Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Technicalskills
Professionalmemberships
Professional Highlights
Timeline
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Nicola Hough

HR Manager
Cheshire

Summary

I am a motivated and empathetic human resource professional with a proven track record of assisting organisations in attracting, nurturing, and retaining top talent.
I am skilled at establishing strong partnerships with management teams to encourage inclusive and employee-centric cultures that enhance workplace morale and increase productivity.
I possess excellent interpersonal skills and effective communication abilities, which allow me to engage with employees at all levels within the organisation.
My commitment to creating a positive work environment drives my dedication to supporting both the organisation’s goals and the growth of its people.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education

Work History

HR Manager

Ableworld UK Head Office
11.2020 - Current
  • Develop and implement HR policies and processes to ensure alignment with company objectives
  • Manage a continuous performance appraisal system to foster high performance across teams
  • Conduct employee investigations and handle grievances and disciplinary matters
  • Report monthly to the Board on HR metrics and initiatives
  • Lead recruitment and onboarding efforts, aligning talent acquisition with departmental and budgetary needs
  • Administer payroll via Sage 50 and manage employee benefits packages
  • Process all paperwork for new hires, job candidates, complaints, and pre-employment tests
  • Provide expert advice to department managers and the Board on employment law matters

Executive Assistant & Office Manager to Entrepreneurial CEO

Graham Shapiro Design Ltd
04.2013 - 11.2020
  • Supported a highly accomplished CEO, aligning daily operations with strategic business goals
  • Acted as a people manager, fostering team collaboration and operational efficiency
  • Liaised with internal teams to identify risks and challenges in ongoing projects
  • Provided strategic consultation and advice to the CEO, driving new initiatives to support business growth
  • Managed and executed internal projects, ensuring deadlines and budget constraints were met
  • Collaborated with the CEO on business planning, forecasting, and goal execution

Executive Assistant to Group Legal General Counsel & Group Financial Officer

Clear Channel International
01.2011 - 01.2013
  • Supported the Group Legal Counsel and CFO with administrative and strategic tasks
  • Coordinated business communications with internal teams and board members
  • Organised high-profile events, ensuring compliance with legal and financial contract requirements
  • Assisted legal and financial committees in managing strategic initiatives and internal projects
  • Prepared client presentations, documented meeting minutes, and organised agendas
  • Managed executive diaries, travel itineraries, recruitment operations, and onboarding
  • Led a reception team of 4, overseeing staff appraisals and team coordination

Personal Assistant to Global Chief Information Officer

Control Risks
01.2006 - 01.2011
  • Managed daily operations, executive diaries, and email correspondence
  • Coordinated meetings, prepared client-facing presentations, and generated ad-hoc reports
  • Organised detailed travel itineraries, including visas and accommodations
  • Improved office systems and streamlined data management and filing operations
  • Implemented a new data collation system for the Group Steering Committee
  • Collected IT data for reporting insights and negotiated IT procurement contracts
  • Processed data into governance and board reports as requested by the CIO

Legal Secretary to Senior Partner of Corporate Litigation

Dennis Matthews Solicitors
01.2004 - 01.2006
  • Provided administrative support to litigation lawyers and senior partners
  • Managed audio dictation, typed meeting minutes, and prepared case briefs
  • Summarised depositions, contracts, and testimonials for litigation cases
  • Conducted in-depth research to support complex legal cases and verified intelligence sources
  • Drafted legal documents, including appeals, motions, and petitions
  • Maintained and updated case record systems
  • Prioritised internal deadlines and managed agendas based on urgency

Education

BA (Hons) - Media & Communication

Staffordshire University
09.2000 - 07.2003

A-Level - Media Production & Communication, Photography

South Cheshire College
09.1998 - 07.2000

Skills

  • Staffing and recruitment

  • Employer-employee relations

  • Maintain company culture

  • Manage employee benefits

  • Create a safe work environment

  • Handle disciplinary actions

  • Performance management

  • Compensation and benefits

  • Payroll administration

  • Employment law and compliance

Technicalskills

Sage 50, Sage HR, SAP, Apollyon, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom

Professionalmemberships

  • Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Associate
  • Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) England

Professional Highlights

  • Improved HR operations by implementing a digital filing system, reducing paperwork by 40% and enhancing retrieval times for employee records.
  • Revamped the onboarding process, reducing the time from hire to first day by 30% while improving the new hire satisfaction score by 20%.
  • Managed and processed payroll for a team of 200+ employees, ensuring accuracy and on-time payments and resolving any known discrepancies within 24 hours.
  • Played a crucial role in resolving employee disputes and conducting mediation sessions, leading to a 15% decrease in formal grievances filed over a year.
  • By optimising the recruitment process and using targeted sourcing strategies, I reduced the time to hire by 25%, filling critical roles faster.

Timeline

HR Manager

Ableworld UK Head Office
11.2020 - Current

Executive Assistant & Office Manager to Entrepreneurial CEO

Graham Shapiro Design Ltd
04.2013 - 11.2020

Executive Assistant to Group Legal General Counsel & Group Financial Officer

Clear Channel International
01.2011 - 01.2013

Personal Assistant to Global Chief Information Officer

Control Risks
01.2006 - 01.2011

Legal Secretary to Senior Partner of Corporate Litigation

Dennis Matthews Solicitors
01.2004 - 01.2006

BA (Hons) - Media & Communication

Staffordshire University
09.2000 - 07.2003

A-Level - Media Production & Communication, Photography

South Cheshire College
09.1998 - 07.2000
Nicola HoughHR Manager