Kate Frost
Binfield,Berkshire
Summary
Accomplished human resources strategist with extensive expertise in leadership acumen, commercial awareness and strategic HR business partnering. Proven track record in corporate culture development, mentoring and coaching and organisational development. Adept at workforce planning, performance management strategies, and stakeholder relationship building. Skilled in employee relations, talent acquisition strategy, communication skills, and conflict resolution. Committed to enhancing leadership development through effective employee mediation and performance management coaching. Focused on staff retention strategies while leveraging business acumen to drive company leadership and human resources strategy forward.
Overview
11
11
years of post-secondary education
18
18
years of professional experience
Work history
Global People Director
Kekst CNC
2023.06 - 2026.05
- This role reported into the CEO and managed a team of 11 across 4 countries.
- Led global people strategy across Europe, Middle East and APAC markets.
- Drove performance cycles, calibrations, and talent decisions across senior stakeholders.
- Led senior stakeholder engagement for organisational design and people initiatives.
- Championed change initiatives to streamline operations, aligning workforce practices with organisational goals.
- Developed leaders through coaching and management development programmes, enhancing leadership capability across the organisation.
- Led remuneration strategy, coordinating global remuneration reviews to ensure competitiveness.
- Built compensation and benefits frameworks for multi-market salary and bonus cycles.
- Fostered positive organisational culture through strategic communication initiatives.
- Increased employee engagement through targeted initiatives, fostering a culture of recognition and development.
- Introduced performance management systems, improving overall productivity and efficiency.
- Conducted strategic planning sessions to drive corporate objectives.
- Optimised resource allocation to maximise productivity.
- Advanced employee relations and DEI initiatives.
- Served as liaison between business divisions to facilitate communications.
- Managed annual HR budget guaranteeing optimal use of resources for cost-effective and efficient service.
- Assessed workforce planning needs to ensure resourcing requirements were met.
- Improved employee productivity and organisational effectiveness by reviewing processes to ensure optimal HR service delivery.
- Coordinated large-scale projects with successful outcomes.
- Reduced staff turnover through improved performance development programmes and leadership development.
- Used counselling and coaching techniques to resolve complex employee relations issues with over 1 million EUR savings.
- Developed comprehensive business plans for company growth.
Head of People & Talent
Alchemy
2021.11 - 2023.06
- This role reported into the MD and sat on both the Senior Leadership Team and the Board with the 2 co-founders.
- Led people agenda across HR, recruitment, learning and internal communications to align organisational goals with employee needs.
- Developed employer brand by focusing on learning opportunities, reward benefits, and strategies for attraction and retention.
- Managed promotion progression processes to enhance employee growth and satisfaction. and appraisal cycles for talent engagement, diversity and wellbeing.
- Managed internal communications strategies to enhance employee engagement and streamline information flow, including fortnightly all-company meetings and survey insights.
Global Head of HR
Chaucer
2019.05 - 2023.06
- Reported to the MD and CEO and managed a 3-person team.
- Joined the operations board as HR shaping daily decision-making.
- Commercially positioned HR by aligning priorities with stakeholders during planning.
- Created and analysed HR data to support informed planning decisions.
- Managed performance via structured reviews, calibration sessions, and coaching actions.
- Led employee relations processes using judgement and guidance on policy matters.
- Owned 4 promotion and salary review rounds through committee leadership.
- Promoted diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, and engagement initiatives across locations.
Human Resources Business Partner
Baringa Partners LLP
2017.05 - 2019.05
- At the time, Baringa Partners was a Management Consultancy operating in the UK, Germany, USA and Australia. Baringa had approximately 630 employees, with the majority being based in the UK. This role reported to the HR Director and led a team of 2 HR Assistants, 1 Senior HR Assistant, and 1 Senior HR Advisor.
- Owned biannual appraisal process and 4 promotion processes execution.
- Led employee relations processes with commercial focus and manager guidance.
- Advised managers on poor performance, contentious conversations, and long-term sickness.
- Evolved HR support to align with business strategy and commercial outcomes.
- Led diversity and inclusion initiatives across the company.
- Reinforced HR role interactions with unit leads to deliver value.
- Reviewed HR team structure and role alignment to match skills.
- Directed initiatives to improve performance management alignment aligning decisions with business needs
HR Business Partner, Head of HR/Senior HR Lead, UK
EMC UK Ltd (which went on to become DellEMC)
2008.04 - 2017.04
Education
Level 7 CIPD Accredited Qualification - Post Graduate Qualification
FARNBOROUGH COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
2000.01 - 2004.01
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MARIST CONVENT SENIOR SCHOOL, ASCOT
1991.01 - 1998.01
Skills
- Compensation strategy
- HR strategy
- Workforce strategy
- Talent acquisition
- Performance strategies
- Employee relations
- Organisational development
- Culture development
- Leadership development
- Mentoring and coaching
- Coaching strategies
- Retention strategies
- Stakeholder management
- Conflict resolution
- Mediation services
- Cross-functional leadership
- Business acumen
- Leadership acumen
- HR strategy
PERSONAL INTERESTS
I enjoy socialising with friends and family, reading & horse riding
Timeline
Global People Director
Kekst CNC
2023.06 - 2026.05
Head of People & Talent
Alchemy
2021.11 - 2023.06
Global Head of HR
Chaucer
2019.05 - 2023.06
Human Resources Business Partner
Baringa Partners LLP
2017.05 - 2019.05
HR Business Partner, Head of HR/Senior HR Lead, UK
EMC UK Ltd (which went on to become DellEMC)
2008.04 - 2017.04
Level 7 CIPD Accredited Qualification - Post Graduate Qualification
FARNBOROUGH COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
2000.01 - 2004.01
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MARIST CONVENT SENIOR SCHOOL, ASCOT
1991.01 - 1998.01