Paula Sanders

A senior manager with 20 years management/strategy experience in general office management and HR,  experience in health and safety, facilities management, supporting C suite, lecturing (HR courses) and functional operations  for a variety of businesses. I actively support careers education in schools managing a variety of social value projects.

Sector experience in the voluntary sector (advocacy and nurseries), learning and development (NVQ, apprenticeships and delivering CIPD level 3 courses, national recruitment and construction and environmental management.  

I have a very wide skillset (proficient in MS suite and general administrative duties) and enjoy working on projects which in some way give back to the community. After several years of working in the environmental services sector leading the people and social value strategy I'm looking for a new challenge (not necessarily at the same seniority  or remuneration level!).

Dates:                    June 2019 – current

Position:               Operations Director (HR Lead across group)

Company:             Chaffin Works/ETMS Highways (owned by Chaffin)

• Director responsible/lead for HR, Fleet, Administration, Health and safety, IT, social value and marketing
• Head of HR across Chaffins group (3 sites across the south of England). 
• Development and implementation of social value strategy to support the long-term goals of the business regarding EDI, working with local schools to increase awareness of business sector and challenge stereotypes.
• Implementation of recruitment strategy and training managers on interview and recruitment including role review, drafting of job descriptions and person specifications through to advertising copy, creating tools and templates for managers to help them develop their understanding. Running advertising, working with agencies where required to meet recruitment needs and supporting interviews where required.
• Focus on staff retention through creating standardised pay scales and redesigning appraisal system, working on staff benefits through attending Safety councils and leading on focus groups. Working with staff to understand issues and advocate for change where necessary.
• Implementation of mental health support and strategy across the group working with outside agencies such as Mates in Mind and other providers of mental health training and services.
• Implementation of apprenticeships across the business both creating opportunities, a new way to ensure successful completion and retention of apprentices. Working with colleges (Plumpton and Sparsholt) to develop the apprenticeship schemes.
• COVID-19 lead and Risk Assessor designing policy and implementing remedial actions where needed.
• Support Compliance through effective communication and on-site investigations, supporting the health and safety aspects of the business.
• Participation in bid and tenders, specifically around social value, IT security and compliance
• Development of training and competency system to ensure compliance. Procurement of services including training, PPE supply and supporting the supply chain compliance process.
• Support managers in developing own skills and developing a CPD strategy. This includes senior manager support, intervention and 
• Undertake company wide appraisals with line managers.
• General employee relations issues and resolution, including welfare checks and mental health support
  
   

Chaffin Works is an SME working directly with National Highways, Network Rail, utilities, and other infrastructure leaders to provide land management services (tree cutting, vegetation management, fencing and ecology) My role at Chaffin has been wide ranging and ever changing, being made Director in March 2023. Over the last few years I have developed strategies regarding human resources across the business in all areas of HR competency. I have developed our social value strategy around schools, education, and employment to help directly tackle joblessness, improve aspirations not only for children but parents and our own staff. I have enjoyed working for a company that has doubled in size in my time and have been pleased to have been pivotal in changing the perception of HR within the workplace as well as lead on major strategies within the business, I have been given full licence to make changes and as part of the senior leadership team have had the influence to drive the business.

In addition to the above I also manage IT, marketing, and the fleet (approx. 70 vehicles including, tractors, plant, machinery, and HGV’s).

Dates:                       Jul 2018 – May 2019

Position:                  Operations Manager / Office Manager / HR Consultant

Company:              Numerical Insights Ltd

• Day to day running of the operations and office including staff management.
• Effectively deal with client queries ensuring they are passed to the relevant individual and are completed in a timely manner
• Systems Management, reporting etc.
• Provide HR support (recruitment, performance management, development and employment relations advice and guidance) as required both internally and externally.
• Deal with the marketing and social media strategy including content creation and working with external agencies. This has included creating new relationships with local charities (St Michaels Hospice) and schools to provide support utilising our staff talent and expertise.
• Attend networking events and where appropriate business development.
• Invoicing, general bookkeeping for both ourselves and clients using the Xero platform. I also manage several third-party apps to help clients develop their businesses.

I was asked to join Numerical to implement and drive changes as well as overhaul internal systems. This included helping forge a new round of human resource services for clients which I have developed myself including materials, presentations and marketed. I introduced internal staff development as well as overhauling internal performance management systems offering advice on management of staff as well as arranging training internally.

I am also a Xero certified advisor, providing bookkeeping support to clients. I have developed the profile of Numerical by partnering with the local Job Centre to provide mentoring to young people trying to get into work as well as including colleagues in my work with the Enterprise Adviser Network.

Dates:                       Mar 2018 - 2021

Position:                  Sessional Lecturer – Human Resources - CIPD (Tuesday evenings)

Company:              Sussex Coast College Hastings

I provide lectures and tutoring to level 3 CIPD candidates on twice per week, contributing toward teaching materials, assessment, and course development. I have been extremely fortunate to the asked to join the team after a few successful guest speaker slots.

Dates:                       Jan 2018 - Current

Position:                  Enterprise Adviser (Voluntary) 

Company:              East Sussex County Council – Enterprise Advisor Network

Utilising my expertise in recruitment, career development and business I work in a voluntary capacity providing strategic careers development support to The Eastbourne Academy and more recently Saxon Mount School, providing CV writing courses and other career-based initiatives with the insight to improve the prospects of young people in the area.

Dates:                       June 2011 – July 2018

Position:                  Operations Manager / Head of Project Management / Recruitment Specialist 

Company:              ASL Recruitment Ltd (ASL Online / Hunt4staff)

• Day to day running of the recruitment advertising arm of the company, overseeing project and business development activities.
• Internal systems management, set up and training.
• Providing additional operational back up to the group in general (either managing and implementation of processes or taking part in staff recruitment).
• Internal recruitment and dealing with HR / staff issues as required.
• Oversee all client recruitment projects. Offer advice to Project Managers in the handling of their projects.
• Management of advertising costs (analysis and spend).
• Training of fresh staff and ongoing development of all team members across the group.
• Overseeing business marketing and social media planning.
• Attending networking events.
• On-site visits to clients offering process and recruitment advice.
• Deal with escalated queries and complaints.
• Provision of technical support for our bespoke Applicant Tracking System.
• Running the day-to-day accounting for the company sales, purchases, and credit control.

After starting as a Project Co-ordinator seven years ago I had gradually taken over the day to day management of the company. I had regular meetings with the Company Directors regarding staffing and budgets as well as proposing new services and costings. I managed the daily workloads for the project team ensuring they are up to date with their clients as well as helping them deal with any difficulties. As a company we offered advice on how to utilise online recruitment but also offer advice around other HR issues and processes. We are part of a group of companies, so I offer operational and technical support to our agency arm as well as our training company, as some of our clients cross over all three businesses I enjoy developing strategies to ensure we are supplying the best services for their needs across the board.

IOSH Safety for executive and Directors

Diploma in Human Resource Practice