LAURA ALEXANDRA MARIANI,
Apartment 5, 173 Rosebery Avenue
London EC1R 4UJ
Tel. 0 79 19 65 65 53
Email: lauramariani01@gmail.com
PROFILE
Self-motivated Business Director/Project Manager, with a full HR generalist toolkit at her
disposal, and an in depth knowledge of talent retention, reward, development and succession
planning, successful in leading cross-functional project team/s by cultivating and promoting
effective working relationships at national and international level.
Highly commercial with a creative, pragmatic and results oriented approach to reflect the
cultural dynamics of organisation/s experiencing growth and with the business acumen to
translate strategy into practical best in class HR initiatives, whilst offering gravitas and
influencing skills to operate confidently and challenge at board level.
KEY STRENGHTS
Strategic HR, Organisational Design - Business Improvement
Transformation & Change Management, Employer Branding
Mergers and Acquisitions, TUPE (Bid delivery, Due Diligence, Contract Mobilisation, Exit
strategy)
Industrial Relations, ER
Multilingual (English-French-Italian)
INDUSTRIES’ EXPERIENCE
FMCG; E-commerce; Retail; Manufacturing; B2B/B2C; Logistics
Entertainment/Media; Marketing;
Hospitality & Leisure;
Third sector; Social Enterprise; Local Government
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development
Fellow of Australian Human Resources Institute
Fellow of the Institute of Leadership & Management
Member of the Society of Human Resource Management
CAREER AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
CSV, 1st July 2014 to 31st October 2014
Industry: Third sector
The UK leading social action and volunteering and charity helping people to come together to
build stronger communities through better services and more fulfilling lives in partnership with
organization across the UK and Europe.
Interim HR Director of Change
Projects (HR Transformation and modernisation):
1. SWAT of current practices v Organisation Strategy and plan;
2. Review all People policies, practices and suppliers to ensure legal compliance and to
support the modernisation of the organisation’s culture and brand;
3. Total reward review to ensure organisation is able to compete in the marketplace whilst
managing a tight budget;
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4. Review structures and consequent changes
5. Devise performance management system to support strategic aims and succession
planning
6. Closure of business unit and TUPE transfer
Girlguiding, June 2014
Industry: Third Sector
Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK with over 100,000
volunteers, helping with confidence and skills’ building whilst building friendships
HR Consultant
High level investigation and resolution of serious and sensitive ER matters
Groupe LACTALiS UK & Ireland, January 2012 to January 2014
Industry: FMCG, Manufacturing, Sales & Marketing
The Lactalis Group is the #1 producer of dairy products worldwide committed to the business
of milk processing in all its forms. Specialties: Dairy Products, Cheese, Milk, Cream, Chilled
Dairy Products, Dairy Ingredients, Child Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition
Group Human Resources Director
Group HR Director driving People Strategy and Agenda supporting operations of 2
subsidiaries within 3 different divisions/categories spread across multiple sites ( 2
commercial offices and 12 sites) and EU countries (Ireland, France, Spain), covering over
3,000 employees.
Responsible for setting and delivering the new people agenda in line with business objective
including culture and leadership to operational and tactical
Projects (HR Transformation/Change Management/Employer Branding)
Transformation/Change Programme:
1. Centralisation and alignment with overall Groupe’s business plan;
a. Reviewing Company structure both at operational level (12 sites cross
countries) and at commercial level ( 2 commercial offices) to maximize
efficiencies and profitability;
b. Implementation of Grading System with full alignment of C&B and policies (£
282,650 savings);
c. Reviewed benefits provision and negotiated better benefits including more
employees’ grades whilst achieving reduction in costs year on year.
2. Devising/implementing Corporate Website (Recruitment costs savings £ 128,000);
3. Lead working groups on global initiatives and implementation on Vision & Values,
Competencies Framework, and Corporate Induction Programme.
Day to day responsibilities:
1. Risk management and legal compliance with UK/EU legislation;
2. Due diligence and integration of new acquisition;
3. Employee Engagement and Relations
o Employee Engagement (Commitment to Organisation + 22%; Reward &
Recognition + 37%);
4. LTO reduction (30% to 8.5%);
5. Industrial Relations including renegotiation of Union Agreement, pay negotiations,
alignment of 3 previous acquisitions AND resolution of strike application and
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agreement of standardized T&C/C&B whilst controlling media exposure (nationally and
regionally);
6. Team Management (5 direct report, 12 indirect reports);
7. Responsible for Internal/External Communication - Member of the international
communication steering committee to drive internal and external comms. within the
Groupe worldwide.
8. Health & Safety;
Fusion Lifestyle, March 2009 to October 2011
Industry: Leisure/Contract Management
Social enterprise which provides sport and leisure services in partnership with multiple local
authorities and a range of voluntary organisations and schools.
Head of Human Resources/HR Consultant
Responsible for initiating and driving shift in the Company’s approach away from a purely HR
focus towards Organisational Development and Business improvement underpinned by the
centrality of an employee- and business-centered approach to all that HR does.
Projects (HR Transformation/Change Management & TUPE)):
1. Devised HR Strategy aligned with business plan to work toward a customer focusedemployee centric culture in line with Mission Vision and Values
2. Researched, devised and implemented Competency framework and alignment of JDs
to Company Mission Vision and Values
3. Researched, re-designed and implemented a new sustainable and scalable
Organisational Model from central office to centers (Right People Right Place Right
Time project) to support business growth/plan
4. Devised streamlined Change Management programme to facilitate cultural change
within new acquired partnership including due diligence, consultations, embedding of
MVV and operational centre model
5. Developed a streamlined and modernised suite of reward and employment strategies
and policies linked to the achievement of corporate objectives, which recognises staff
performance and contribution, promote a diverse workforce from an increasingly wider
pool, engage and motivate staff, and provide a fair and coherent strategic framework
across the Company, allowing flexibility for Managers at the local level.
6. Aligned the corporate staff development provision with the delivery of excellent
customer service provision, working closely with colleagues across the Company to
develop, deliver and monitor impact, training beyond compliance.
Day to day responsibilities:
1. Bid Preparation/due diligence and TUPE integration of 5 new contracts/partnerships;
2. Management of HR systems and processes;
a. Reduced Company overall Absence from 4%(2009) to 2.2% via promoting
health, safety and welfare of staff and the development of policies and
framework and strict case management;
3. Employee Engagement and Retention:
a. Reduced Voluntary Labour Turnover from 15.7% (2009) to 7.2% (2010);
4. Budget Management;
5. Team Management.
S. Gold & Sons Ltd. October 2006 to December 2008
Industry: E-Commerce, Entertainment/Media; Distribution
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Group consists of Premier Independent Wholesaler/ Supplier in the Home Entertainment
sector, White label service and Electronic Distribution Service, PR & Marketing Company
providing services in the UK to independent production companies/labels. Company operating
across multiple European countries (Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Iceland, Denmark,
Sweden) and US (California).
Group Head of Human Resources/VP of HR (Head Office)
Responsible for strategically and operationally guide the overall provision of HR services,
policies and program to ensure the Company achieves its organisational objectives at national
and international level.
Projects (HR Transformation & Change Management)
1. Revised employees benefit scheme to competitively place Group in the industry and to
include lone workers/agents across EU/US including review of company structure and
salary banding/a;
2. Developed Internal Communication Strategy aligned with External Communication and
Customer proposition to enhance employer brand, vision and values;
3. Developed tools and processes to support corporate sustainability programme.
Day to day responsibilities:
1. Coached directors and managers to take responsibility for leading, managing and
developing their staff to optimize their effectiveness and potential;
2. Devised, implemented and launched new Staff Handbook and Policies Manual to
ensure legal compliance and alignment with Company culture;
3. Devised and implemented Management Development Programme to support and
enhance Company succession plans;
4. Revised lone workers/agents contract (EU/US)
5. Devised and launched Company Performance Management System;
6. Revised Company Health and Safety Policies and procedures to ensure legal
compliance; devised and launched Health and Safety Handbook used at every
induction;
7. HR team management (x4).
Safeway/Wm Morrisons Supermarkets Plc. June 1997 to September 2006
Industry: Retail-Public Company
Safeway/Wm Morrisons Supermarkets Plc operates a chain of supermarkets in the United
Kingdom
Various roles, including HR Manager (stores), Area, Head Office & Projects
Projects (Change Management/Integration/ER)
1. During Morrisons’ acquisition of Safeway managed 20 sales/transfers/conversions
across the South East whilst continuing my responsibilities in the base store:
 Lead close down of stores that Morrison’s was not able to sell (following judgment
from Competition Commission), handling redundancies, and coordinating redeployment in suitable stores.
 Liaised with competitors HR over the TUPE transfer of staff of sold stores
 Lead, coordinated the re-launches of converted stores including consultations,
realignment of roles into Morrison’s store model, retraining and coaching.
2. Secondments across SE to re-structuring HR systems in problem branches across the
area/s;
3. Devised and introduced a Human Resource and People with Potential programme
piloted in the south east region
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4. Researching and devising policies in relations to Data Protection Act and work life
balance, successfully introduced at national level
5. Managed HR related process during branch closure, refit and relaunch as Flagship
store concept, including co-coordinating staff payroll/training and development and
relations across 19 stores during closure
Day to day Responsibilities:
1. Direct line management of hr team performance;
2. Managing HR process in branch including effective management of recruitment
process, control of wage budget and targeted training programmes;
a. Reduces staff turnover from 30% to 11.9%, reducing recruitment ,induction and
training costs as well as productivity loss
3. Achieved best store in the country for training, culture and people management 2 years
in a row as voted by employees
4. Budget management.
CRS Ltd., various January 1992-May 1997
Industry: Retail
General Manager
Responsible for achieving sales, profit and wage targets; manage staff recruitment and
training; balancing cash statements; communicating with Local Authorities and organizations.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Global Professional in Human Resources Management Certification
Voice Training; Public Speaking; Presentation Skills; Communication Skills –
EDUCATION
Certificate in Internal Workplace Mediation – ACAS 2011
Post Graduate Certificate in Recycling for Sustainability- Middlesex University 2009
MBA Human Resources Canterbury University 1999
BA Modern Languages University of Urbino 1989