Michelle Carpenter-hanson

Experience

July 2022 – July 2023                Interim Global HR Director        MediaMath

AdTech sector                             Employees c 350: US/LATAM/EMEA & APAC

Key partner to new Executive leaders for the Commercial functions. Focus on a transformative growth agenda, including reprofiling & upskilling of talent, revising compensation structures and driving new approaches to market. Also supported Tech & Finance functions and led the design of culture, talent & reward strategies across all regions. Key coach and advisor to global teams.

• Restructured global commission scheme to ensure transparency & drive performance
• Revised recruitment processes to reduce costs & speed up processes to hire key talent.
• Created post employee survey plan to improve engagement.
• Implemented global benchmarking to support retention of key talent
• Led restructuring exercise to realign commercial teams and reduce operating costs.
• Created skills development roadmap for commercial functions.
• Reviewed payroll & Employer of Record set up & identified savings of $400k

April 2021- June 2022              Interim Head of HR      Royal Mail Group Plc

Facilities Management sector                                     Employees c 3000: UK

Supported new MD in developing a transformation plan to improve efficiency and profitability.

• Created strategic HR plan, with clear KPIs aligned to key strategic business objectives.
• Supported design of change programme for Facilities division with Year 1 savings of c £5m, overall 5 year savings of c £40m
• Created new job structure to harmonise legacy roles & employment terms to drive cost savings.
• Implemented Communications & Engagement initiatives with improved survey response rate of  35 points in 5 months, & Trust score by 15 points.
• Created & implemented Leadership & Management development framework & Competency framework to support key skills development.
• Initiated & delivered benchmarking project for all roles to support pay planning & transformation
• Ran multiple pay review cycles – all within budget & delivered ahead of schedule & restructured approach to union pay negotiations.
• Improved relations with recognised trade unions: CWU & UNITE.
• Developed coaching for performance management.
• Achieved Investors in People re-accreditation.

Nov 2018 – July 2022                                                Freelance HR Consultant

Provided pragmatic, flexible & cost effective HR support on the full range of HR areas. Projects included recruitment for key roles, advising on redundancies, supporting disciplinaries, creating  core HR infrastructures & frameworks, provision of coaching, career counselling & design of an online development programme. Provided pro bono support to individuals through the pandemic.

Oct 2017 - Nov 2018        EVP Global Head HR & Marketing       Sonnedix

Renewable Energy sector         Employees c.350: US/EMEA/APAC/LATAM

Hired by CEO to transform HR & Marketing functions. Provided proactive leadership to the CEO & Senior leadership group & main PE Investor on the full range of HR strategic interventions across US, EMEA, APAC, enabling the effective development and implementation of the business strategy. Member of RemCo & Performance Board Committees.

• Creation of global talent strategy incorporating succession planning, emerging talent, leadership development programme & E-Learning platform
• Successful implementation of global HRIS system - on time & within budget.
• Design & Implementation of effective communications & engagement strategy leading to 97% participation rate & improvement of engagement score by 20 points in less than 1 year
• Implemented new external website & intranet.
• Creation of global Reward plan including LTIP plan for leadership & key talent, global benchmarking implemented to support hiring & retention & benefit schemes relevant to individual countries
• Created cohesive global marketing plan to support brand awareness and growth.
• Relaunched performance management process & development planning to support retention.
• Rebuilt global HR team & HR processes to ensure efficiency, accuracy & compliance.
• Implemented new resourcing approach reducing time to fill to less than 30 day average & saving £800k of in year budgeted hire costs 

January 2016 - Oct 2017              Global HR Director                 NSC Global IT Professional Services sector              Employees 3500: US/EMEA/INDIA

Part of the global leadership team. Key areas of focus included working with the CEO to develop a global strategy to position the firm as a market leader in financial/capital market systems consultancy as well as having global responsibility for HR

• Created effective global HR team. Including a global HR shared services team in India.
• Identified & selected global HRIS system to provide integrated HR management.
• Successful integration of a key resources within managed service contracts across multiple geographies.
• Revitalised performance management & delivered 100% compliance in 1 year.
• Reduced HR budget in line with CEO guidance delivering savings of approx. £500k.
• Led negotiations on restructuring of Dutch business unit.
• Key player in bids for multi million pound managed service contracts.
• Creation of new global job structure/grading structure.
• Developed new HR approach to managing integrations of service deals, improving workflow & partnering with global bid & sales teams.

Jan 2014 to Dec 2015               Divisional Global HR Director        Howden Engineering sector                    Employees 4000: US/EMEA/APAC/LATAM

Provided proactive HR leadership to the Executive Director & Senior Management Team on the full range of HR strategic interventions across US, LATAM, EMEA & APAC, enabling the effective development and implementation of the divisional business strategy. Led a global HR team of 35, including business unit HR Directors.

• Created talent strategy incorporating succession planning & emerging talent across 13 countries. 
• Successful integration of a key acquisition enabling an enhanced offering to global mining  clients. First tech acquisition for the business
• Restructuring of 3 key business units to achieve savings of c.£20m
• Creation of business strategy & model for new region enabling cost efficiencies of c £10m
• Creation of employee engagement strategy including global focus groups & effective internal communications plan
• Review of key leadership talent & creation of divisional talent pool
• Support of continuous improvement programme & embedding of best practice tools for improved performance

2013 to 2014                Partner/Global Head of HR               PHI Partners   

Software/Consultancy sector                       Employees c 1500: US/EMEA 

Part of the global partner/leadership team of this entrepreneurial business, Global responsibility for HR, Marketing and Business Operations. The priorities were to develop plans for expanding geographic scope and technology platform expertise in addition to preparing for Private Equity investment. 

2006 - 2013                   HR Director, International          Duff & Phelps LLC Financial Advisory & Investment Banking sector

Employees 1500: US/EMEA/APAC

A key member of the International leadership team & consultant to Executive Committee. The primary function was to support the key growth strategy of the organisation, which was the scale up of International operations across Europe & Asia. Key areas of responsibility included creating resourcing, reward & development strategies. Also took the lead in developing the global infrastructure of the operations, working with functions such as Compliance & Finance to ensure that appropriate policies, reporting systems & metrics were in place, as well as supporting the International Head of Operations in managing the business.

• Successfully led global integration team on the largest acquisition completed by the Firm (included management of TUPE)
• Designed & implemented new global structure for the organisation to ensure synergies leveraged across the business, improve collaboration & drive better focus on key industry sectors & key clients from a global platform.
• Creation of Global HR strategy with key deliverables & KPIs which linked HR to the business strategy and demonstrated “value add” to Company performance.
• Opened offices in Munich, Paris, Zurich, Tokyo, Shanghai & Beijing, increasing headcount from 28 to 350 within 3 years.
• Widening service portfolio & increasing revenues from c $7 million to in excess of $45 million with average gross margin of 40%.
• Managed senior talent acquisition across 7 countries.
• Implemented effective& compliant HR framework of policies & processes to support business growth & performance.
• Developed and implemented a global employee engagement survey & follow up programmes to drive people engagement & support the building of a cohesive, high performance organisation.
• Developed & implemented global coaching programme designed to support the embedding of high performance culture.
• Implemented benchmarking/competitive intelligence reporting across all regions to monitor remuneration practices.
• Introduced Total Reward statements globally to support retention strategies.
• Creation of Total Remuneration strategy for senior leaders, including LTIP & Equity schemes.
• Created & delivered a global development model for Commercial Skills & leadership to drive market opportunities and develop new business.

2004 - 2006                         Global HR Director         Misys Banking Systems IT Software sector                                     Employees 3000: US/EMEA/APAC

Member of the Boards of 2 of the divisions within Misys Banking. Strong change management skills were instrumental in supporting business transformation and an International HR team of 20 was built to provide effective & consistent business support to the organisation globally. Created central team of HR specialists to partner regional generalists.

• Implemented a 3 year strategic plan for HR which underpinned the key business objectives of growing Professional Services, enhancing Customer Services, creating a quality driven, efficient Development operation and up-skilling the Sales force.
• Launched a "Peak Performance" programme to improve employee engagement, business performance, customer satisfaction and drive culture change.
• Implemented an Employee Survey & 360 feedback to improve communications and support initiatives to drive business performance. Within 1 year improved engagement by 30 points.
• Created & Implemented a Reward strategy for the Divisions to support key business objectives of retention and a peak performance culture.
• Implemented an E-Learning platform to deliver timely development requirements in a cost efficient way. This provided savings of c.£400k within the first 12 months.

2001 – 2004                          HR Director                            Anite Public Sector Technology: Software & Managed Services         

Employee Base c 300

• Formulated and delivery of resourcing, reward and development strategies to support this fast growing business – scaled up by 200 in 12 months.
• Created an integrated organisation from 12 acquisitions.
• Established an Executive team focused on the strategic view of the market and driving forward an integrated culture for the organisation.
• Directed a restructuring programme which delivered £10 million of annualised savings from the cost base.
• Played key role in the negotiation of commercial managed service contracts with Central and Local Government bodies.
• Designed and led due diligence & integration programmes for acquisitions, leveraging synergies to increase profitability.
• Renegotiated and re-structured employee benefits to deliver savings of c £300k ,
• Created a formal graduate intake and development programme.
• Created & managed HR team of 8.
• Identifying and removing a potential exposure of £4.5 million from a major service contract, thereby increasing profitability.

2000-2001                               Head of HR            Textron Fastening Systems Manufacturing  sector                                       Global Employee Base c 3000

1998-2000                                HR Manager                                    Esselte Ltd

Manufacturing sector                                         Global Employee Base c 8500

1995-1998                               HR Manager         Racal Telecommunications

Telecoms sector                                                               Employee Base c 3500

1994-1995                         Personnel Officer      BRT Telecommunications 

                                                                                           Employee Base c 2500