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Bill Brown joins Threshold after eight years at Brighton and Hove Council where he was responsible for providing a customer-focused HR service and strategic expertise.
The organisation aims to double its size over the next five years, so maintaining a quality service for tenants and staff is a key challenge for him.
"My new role is extremely challenging and exciting. As the first director of HR, I have to ensure that our people strategies complement the organisation's business ambitions. The position also encompasses the corporate services function - bringing together fundraising, public relations and governance. These are all new areas for me and represent a significant learning curve," he says.
Brown's ambition is to create a modern, forward-looking HR function that acts as a business enabler rather than a gatekeeper of policy and procedure.
"I have to move quickly to address issues around recruitment and retention, diversity and leadership development which are crucial areas for the success of our corporate business plan.
"I am really looking forward to repositioning HR so that it's seen as a function that is not just about administrative tasks but one that can really help managers achieve their objectives," he adds.
According to Brown, HR has to become more flexible to respond to what the business actually needs from its people: "I like seeing the surprise on managers' faces when they realise that HR people can be more than just gatekeepers and blockers and can really help them get on with their job," he explains.
CV
2002 Director of HR and corporate services, Threshold Housing and Support
2000 Director of HR, Brighton & Hove City Council
1996 Head of personnel operations, Brighton & Hove City Council
1993 Personnel manager, Brighton Council Arts and Leisure Department
1990 Head of personnel projects, Lambeth Council Housing Department
On the move
- David Beech has been appointed director of HR research and consultancy at the Institute for Employment Studies. His task is to advance understanding and improve practice in the organisation and management of people. His current research interests include the influence of cross-cultural values on leadership behaviour and effectiveness. He joins from Ashridge Business School, where he worked as a client and programm
