According to Hilary Wood, HR manager at facilities management provider Monterary, part of the Balfour Beatty Group, “The role of an HR manager is both challenging and rewarding”.
Wood believes there are seven key skills necessary to succeed as an HR manager: business awareness the ability to translate an organisation’s commercial objectives into HR policies excellent administrative skills the ability to negotiate and mediate interpersonal flair analytical skills and flexibility.
Wood, who is a graduate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, began her career in personnel as an HR officer with brewer Watney Trueman in London. Since then she has held a number of positions within the industry, leading to her present role with Monteray.
“This is a particularly busy time for me and my team”, she says, “as the business is undergoing some re-organisation and, as a result, we are implementing a programme of change management. My priority at present is our programme of change management, but I am also heavily involved in talent management and succession planning.
“I have a team of three to support me, and I have a dual reporting role – to the Monteray managing director and also to the HR director of Hayden Business Management, which controls Monteray as part of construction giant Balfour Beatty Group. This is a great advantage, as it means I have a direct route to the strategic side of the business as well as an HR focus. As a result, I am able to ensure our HR objectives dovetail with our business goals.”
“Every day is varied,” she adds. “You could be managing recruiting and resourcing issues, contributing to the organisation’s learning and development strategy, developing and implementing succession planning and assisting in delivering corporate and local objectives, as well as being involved with managing people issues to ensure employees are treated in accordance with employment law.”
“It’s immensely stimulating and challenging and I would recommend the role whole-heartedly” says Wood.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Salary expectations: £28,000 to £70,000
Information provided by Hays Human Resources.
