services ranging from brief consultancy to merger and restructure exercises
• Used public sector principals while applying private sector business practices to gain consistently excellent results
• Provided quality improvement, training and inspection services for colleges and other further education providers
• Lead the interim management services including finance, curriculum support, marketing and personality profiling
• Delivered the increase in interim management provision from three interims in post to twenty five active interims
• Delivered a highly successful programme of conferences with national events aimed primarily at the FE sector
Senior Consultant
2007-2010
Protocol National: A leading recruitment agency in the Further Education sector
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• As Senior Consultant, organised and led a team of Consultants delivering major merger and restructure projects
• Reviewed the full range of back office services for clients, and implemented more efficient business processes
• Negotiated new contracts across institutions, and re-engineered pay scales for diverse groups of employees
• Consulted with initially hostile unions, winning engagement for change process benefiting both colleges and staff
• Planned and implemented processes to reduce staffing costs while enabling FE institutions to continue to grow
• Liaised closely with a range of colleges to provide expert HR, Change Management and Shared Service solutions
• Identified economic, technical or organisational (ETO) reasons where appropriate, to nullifying TUPE legislation
• Improved engagement and retention of high performing employees while improving or replacing poor performers
• Commended for leading more projects through to a successful conclusion than any other consultant in the sector
Interim Human Resources Director
2005-2006
Simon Allenby Graham Consulting: Walsall College, Contract
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Interim HR director at Walsall College, implementing new employment contracts and a restructuring programme
• Devised harmonising pay scales & converted a reactive HR team into a proactive, continuous improvement team
• Increased completion of appraisals from 24% to 90% and reduced the sickness rate to 1.4% below sector average
• Personally settled three complex long-running grievances that posed a significant financial risk to the college
• Transformed a college with a 59% success rate & poor staff utilisation, to become one of the best in the sector
Managing Director
2003-2005
CSM Consulting Ltd: “one of the best training providers,” Chief Inspector of Adult Learning
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• MD of CSM Consulting, building and maintaining a client list including Honda, BMW & leading food manufacturers
• Won contracts in 8 Learning and Skills Council Areas, producing a £2m turnover and £274k profits pa by year 2
• Attended the Prime Minister’s office to discuss how to roll out a pilot scheme for the Train-to-Gain programme
Assistant Director – Recruitment, Consultancy and Training | Personnel Director
1994-2003
Association of Colleges (2000-03) | Teesside Tertiary College, now Middlesbrough College (1994-00)
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Won a secondment opportunity within the Management Services Division of the Association of Colleges (2000-03)
• Sourced & filled more senior appointments than anyone else recruiting in the Further Education sector at that time
• Grew consultancy and training operations, established a HR consultancy, and helped achieve record profit levels
• Rose rapidly from the graduate trainee programme to Personnel Director at Teesside Tertiary College (1994-00)
• Managed and radically improved the HR function for 800 staff in an organisation with an annual budget of £15m
Qualifications & Training
BSc (Hons) in Economics and European Studies
Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management
Post Graduate Certificate in Management
British Psychological Society level 1 & 2
Skills & Key Competencies
• Specialist in executive recruitment in the FE sector • Charismatic, innovative and highly influential leader
• Outstanding HR, restructuring and merger expertise • Strategic & tactical thinker with clear business vision
• Vast change and performance management acumen • Shrewd and incisive decision-maker/problem-solver
• First-class client & stakeholder relationship expertise • Calm, confident & assured in pressurised situations
• Proven leadership, training & team building acumen • Natural ability to engage across all levels/cultures
• Excellent communication and presentation prowess • Professionalism, pragmatism & integrity at all times
References
Available on request
