Richard Waterhouse

Expertise

Summary

Experience

• RCW HR Solutions Limited

  Owner/Chief Consultant (ex HR Director)

  - Current

  

• Synergy Health plc

  Human Resources Director EMEA

  100+ Employees 2014 - 2017

  Development of the provision of Human Resources services to the Group across the whole of the enlarged Europe, Middle East and Africa region, covering some 10 countries (9 across Europe plus South Africa) and now numbering 4100 employees across 108 separate locations in UK, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia and South Africa. In this role, I cover all elements of the Synergy Group in these geographical areas - Hospital Sterilisation Services, Applied Sterilisation Technologies, Synergy Health Laboratories (Toxicology, Pharmaceuticals and Food Testing), Healthcare Solutions, Linen Management Services and all Group support functions, in addition to managing the car fleet for the Group.

  To provide this service I manage a team of 9 regionally based operational HR staff across the UK & Ireland plus a Shared Services team of 6 covering payroll and the administration of all benefits across UK & Ireland. In addition, I have a team of 3 operational HR staff plus 4 in HR Shared Services based in the Netherlands along with a shared resource of 3 staff based in Italy.

  The service provided covers the full spectrum from policy setting, best practice advice, resourcing, training and day to day industrial relations and resourcing.

  In this role I report directly to the Executive Vice President of Global Human Resources and work very closely with her to set the overall HR direction for the business.

• Synergy Health plc

  Human Resources Director UK & Ireland

  100+ Employees 2010 - 2014

  Very similar to the role set out above but across a narrower geographical remit relating to some 2350 employees  across 52 sites in the UK and Republic of Ireland, covering all elements of the Synergy Group in these geographical areas as set out above.

  In addition, I was a member of the Regional Board that sets the operational direction for the Region.

• Synergy Health plc

  Human Resources Director UK

  100+ Employees 2005 - 2010

  Very similar to my current role but merely within the UK in relation to 2100 employees across 50 sites

• Shiloh Healthcare Limited

  Human Resources Director

  100+ Employees 2001 - 2005

  Development of the provision of Human Resources services covering 500 employees away from the traditional personnel service provided previously to a meaningful Company and commercial focused service.

  Highlights of developments achieved across the above roles include: -

  •            Project management of the HR aspects of three acquisitions which covered some 800 employees. The role included the provision of advice on the TUPE Regulations and counselling of all employees concerned

  •            Project management of the HR aspects of two large scale TUPE exercises covering 250 employees in relation to the letting of commercial contracts for services to the NHS. In addition, I have project managed over a dozen smaller TUPE transfers of between 20 and 70 staff on each occasion

  •            Project management of three outsourcing exercises, which covered 120 employees and four external companies.  In addition, I have handled a number of TUPE exercises related to the loss of public service contracts to other commercial organisations

  •            Construction and continued refinement of HR elements of bid documentation for NHS contracts, presentations to mixed NHS audiences and completion of written responses to ongoing request for clarifications

  •            Introduction of complete new pay and grading system including all major terms and conditions of employment, based upon a complete job evaluation system

  •            Introduction of standardised benefits system to supplement the above grading system including pensions, life insurance, private medical cover, Company cars etc

  •            Integration of three HR teams following recent acquisitions into a single HR team providing an appropriate service to the business

   •           Introduction of integrated HR/payroll system to replace 3 separate payroll systems and provide meaningful management statistics

  •            Introduction of electronic policies and procedures database accessible for all employees through the Group intranet system

  •            Introduction of a Group-wide appraisal system including appropriate training in application for managers and supervisors

  •            Introduction of a management training course based upon the results obtained from the above appraisal system

  •            Training delivered to all line managers on the use of the Groups disciplinary and grievance procedures and how to approach such exercises

  •            Introduction and implementation of Group-wide induction process

  •            Complete review and re-write of the Company Handbook to include recent legislative changes and amended Company working practices. This updated Handbook was provided in electronic format through the use of a HR database linked directly to the Group intranet system

  •            Introduction of amended annual leave booking systems and sickness recoding system

  •            Supporting managers at all levels with conduction investigations and assisting in the reduction of the overall level of sickness absence from 8% to 4.5% over an eighteen month period.

  ·       Management of the Company’s arrangements with all recognised Trade Unions and the creation and management of a Group wide Employee Forum (Works Council) process

  ·       Management of national Trade Union negotiations around the implementation of the application of NHS Terms and Conditions of employment into a commercial organisation, and the ongoing relationship with the Trade Unions at a strategic national level

   

  ·       Management of annual pay reviews with both unionised and non-unionised environments

• JCT 600 Limited

  Group HR Manager

  100+ Employees 1999 - 2001

  Creation and development of a HR service within a family owned automotive business that had previously had no HR department or input at all. This included: -

  ·       Writing a complete suite of people related policies and procedures

  ·       Introducing a fair and appropriate recruitment and assessment model

  ·       Creating all relevant Contract of Employment documentation and Company Handbook

  ·       Introducing management development training for the senior management team and their direct reports

  ·       Providing training on “best practice” for operational managers   

• Yorkshire Water plc

  HR Manager

  100+ Employees 1988 - 1999

  Provision of a generalist HR support service to approximately 900 employees across Yorkshire in relation to the Clean Water Division of the business, operating within a wholly unionised environment.

  Following the privatisation of the water industry the Company moved from a publicly owned utility to a commercially organised business and in the period from privatisation to my leaving (approximately 10 years) through the application of modern working practices, high levels of capital expenditure on modern equipment and software systems, and significant changes to working terms and conditions of employment and the outsourcing of non-core activities the size of the workforce was reduced by some 50%, all within a wholly unionised environment. I was a key member of the HR team who worked with both the management team and the Trade Unions to achieve this. 

Education History

• MA in Human Resource Management

  Huddersfield University

  1997 - 1999

• CIPD Level 7

  Huddersfield University

  1993 - 1995

• Pure Mathematics & Statistics, Economics, English Literature

  Bradford Grammar School

  1978 - 1980

• O Levels - 9 Subjects

  Bradford Grammar School

  1973 - 1980

Qualifications

Clubs and Associations

Interests and Hobbies

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