Karen Price, FCIPD

Head of People at Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care & The Hearing Care Partnership

Farnham, England, United Kingdom

About

I am a pro-active and collaborative HR professional, keen to optimise the employee experience and the potential of employees, in line with strategic aims. I have created significant demonstrable improvements, leading directly to enhanced business results. My experience enables me to call on a large toolkit, from Inclusion, HR operations, change, strategy, employment law, systems, statistics and L&D, to PM, engagement, coaching and mediation.

Experience

  • Head of People at Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care and The Hearing Care Partnership
    Nov 2021 - Present · 4 yrs 9 mos

    Helping our people excel in providing industry leading optometry and audiology services through optimising recruitment, development, engagement and an enviable employee experience.

  • Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard) (3 yrs 7 mos)
    • Inclusion and Engagement Lead
      Jul 2020 - Oct 2021 · 1 yr 4 mos

      I was invited to act as the Inclusion and Engagement lead for the whole of Carnival UK, including our Fleet comprised of over 10,000 colleagues. I ensured inclusion is at the heart of CUK's culture, seamlessly interwoven throughout the employee lifecycle, with employee engagement as the modus operandi.

    • Senior HR Business Partner
      Apr 2018 - Jun 2020 · 2 yrs 3 mos

      Acting as trusted senior business partner to the Executive Chief Strategy & Data Officer and to the CFO, I worked in a strategic and operational capacity with Carnival UK’s key functions including strategic business planning, revenue management, data science, guest analytics, data governance, sustainability, strategic business change and finance. I partnered on organisational design and restructures, digital transformation, complex employee relations issues, people strategy, talent management, inclusion and high performing leadership teams.

  • HR Consultant at Consultancy and Interim Roles
    Sep 2015 - Feb 2018 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    HRD Change Consultant, Ageas - In this role I successfully combined my knowledge of HR, systems, change management and communications to lead on both the project management and change management of a multi site implementation of a new HR and payroll system. I also supported the establishment of an HR shared service team. HR Lead, Gill Instruments - Acted in a consultancy capacity, to optimise the HR function and implement operational improvements HR Consultant, Yellow Dot Nurseries - Acted in a consultancy capacity, to audit existing people practices in the absence of a HR department and recommend required steps to optimise effective people practices moving forwards

  • University of Winchester (Winchester)
    • Director Of Workforce Development
      2012 - Jun 2015 · 3 yrs 6 mos

      In addition to a focus on culture and engagement, I created the full HR strategy for the organisation leading to tangible outcomes. I devised and implemented an on-boarding strategy, reducing turnover for staff with <2 years’ service by 50%. I also developed and delivered a specific wellbeing and engagement strategy, which resulted in 94% of employees being committed to organisational success and an increase in wellbeing of 30%.

    • Director of HR
      2006 - 2012 · 6 yrs

      In this role, I led on all aspects of HR, including strategy, OD, reward, ER, talent acquisition, policy, process, administration, HRIS, MI and equality, placing the employee at the heart of the employee lifecycle. I successfully built productive relationships with union representatives and effectively navigated consultations to deliver positive business benefits.