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A photo of Andi Hudson

Andi Hudson has been appointed the University’s next permanent Director of HR.

Andi has been Interim Director of HR since February 2020, just before the pandemic struck. Since then, with Professor Eilis Ferran, she has shaped the University’s approach to the very many staff related issues we have faced as a result of COVID, by developing, for example, initiatives to provide increased wellbeing provision, enhanced financial hardship support, and COVID Impact Assessments and a Career Support Fund to mitigate the adverse impact of the pandemic on individual employees’ careers. At the same time, she has provided unerring leadership to her colleagues in the HR Division as well as continuing to pursue the University’s People Strategy.   

As permanent Director of HR, Andi intends to build on the more positive opportunities that have arisen from the pandemic. Andi has said “One of the big things for me is working collaboratively, engaging with people and building a sense of community, with a particular focus on developing an even stronger HR community to support the University during the Recovery phase and beyond.”  

Communication will play a key part in ensuring policies are joined up, and though some projects, such as improving the HR website, will take time, they will ultimately deliver a much-improved service to the University. “I want to encourage consultation with staff across the University to ensure that HR delivers meaningful work that supports all my colleagues in what they are trying to achieve,” said Andi. 

Andi also plans to look more generally at HR processes and the way that they work, starting with the HR Transformation Programme [Raven login required], which is part of Reimagining Professional Services [Raven login required]. The HR Transformation Programme aims to deliver a new HR system and, just as importantly if not more so, harmonised and simplified processes. “It will be an enabler,” said Andi, “helping to change the way that we work and improve the employee experience.” With the appointment of Dr Kamal Munir, the new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for University Community and Engagement, Andi will also work on the University’s new People Strategy for the five years from 2022. 

Weaving through all of this, Andi has a clear message: “I don’t want HR to be seen as something that happens in the centre.  We are here to support the whole community.”  

The Registrary, Emma Rampton, said: “I am thrilled with Andi’s appointment.  Having worked with her so closely over the last 17 months, I know that Andi has the right qualities, values and experience to enable her to lead the Division’s evolution into a more contemporary and progressive service, while helping us all in our endeavour to create a kind, compassionate working environment where people are valued as individuals, and where there is a strong shared sense of community.”  

Published

22 July 2021