The Experts in HR

Meet Our Team

Our HR consultancy team

Meet our growing team of HR professionals

Samantha Hulson

Managing Director, HR & Executive Coach

Samantha is a Chartered fellow of the CIPD (FCIPD), which is the highest membership of people professionals. Sam has previously led several outstanding schools HR traded services in the public sector on behalf of local authorities, including for the largest children’s services directorate in Europe (98% Headteacher client satisfaction for the quality of HR advice and support). She has successfully led on the planning and implementation of numerous transformation projects, advised the School Teachers Review Body (STRB) on national teacher pay matters, implemented new performance management frameworks linked to pay and different contracts of employment. Sam has led on national, regional and local trade union consultation including the development of a suite of new policies, management toolkits, complex casework resolution, disputes and recognition agreements. Sam previously chaired the Birmingham schools Joint Consultative Committees (JCC). Sam has worked in the private sector including retail and banking. 

Mark Jenkins

HR Consultant, Employee Relations (ER)

Mark is a Chartered MCIPD and Diploma in Management Studies Senior HR Executive Director of HR with excellent knowledge of employment and payroll legislation specifically in the higher education sector. Experience of leading on trade union consultation, advising on complex Employee Relations (ER) matters, HR and People strategy, policy, change management, TUPE, and best practice. A lead in a number of OFSTED inspections, audit processes, employer initiatives, recruitment, leadership and management, Health and Safety, IIP accreditation and CPD frameworks.

Hollie Licqurish

HR Advisor

Hollie is an Associate CIPD member, with a sound understanding of what HR within the education sector entails. Having worked within several internal HR teams, Hollie is confident in providing professional advisory, recruitment, and employee relations support to our clients. Hollie has experience of maintaining the integrity of the data held by school’s Single Central Record (SCR) and is knowledgeable about the regulatory requirements surrounding this.

Emma James

Business Support Manager and Company Secretary

Emma is a former contract project manager for the civil service. Emma manages the business support aspects on behalf of the Company and our clients to ensure systems, processes and risk management are effective, and that our client contracts are compliant. Emma provides a range of digital support to deliver our briefings and thought leadership content. Emma provides minute taking as part of the HR offer. As Company Secretary Emma helps ensure the Company complies with financial and legal responsibilities, as well as Governance.

Steve Kearsley

HR Consultant

Steve is a former Divisional Director of HR with significant strategic and operational HR experience and a proven track-record of success in business transformation, change management, employee relations, workplace investigations and reward management. Steve has notable HR experience in the education, public and private sectors.

Lorraine Jones

HR Consultant

Lorraine is an experienced former HR Director for the Law Society of England and Wales and Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Lorraine specialises in employee relations, workplace investigations, TUPE, coaching and mentoring. Lorraine has significant HR experience in the education, public and private sectors. Lorraine is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.

Steve Tolley

HR Consultant

Steve is a former HR Director and Head of HR Advisory Services in the public sector. Steve specialises in employee relations, workplace investigations, job evaluation and pay structures. Steve has substantial HR experience in the education, public and private sectors. Steve is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.

Martin Callus

HR Consultant

Martin is a former Group HR Director and change management consultant that specialises in HR, training and development, NLP, coaching, mentoring interventions, restructures, policy development and workplace investigations through to tribunal. Martin has worked with a wide range of organisations including Acute/Mental Health Trusts, GP federations, CCG’s, local authorities, education Church of England and Birmingham Catholic Diocese. Martin is a Chartered Member of the CIPD and a CIPD Level 5 Lecturer for the South Orbital Colleges (John Ruskin and East Surrey).

Brian Carmichael

HR Consultant and Mediator

An accredited ACAS Employee Mediator, CIPD HR professional and trained Senior Investigating Officer, Brian is a subject matter expert in the effective management of Employee Relations. Utilising his skills, experience, and knowledge from working as a police officer for thirty years, he can proactively identify the root cause of employee(s) problems by conducting proportionate and ethically based HR fact-finding and disciplinary investigations. Where employees are conflicted, Brian performs facilitative mediation to restore effective working relationships.

Brian can also conduct reviews of processes and organisational design to identify the factors contributing to poor and inefficient performance. He is also proficient in providing hands-on case management support in investigations, disciplinary matters, absenteeism, capability, and grievance matters.

Mary Walker

Learning and Development Consultant

Mary has extensive experience and a track record in delivering diverse learning and development programmes and executive level coaching and mentoring to support businesses, charities and leaders to maximise performance of their teams. Mary helps leaders access funding to support training.  Mary’s most recent work achievements include the successful delivery of the volunteer programme for the European Professional Rugby Cup finals. Mary has over 30-years’ experience working in finance and HR roles and has been a member of the CIPD for over 20-years. Mary is passionate about supporting the local community and has been a Governor.

Ann Reilly

HR Consultant

Ann is a former Head of HR in the private sector, a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, with more than 30 years professional HR experience in both strategic and operational HR roles. Ann is passionate about what she does, a trusted HR partner and advisor working collaboratively utilising her experience to provide pragmatic HR solutions and support. With expertise in the areas of Employee Relations, Trade Unions, Disciplinary, Grievances, Workplace Investigations, Mediations, TUPE transfers from local authorities into the private sector, Change programmes, redundancy, organisational re-structures and succession planning. An Award winner who has worked across a wide range of business sectors, including Engineering Design, Retail, Highways and Rail, Pharmacy and FM.

Judi McSweeney

HR Consultant

An FCIPD senior HR professional, with experience of working within education, charities, and manufacturing sectors. Providing generalist strategic and operational HR consultancy and support to executive and management teams to find solutions. Key skills are employee relations, including disciplinary, restructures, grievance, capability, working with unions, influencing, appraisal, project, talent, and conflict management.

Frances Murphy

Management Consultant

A highly experienced Business and Project Development Manager with a demonstrable history of working in local government and the education administration industry. Frances has experience in supporting establishments in a wide range of business initiatives, including process change management and project management logistics and delivery.  

Ellen Osborne

Single Central Record Audits and Mediator

With over twenty years of local government experience within the education sector, Ellen has extensive knowledge of recruitment and pre-employment practices within schools. She has successfully worked with more than 300 schools over 10 years to ensure recruitment and Single Central Record compliance with Ofsted, Home Office and Audit. Ellen has been a qualified workplace Mediator since 2001, working with various types of employees, from senior leaders to administration. Ellen complies with the European Code of Conduct for Mediators.

Pam Rai

HR Consultant

Pam is a former Head of HR in the education sector with experience working both strategically and operationally to support senior leadership teams to develop and drive a high-performance culture, increased engagement, wellbeing, developing frameworks for schools to attract and retain the best talent. Pam has extensive knowledge of UK employment law and has supported change programmes, training delivery, managed complex Employee Relations (ER) casework, coaching and mentoring staff and providing opportunities for reflection and learning.

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HR UPDATE  Mental Health Awareness Week (13 to 19 May 2024)

HR UPDATE Mental Health Awareness Week (13 to 19 May 2024)

Over half of all work-related ill health is due to stress, depression, or anxiety. You can support HSE's Working Minds campaign to raise awareness of how to promote good mental health at work. The Working Minds campaign brings together a range of tools and support to...

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