The Client :
Founded in the 1980's our Client was one of the leading international names in credit risk management and associated decision support technologies. It is perceived to have revolutionised the development and monitoring of credit and performance scoring systems and it delivers scoring solutions supported by advanced software, helping customers to minimise credit risk, evaluate portfolio performance and develop effective customer management strategies.

The Brief :
Following sustained growth, a need arose to appoint a Strategic Consultant, Scoring who would provide an end-to-end consultancy service over multiple, concurrent projects to clients. This would include:

• Scorecard development and the provision of analytical expertise
• Management and development of a team of Analysts
• Advising clients on the most appropriate solutions for their business needs
• Defining and setting timescales and budgets as appropriate for each project
• Writing proposals/responding to tender invitations
• Visiting clients in the UK and overseas as appropriate (each project is likely to involve

The Client :
Our Client was the world's largest independent credit card lender, with managed loans of US $88.8 billion. The company also provides consumer loans, insurance products and retail deposits. It employs an integrated marketing approach that combines direct mail, telemarketing, event and other marketing techniques, with sophisticated modelling and segmentation strategies designed to expand its customer base in a cost-effective manner.

The Brief :
Following the creation of a dedicated Consumer Finance division, the role of Senior Portfolio Quality Analyst (a management position) has been created to provide detailed analysis on the Consumer Finance's Customer applicant profile and account performance across 11 loan and retail products

• Manage the design and production of all monthly / quarterly monitoring reports for the Risk Division (e.g. Demographic, Risk Assessment, Vintage, State of the Portfolio.)
• Recommend policies and reporting requirements relating to new Bank initiatives
• Manage the design, implementation and monitoring of the impact of strategies and scorecards employed within the Decision Master, Probe, and Debt Management System, recommend and test changes
• Develop behavioural scorecards
• Build Champion/Challenger strategies
• Manage Capacity and Financial Modelling as required
• Maintain monthly communications with Customer Assistance, Consumer Finance and other relevant departments in the Bank and with External Vendors such as the Credit Bureaux

The Client :
Our Client was the newly created Internet Bank of a large and high profile diverse Group. It's aim was to enter the UK market with two initial product offerings, Credit Cards and Personal Loans with plans to expand into Europe as appropriate

The Brief :
A new role of Head of Credit Risk was created with overall responsibility for establishing and then developing a Risk function from scratch including:

• The creation of an appropriate Risk infrastructure including policies and procedures
• The creation of a Risk strategy
• The recruitment of a team covering Fraud and Bad Debt

The Client :
Our client was established over 150 years ago and is one of the world's largest financial services organisations and provides life and pensions, general insurance, savings, Internet banking and asset management; operating under a number of household brand names.

The Brief :
Due to growth of the Training and Development department, the role of Training and Development was created to focus on the creation, identification and implementation of innovative training and development initiatives aligned to business objectives. Overall accountability for the development process included:

• TNA, design & delivery through to evaluation
• Induction
• Performance appraisal
• Projects such as the creation of a Training Intranet

The Client :
Our client was one of the world's leading financial services organisations, providing brokerage, asset management and portfolio services, lending, trading, origination and strategic advisory services on a global basis. Our client operates as a dealer in a wide variety of equity and debt products, as well as providing asset management, investment banking, private banking and research services. It is now the largest active fund manager in Europe, with assets under management standing at $288 billion, employing over 67,000 people over 43 countries, Client assets world-wide standing at $1.7 trillion, with total Assets Under Management of $557 billion.

The Brief :
This new role was created against a background of the establishment of a global and group-wide Training and Development structure. This has resulted in the creation of a Training and Development Consultant role for every core piece of the business. Thus this role would provide the appointee with the opportunity to be part of building a global Training network across the Group.

• Proactively create and identify new ideas and initiatives to continuously improve current Training and Development projects and processes; Source "Best Practice" opportunities and processes and establish a "Best Practice Network"
• To ensure that successful Training and Development initiatives that have already been piloted and proven to be successful within the Finance community are rolled-out to Corporate Services, Marketing, Treasury, O.G.C, Security, Audit, HR, C.R.M and strategy
• To integrate both global and local Training and Development initiatives in a manner that will compliment the achievement of local business objectives through a partnership approach
• The effective formulation and selling of the added value benefits of training in order to create committed stakeholders within the customer base
• Working with the HR Generalist and the line, define, create and then oversee the delivery of training initiatives (the majority of delivery is outsourced). Ensure that an evaluation process is undertaken
• Identify, negotiate and subsequently manage relationships with external training providers
• To develop and foster management skills within the customer base by working closely with the Generalists and the line to develop the "management tool kit." This will be achieved through the identification and delivery of management skills orientated training programmes

The Client :
Our client was part of a global Group and one of the world's largest independent Investment Management groups. It has a significant presence in the institutional and retail segments of the Investment Management industry in North America and Europe, combined with a growing presence in Asia. Unlike many financial institutions, the Group is focused entirely on Investment Management, it's aim being to remain one of the few independent Investment Managers with the ability to offer a broad range of investment products in a variety of investment styles. Through diverse distribution channels, these products are offered to institutional and individual clients in each of the world's capital markets. Our client has over 40 offices world-wide in 25 countries, serving clients located in more than 100 countries. Total funds under management stand at £270.2 billion with turnover at £1.628 billion.

The Brief :
Following the successful acquisition of one of the UK's leading fund management brands, and the continued growth of the existing business in the UK, a need has been identified for a dedicated Compensation and Benefits resource, hence the creation of this managerial role to establish the function.

• Ongoing review of policy and approach, proactively implementing change as appropriate, to:
Stock schemes
DB/DC pension schemes and Trustee arrangements
Tax and NI issues
Car schemes
• Working closely with the HR Generalists, management of the annual compensation process including the promotion and bonus process
• Management of Long Term Incentive Plans including undertaking a review of market practice
• Accompany Head of Personnel to Trustee meetings
• Devise and commission ad-hoc salary surveys, e.g. non-City focused
• Keep staff aware of any relevant changes and run staff briefings
• Job matching
• Negotiate annual renewals for PPP, life assurance and PHI ensuring that accurate records are maintained
• Liaison with peers globally in order to create a network of Compensation & Benefits expertise across the Group

The Client :
Our client was established in 1848 and is one of the world's largest financial services organisations and is as diverse as it is global. It provides life and pensions, general insurance, savings, Internet banking and asset management, operating under a number of household brand names. In the UK our client employs 19,000 staff with a world-wide staff of 23,000 based across 15 countries, with gross premiums written to the relevant year-end totalling £16.451 billion. Profits before tax stand at £750 million, and total funds under management at £157 billion.

The Brief :
Following a major acquisition by our client, a Human Resources Director was appointed with the brief of effecting major cultural change in line with changes to the operational structure and service offering. The operations in Chelmsford are changing from a back office administration function to one that is bottom line focused and driven by technology. There is a broader move towards portfolio management and the Chelmsford operation is in the process of re-inventing itself into a profit orientated business. It plans to become a third party provider of support services to not only our client but other organisations also and thus has to become more commercial, bottom line focused and driven by technology. Thus a need has been identified to recruit a change focused HR Consultant.

• To assist the HR Director in the facilitation of change from an old fashioned service centre to a profit centre
• To identify a local agenda of HR initiatives working closely with the line to create a people agenda that is specifically tailored to the needs of the business. This will include the agreement of timescales, resourcing and ongoing project management
• Raise the profile of HR through effective "selling" of the added value benefits of HR in order to create committed stakeholders within the customer base
• To rapidly become part of the management team
• Develop a full range of Best Practice HR policies and practices ensuring that all relevant UK and European legislation is incorporated
Develop and evaluate resourcing and retention initiatives
Devise, introduce and manage succession planning programmes
working closely with the line
Introduce a framework for Performance Management, linking targets           and behaviours to compensation
Create innovative reward methodologies to improve recruitment,           motivation and retention e.g. the development of a flexible benefits plan