Richard Webber

Commercially focused, engaging and results orientated Senior HR leader with a broad set of strategic, operational and commercial skills that brings leadership to transform operating models through robust technology, policies, and processes, to enable the delivery of business strategy and objectives.

Strong experience of developing and leading HR centres of excellence, with success in delivering value-add within an organisation by partnering with stakeholders and looking at HR service improvements and interventions through the lens of internal customers and employees.  Areas of expertise include efficient and measurable shared service development & delivery, risk and capital management, continuous improvement, end to end process design, project leadership, influencing and stakeholder management.
 

 
July 2022 – present  Global Head of HR Operations    M&C Saatchi

Globally renown marketing, advertising and talent agency. Highly federated matrixed organisation 3500fte. Design and lead global Operations function including Shared Services (inc payroll), Reward & benefits, Technology and Analytics. Reporting directly to Global CPO

Key Deliverables

HR Operations Transformation - 
• Define and drive global operations (Sla’s, Self Service, technology, right shoring, Reward etc…)
• Define and deliver operations and HRIS strategy 
• Define, oversee, and develop risk and control management for all HR
• Develop reward & benefits strategy
• Lead global analytics strategy
• Accountable for third party vendor partnerships across HR
• Create group policies and aligned people processes

Key Achievements
• Delivered organisational design review (alongside PWC) for middle and back office
• Defined Risk and Control framework for HR Operations
• Developed global reporting framework 
• Global HRIS RFP and proposal
• Defined global policy mandate inc Code of Conduct, global mobility, work from anywhere etc…

Jun 2019 – July 2022  Head of HR Operations (UK, CIIOM)    HSBC

Led HR Service delivery across all services, reporting into COO. Drive an operational excellence culture across 43,000 employees to utilse self-service and create a more user-friendly experience for the future, utilising digital levers. Serviced upwards of 1 million transactions per annum within risk tolerance, budget and a regulatory control framework

Key Deliverables

• HR Service transformation - define and drive UK shared service strategy (Self Service, technology, offshoring etc…)
• Chair UK Service Committee (ServCo) to drive service performance across all lines (Reward, Advisory, ER, shared services, Tier 1, payroll, L&D, Service improvement etc….) – c. 150fte, on and offshore
• Member of UK Operation Committee (OpCo) to update HR risks, controls and service (1st and 2nd line)
• Oversee and develop risk and control management framework for HR operations
• Oversee HR Services budget and spend
• Own third party vendor partnerships of key services, ensuring service levels and costs are managed
• Oversee the development of strategic HR MI including group exec, strategic assessment, operational and performance reporting, and insight, ensuring success is proved against our people strategy

Key Achievements

• Implementation of SAP SuccessFactors and aligned people processes 
• Implemented service model underpinned by data (Tier 0 – Tier 3) inc chatbot 
• Implementation of offshored model – Operations 90% offshored (Hyderabad, Manilla and Krakow)
• Drove usage of HR Self-service and Time Off systems across UK up to 68% during year 1
• Defined and chaired Service committee seeing an increase in service (90% sla) and increase in quality (98%+)
• Defined strategy for Business Change (redundancy) operations to a technological and offshored activity during 2020
• Influenced business (through BP’s) to move to a centralised Time Off solution (2021) 
• 2020 UK HSBC spotlight winner for contribution to HR

Jan 2018 – Jun 2019  HR Business Partner   Wesleyan Financial Services (multi site)

Working with national reach across major business areas; partnering with 4 Exec members (Bank CEO, CRO, CFO & CIO) and senior management team. Responsible for 600 FTE headcount across Wesleyan Bank (reporting to bank board)

• Shape HR agenda and direction in alignment with organisation’s wider strategic priorities, goals and vision and within context of external challenges
• Provide frameworks for managers to implement salary review process by creating structured pay review tool – implemented new reward framework for investments and finance
• Influence, challenge and gain support at Executive leadership level, with a key focus on securing and sustaining an active commitment to full delivery of organisational people agenda
• Sat on bank executive committee and represent HR in committees (Risk, RemCo etc…)  
• Facilitate improved efficiencies and cost reductions by leading on design, development and delivery of organisational change programmes
• Increased and standardised London and Northwich team access to HR shared service support by contributing to culture change and transition from multi-site to centralised operating HR model (April 2018)

Aug 2013 – Jan 2018   HR Service Delivery Lead     Wesleyan

Responsible for leading HR Service Delivery and implementing a HR Self Service model, ensuring efficiency of resource, operational excellence and delivery of 1st class service delivery of end to end employee lifecycle transactions. Accountable on the strategic direction of transactional and centre of excellence HR Team.

Key Deliverables  
• Areas accountable for – drive measurable performance (SLA & KPI) of HR Shared Services (employee lifecycle admin), Employee relations, Data, insight & analytics, technology, vendor management, Payroll and risk management/governance (5 direct reports)
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement across HR which included, process documentation, improvement, standardisation and rationalisation 
• Project manage key initiatives including employee vetting framework, developing analytics roadmap, technology review, Service delivery model (centralised shared services), policy overhaul etc
• Accountable for service delivery of third party vendor partnerships and lead vendor tender process when appropriate (RFP through to agreement and ongoing management)
• Oversee and develop risk management framework for onboarding, administration, regulation and ER 
• Oversee the development of strategic HR MI including group exec, strategic assesment, operational and performance reporting and insight, ensuring success is proved against our people strategy 
• Directly accountable to FCA (regulator) for recruitment and vetting of regulated individuals 
• Oversee payroll of 1800 staff and 18,000 customers across 12 payrolls (consolidated to 5 in 2017)

Key Achievements
• Developed, integrated, and centralised HR service delivery model, incorporating Employee relations, data, insight & analytics, technology, vendor management, HR Shared Services & regulated risk management aligning to a new vertical business model – reduction in overall operational headcount, whilst maintaining service at 90% service standard and 93% quality standard 
• Implemented Advanced (Tier 3) technology (cost decision), also utilised Workday here
• Developed and implemented group policies, standards, processes and controls to demonstrate regulatory (FCA) and legislative adherence and employee minimum standards – green audits from FCA and Internal audit (SMCR responsibility maps and standards inc DBS, Credit, right to work etc.)
• Integrated numerous acquired businesses HR operations into HR Shared Service centre 
• Project lead on fleet review that resulted on proposition being outsourced and increased benefit offering for employees – Saved £300k per annum for society
• Developed business intelligence strategy (MI Strategy and delivery) across HR and into business units to influence decision making – enabled a number of initiatives including reducing time to hire for financial consultants from 16 weeks to 8 weeks, reducing sickness absence, influencing on gender pay gap joining the 30% club
• EG Operational Intelligence - Best Practise Manager award - 2014
• CII high achiever finalist – 2015

April 2012 – August 2013   Life & Pensions Manager    Wesleyan 
• Leading 2 business areas (20 FTE) consisting of Actuarial Technicians and Customer Service Advisers (life and pension claims) to achieve service standards
• Project management on continuous improvement activities across department with aim of making processes more efficient, compliant and accurate – examples; supporting TOM review, call quality, reporting, 
• Developed a shared service team as proof of concept, which led to new operating model being implemented for life & pensions (circa 200 employees)
 

Ensure continuing professional development through regular training participation. Recent training includes:

2016 - ILM - Level 5 – Leadership and Management  
2013 – CII – Financial Planning (including Pensions)