Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Training
Interests
Languages
References
Timeline
Generic

Mugi Spencer

Burgess Hill ,West Sussex

Summary

A strategic and results driven Business Partner with a proven track record of leading organisational change, driving digital transformation, and delivering impactful business solutions. Skilled at building collaborative relationships with senior leadership and key stakeholders, while aligning people strategies with business goals.

Key Achievements:

  • Led the successful HR digital transformation to new HRIS, including the implementation of a new performance review module.
  • Successfully led and managed the organisational change for the Technology and Change pillar for Tech modernisation programme
  • Strategic coaching and advisory support to senior leaders on key people management and organizational development matters.
  • Implementing the talent management and change management initiatives, improving employee engagement and organisational performance.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience

Work history

Strategic HR Business Partner-Technology & Change

First Central
Haywards Heath
06.2020 - Current
  • Executive Partnership: Build strong relationships with senior leaders to influence, coach, and align HR with business goals.
  • Strategic HR Leadership: Shape and deliver Tech and Change agendas in partnership with senior management.
  • Employee Relations: Support complex disciplinary and grievance cases, advising and coaching senior managers.
  • People Reporting & Analytics: Deliver month-end and ad hoc reports; identify trends and improvement areas.
  • HR Insights: Present workforce data and HR trends to senior stakeholders to inform decision-making.
  • Workforce Planning: Partner with leaders on capability assessment, headcount planning, and budget alignment.
  • People Advisory: Guide leaders on organisational change, restructures, and broader HR matters.
  • HR Tech Implementation: Lead Workday implementation and drive continuous system improvement.
  • Talent & Succession: Facilitate succession planning with senior stakeholders and L&D.
  • Diversity & Inclusion: Support embedding of D&I across policies, practices, and culture.
  • Policy & Process Improvement: Lead policy development and continuous improvement aligned with business strategy.
  • Engagement & Culture: Monitor engagement trends and implement action plans across business units.
  • Employment Law & Governance: Ensure policies align with legislation, SMCR and HR best practice.
  • People Strategy: Develop and execute people initiatives, tracking delivery and outcomes.
  • Change Leadership: Lead major change projects including organisational redesign and Tech modernisation.
  • People Lifecycle Oversight: Own and optimise annual Joiner, Mover, Leaver and Performance Review processes.
  • Team Leadership: Manage HR Business Partners and People Services team, driving capability and performance.

HR Business Partner (Business School & Tech)

University of Sussex
Brighton, East Sussex
09.2019 - 09.2020
  • People Partnering: Coach and support senior managers and academic in schools and professional services to build leadership capability.
  • HR Project Management: Lead HR system integrations, process mapping, and act as technical lead.
  • Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with SLT and Deans to deliver strategic HR support.
  • Complex ER Casework: Manage high cases of grievances, disciplinaries, performance issues, settlements and tribunals.
  • Absence Management: Oversee operational and medical absence, including ill-health retirement cases.
  • Union Relations: Engage and negotiate with trade unions on employee matters.
  • Job Evaluation: Benchmark and develop role profiles for academic and professional roles.
  • Engagement & Retention: Implement initiatives to boost employee engagement and reduce turnover.
  • Team Leadership: Manage HR Associates, conducting 1:1s, appraisals, coaching, and development.
  • Data & Reporting: Gather, analyse and report HR data to inform decision-making.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Liaise with schools and corporate functions including finance and payroll.
  • Learning & Development: Deliver training to new managers, run bitesize sessions and lunch & learns.
  • Policy Development: Lead on policy reviews (e.g. sickness absence, pay review, out-of-hours working).
  • Recruitment & Selection: Oversee hiring processes across various departments.
  • Payroll Oversight: Approve monthly payroll and manage discretionary pay reviews.
  • Academic Promotions: Support academic promotions processes for Professors and Lecturers.
  • Organisational Change: Manage redeployment, restructuring, and lead change and culture initiatives.

People & Reward Business Partner - Tech & Change

B&CE
Crawley
08.2017 - 09.2019
  • Business Partnering: Partner with leaders on recruitment, performance, restructuring, coaching, training, and policy implementation.
  • Change Leadership: Lead strategic change and organisational development initiatives with senior management.
  • Coaching & Leadership Support: Advise managers on people management, workforce planning, HR systems, and talent processes.
  • Talent & Succession Planning: Lead talent reviews, identify skill gaps, and manage succession planning.
  • Performance Management: Revamped performance reviews to better align with business goals.
  • Culture Transformation: Drive culture change initiatives aligned with values and strategy.
  • Employee Relations: Manage disciplinary issues, grievances, performance, well-being, and related policies.
  • People Analytics: Provide insights, benchmarks, and recommendations to enhance workforce performance.
  • Strategic Advisory: Advise executives on people strategy, change, and team effectiveness.
  • Reward Strategy: Implement job evaluation, pay, and reward strategies aligned with market trends.
  • Restructuring: Lead restructuring and redundancy processes across the organization.
  • Training & Development: Deliver leadership training for new and current managers.
  • Payroll Oversight: Act as payroll backup using Snowdrop KCS Sage, managing payroll checks and processes.
  • HR Systems: Sage People superuser leading system projects and resolving queries.
  • Project Leadership: Led HR projects including pay review overhaul, job evaluation, HRIS integration, and tech-driven HR solutions.
  • HRIS Integration: Oversee system integration, training, and workflow design to improve HR efficiency.

People & Reward Advisor

B&CE
Crawley
05.2017 - 08.2017
  • HR Advisory: Provided expert guidance to managers and staff on policies, procedures, and employment legislation.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Built strong relationships with managers to drive effective people solutions.
  • Performance & Pay: Led annual salary review and appraisal processes, coaching managers throughout.
  • Employee Relations: Managed complex ER cases, including disciplinaries, grievances, absences, and performance issues.
  • HR Systems Lead: Led SAGE HRIS projects and enhancements; resolved system queries and collaborated with IT to build workflows and ensure seamless implementation.
  • Recruitment: Conducted interviews and supported the end-to-end hiring process.
  • Policy & Process Improvement: Reviewed and streamlined HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance and efficiency.
  • Job Evaluation: Benchmarked roles, reviewed job descriptions, and approved new positions.
  • People Development: Identified talent gaps and succession opportunities; coached and mentored HR administrators.
  • Exit Process: Led exit interviews, analysed feedback, and reported key insights.
  • Project Leadership: Delivered major SAGE HRIS project, including self-service portal branding, training coordination, and system rollout.

HR Generalist/ Advisor

RSM (FORMER BAKER TILLY)
Crawley
06.2014 - 05.2017
  • Manage full recruitment cycle and onboarding for high-volume intakes.
  • Support employee relations, advising on disciplinary, grievance, and performance issues.
  • Ensure accurate contract management and HR policy compliance.
  • Lead HR process improvements and key projects (absence, maternity, referencing).
  • Serve as first contact for HR queries and manage internal moves and leaver processes.
  • Coordinate maternity leave and maintain HR intranet and systems.
  • Support pay reviews, appraisals, and casual/agency staff onboarding.
  • Maintain HRIS, handle references, probation reviews, and payroll liaison.
  • Update employee handbook and ensure legal compliance.

HR ASSISTANT

Tandridge District Council
06.2013 - 06.2014
  • Maintained and reported on integrated HR/payroll systems.
  • Led Young Workers Scheme, including mentoring and buddy system development.
  • Supported recruitment, onboarding, and employee documentation.
  • Managed absence records and ensured compliance with certification.
  • Attended interviews and hearings; produced accurate minutes.
  • Coordinated training events and maintained e-learning records.
  • Recorded appraisals and supported performance management processes.
  • Produced management reports on sickness, equality, and staffing.
  • Updated policies and maintained accurate employee records.
  • Handled HR system queries, flexitime, and access passes.

FINANCE ASSISTANT

Select Music & Video Distribution
Redhill
11.2012 - 05.2013
  • Matched and coded supplier invoices to purchase orders.
  • Resolved supplier account and credit card expense queries.
  • Processed supplier payments and maintained invoice/statement filing.
  • Managed supplier communications and inquiries.
  • Assisted company accountant with accounts management.

OPTICAL ASSISTANT

Vision Express
Reigate
06.2010 - 06.2011


  • Conducted contact lens trials and fittings; pre-tested eyes.
  • Managed stock control, ordering, and regular stock takes.
  • Handled supplier queries and placed/chased orders.
  • Scheduled appointments and managed customer communications.
  • Dispensed glasses and provided direct solutions to customer complaints.
  • Trained new staff and promoted marketing offers.
  • Performed banking and general floor management.

Education

Level 5 CIPD Certificate in Human Resource Management (Completed) - Human Resources

CIPD
2016

Bachelor of Arts - Accounting and Finance

University of Hertfordshire
2013

Secondary Education Exam -

St Bede's School

Skills

  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
  • Advanced skills in Microsoft PowerPoint

Training

Continuous Improvement (2025)

Agile Scrum Lego Training (2024)

Mental Health Training for HR professionals (2024)

Diversity and Equality in Recruitment & Selection (2023)

CIPD Organisation Design (2023



Interests

  • Social Committee Member: Organised workplace events to foster networking and engagement.
  • Led charity initiatives including bake-offs, Christmas jumper days and cultural celebrations.
  • Badminton, Gym, Reading & Dog Walking

Languages

Fluent in English, German and Tamil

References

References can be provided upon request.

Timeline

Strategic HR Business Partner-Technology & Change

First Central
06.2020 - Current

HR Business Partner (Business School & Tech)

University of Sussex
09.2019 - 09.2020

People & Reward Business Partner - Tech & Change

B&CE
08.2017 - 09.2019

People & Reward Advisor

B&CE
05.2017 - 08.2017

HR Generalist/ Advisor

RSM (FORMER BAKER TILLY)
06.2014 - 05.2017

HR ASSISTANT

Tandridge District Council
06.2013 - 06.2014

FINANCE ASSISTANT

Select Music & Video Distribution
11.2012 - 05.2013

OPTICAL ASSISTANT

Vision Express
06.2010 - 06.2011

Level 5 CIPD Certificate in Human Resource Management (Completed) - Human Resources

CIPD

Bachelor of Arts - Accounting and Finance

University of Hertfordshire

Secondary Education Exam -

St Bede's School

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Mugi Spencer