Claire Humphries
Church Village,United Kingdom
Summary
Experienced Snr HR leader who can demonstrate experience in designing and leading the People agenda, change programmes, and the design of new operating models. Ability to deliver both BAU Brilliant Basics and transformational activities in parallel.
Proven track record of managing, and developing people and teams operating as a leader at C Suite level with a seat at the table being both a critical friend and confidant.
Someone who brings big ideas and collaborates to solves complex problems with simple and elegant solutions, continuously championing high performance, comfortable to challenge the status quo, and actively seeking out different perspectives.
Overview
46
46
years of professional experience
Work history
Head of Group HR Shared Service for UK&I
Zigup
10.2020 - 09.2025
- Company Overview: Headcount UK 6,500, £1.9bil 12 separate businesses from Law LLP to Vehicle Hire & Repair and Insurance and EV Charging installations and more.
- Payroll, Group HRIS, HR Systems / Risk, HR Compliance, HR Strategic Project Management, Shared Service and Employee Relations.
- Focus of role: To design and deliver a People Services operation and plan which is aligned to the overall business strategy delivering Brilliant basics, Transformation and Change, utilising technology around AI and robotics to leverage efficiencies.
- Contribute to the overall wider Operational People Plans for each business and the Zigup growth through merger and acquisition of complimentary business (there have been 3 acquisitions within the past 12 months and 4 TUPEs’ (from the likes of Lloyds Banking Group and Tesco’s Insurance….)
- Champion the effort to improve the efficiency of People Services through enhanced automation and digitisation through both the use of automated dashboard reporting and widening the Self Service offering for Colleagues and Managers.
- Lead the People Services team to achieve strategic, compliance and operational objectives in the areas of Shared Service, Payroll, HR Systems and HRMI.
- Also, the role leads on the HR business Risk register feeding in to the wider business risk agenda.
- Keep current with industry trends and leverage vendors appropriately to ensure all People Service operations are keeping pace with the market and external benchmarks.
- Headcount UK 6,500, £1.9bil 12 separate businesses from Law LLP to Vehicle Hire & Repair and Insurance and EV Charging installations and more.
Head of Human Resources
NewLaw Solicitors (a Redde Northgate Group business)
Cardiff
10.2018 - 10.2020
- Company Overview: NewLaw solicitors is a legal firm specialising in Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury and Private Client work, with 3 sites in Cardiff, Glasgow and Bristol circa 550 heads turnover £60mil.
- My role sits at Operation board level for NewLaw but reports directly in to the Zigup Group HR Director.
- The role encompassed management of a team of 11 which covering HR Business partnering, Recruitment, Leadership Development, Wellbeing / OH and Legal Technical Training.
- Focus of role: Leading the Newlaw People Strategy for stability and growth.
- Implemented Employee Engagement: Survey and pulse Survey and working with business on addressing concerns and building Employee Engagement plans and expanding the EVP.
- L&D; Leading the People development strategy with the L&D Manager for Solicitors and Non legal based Employees.
- Strong stakeholder management, working with Snr Executives at Board and Group board level, HODs, ensuring a collaborative workstyle that benefits all.
- Direct Line Management responsibilities for a team of 11.
- Managing the HR Budget of £1.4 mil.
- Mapping the HR Strategy for continuous improvement and to support business growth with HR having a seat at the board and elevating the People agenda.
- Building a network of external partners including Universities, charities, ED&I and Wellbeing specialists to ensure CSR and benefits to the employees and the locations in which we operate are all connected.
- Strategic workforce planning, ensuring we have the right levels of skills, capability and capacity available to operate and to grow.
- Implementing several new systems including HR Civica, Tazio (Recruitment), Moodle (LMS).
- Delivering KPI HRIS analytics based around our people drivers and reviewing with the Board actions from the data.
- Re design of structures in resizing, diversification, and growth.
- Ensuring the business from a people aspect is fully compliant with SRA regulations.
- NewLaw solicitors is a legal firm specialising in Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury and Private Client work, with 3 sites in Cardiff, Glasgow and Bristol circa 550 heads turnover £60mil.
People, Transformation and Change Strategic Partner
Newport City Homes
04.2018 - 10.2018
- Partnering with 2 Directors, Director of Housing and Director of Regeneration and Development in the OD and Change management program required in shaping the structures.
- Leading in the role of ‘Chair of Panel’ on the Reward and Recognition programme for the Association wide Job Evaluation and benchmarking process for all roles, sponsored by the Executive Director of Finance and Resources.
- TUPE transfer of staff due to Support Services ending and the re mapping of funding from the Welsh Assembly Government to Newport City Council.
- Working alongside the Head of People & Change in dealing with longstanding complex ER/ IR cases around capability and absence.
- Presenting papers and within board sessions gaining authorisation for implementation for change from the non Exec board, Tenants Board, Renumeration Committee and ARC.
Chief People Officer UK & Ireland
RMS- Retail Merchandising Services
06.2016 - 03.2018
- Reporting to the CEO as part of the Executive Board.
- Direct reports HR x 2, Recruitment X 5, Communications x2, Administration x1.
- Headcount 800, Turnover £24mil.
- The role of CPO was a new appointment to the board to strategically build a HR, Recruitment and Training function to support the business growth agenda providing a level of professionalism that would stand the scrutiny from the top retailers on the high street (John Lewis / Boots / Waitrose / Tescos..).
- Focus of Role: To set up from inception a full and complete end to end HR, Recruitment and Training / L&D function.
- Key budget holder of £1.6 mil for the People Agenda / Reward and Benefits (Company Cars, Aviva Private Healthcare/Perkbox / Gym...).
- Lead on the business compliance agenda such as legal and Company insurance liability premiums, ISO / BSI.
- Embed a ‘great place to work’ and learning culture with individuals attending AAT/ ILM / IOSH.
- Introduced and championed Employee Engagement and the #RMSfamily concept., EVP.
- During the time in the role I was a finalist in the Wales HR Network Awards for Best HR Professional in a Service Based Industry 2017, and a Finalist for Best HRD Wales 2018.
Snr HR Business Partner – Commercial/ Trading / Energy Connections
British Gas
02.2013 - 06.2016
- Partnering with 3 Snr BG Department Directors within a Matrix organisation structure drawing down on COE, reporting into the Head of HR for British Gas Commercial, Trading & Marketing.
- Headcount for Commercial, Trading and Marketing 4500. BG Turnover £2.3 bil.
- Providing support, advice, direction and guidance across all management levels; Covering Performance/ Absence/ER/IR management, Succession planning, Leaderships Development, OD, Job Evaluation and Reward and Leading on Employee Engagement and Wellbeing for Cardiff Office.
- Coaching managers and teams in dealing with all people related issues and supporting intervention where required to conclusion.
- Working within boundaries of FCA and OFGEM Regulated bodies.
Regional HR Business Partner (UK and Northern Europe)
Harsco Corporation
10.2005 - 07.2012
- Extensive travel.
- Direct reports 2 x regional HR advisors and London based centralised admin team x 5 and 3 x Payroll.
- Headcount 1800, turnover £256mil.
- Working with the Heads of Operations across multi Steel production sites and Engineering works in the UK and Northern Europe also touching Australia/EMA for relocation and ex pats.
- Supporting with all people related activity.
- Operationally advising in the resolution of employment life cycle issues; Resourcing; Compensation; Performance management; Redundancy; Settlement Agreements; TUPE Transfer; Collective Union Consultation; Setting up of a UK Engineering Apprenticeship scheme for Specialist Heavy Machinery.
- Reporting into the VP for HR based in the USA on the wider strategic implementation of Harsco global projects in the region relating to reward, management development, and business improvement and digitisation of HR process across a diverse workforce.
Regional HR Business Partner
Ventura (Next PLC) Outsourced Call Centre
07.2003 - 10.2005
- Direct reports 1x HR Advisor, 1 x HR Admin, mix of trainer and Resoucers x 8.
- Headcount Cardiff 650, Headcount Leeds 350, headcount Dearne Valley 220.
- Turnover £156mil.
- This was a new role to support the management of change and the transfer of the business from the National Rail Enquiry contract win from SERCO and harmonisation of the new site and business in the Ventura portfolio.
- Provided a full HRBP standalone role to all managers in the South Wales compensation.
- Contributed to the face-to-face bid process with the clients (O2, Sainsbury’s, RSPCA, HBOS).
- Later picked up responsibility for business streams based in Dearne Valley Rotherham and Leeds whilst maintaining South Wales operations.
Group HR Manager (Wales)
Western Mail & Echo (Trinity Mirror)
05.2001 - 07.2003
- Reporting into the Group HR Director Trinity Mirror.
- Direct reports: 3x payroll, 2 x Facilities / Post; 1 x Security, 1 x HR Advisor, 1 x HR Admin.
- Headcount 670, Turnover £186mil.
- Member of the Management team reporting into the Group HR Director.
- Providing a full HR service across all streams of publications and locations across Wales.
- Supporting the Head office in Canary Wharf when required.
- The role covered supporting and advising on all levels of People issues (Discipline and Grievance; Absence; Policy & Procedure etc..) projects around reward and restructuring of editorial; Moving of the printing facility from central Cardiff to Dock location; Union negotiations for pay and benefits; specialist recruitment campaigns and internships.
HR manager Interim
RF Brookes
09.1999 - 05.2001
- Provide a full and comprehensive HR service covering all aspects of a generalist role for a new purpose built site.
UK HR Manager
Essilor International
01.1980 - 09.1999
- Previous roles as part of a Graduate scheme at Essilor, Trainee Accountant, Operational jnr Management roles.
Skills
- Demonstrable experience in designing and leading the People agenda, change programmes, including designing of new operating models
- Ability to deliver both BAU Brilliant Basics and transformational activities in parallel
- Proven track record of managing, leading and developing people and teams operating as a lead at C Suite level with a seat at the table being both a critical friend and confidant
- Someone who brings big ideas and collaborates to solves complex problems with simple and elegant solutions, continuously championing high performance, comfortable to challenge the status quo, and actively seeking out different perspectives
EDUCATION:
MSc Business Psychology - University of South Wales 2:1
BEd (Hons) Adult Education Cardiff University 2:1
CIPD (MCIPD) 1st
Hay Job Evaluation to Chairperson level
Diploma in Management Studies; Distinction
ILM Level 4, 5 &7
NVQ5 & NVQ4 in Executive Management and Business studies
Health and Safety IOSH 4 day and additional IOSH for Directors
Warwick University - Diploma in Lean Manufacturing and Visual Factory
Counselling Skills Level 1
Affiliations
- : Play my cornet with my #Brassbandfamily in Markham , Great British Sewing Bee, Photography, Peace and quiet when I can to re charge
Accomplishments
I was a finalist in the Wales HR Network Awards for Best HR Professional in a Service Based Industry 2017, and a Finalist for Best HRD Wales 2018.
Timeline
Head of Group HR Shared Service for UK&I
Zigup
10.2020 - 09.2025
Head of Human Resources
NewLaw Solicitors (a Redde Northgate Group business)
10.2018 - 10.2020
People, Transformation and Change Strategic Partner
Newport City Homes
04.2018 - 10.2018
Chief People Officer UK & Ireland
RMS- Retail Merchandising Services
06.2016 - 03.2018
Snr HR Business Partner – Commercial/ Trading / Energy Connections
British Gas
02.2013 - 06.2016
Regional HR Business Partner (UK and Northern Europe)
Harsco Corporation
10.2005 - 07.2012
Regional HR Business Partner
Ventura (Next PLC) Outsourced Call Centre
07.2003 - 10.2005
Group HR Manager (Wales)
Western Mail & Echo (Trinity Mirror)
05.2001 - 07.2003
HR manager Interim
RF Brookes
09.1999 - 05.2001
UK HR Manager
Essilor International
01.1980 - 09.1999