laurence@wickland-westcott.co.uk Walk With
Laurence Jackson
Laurence is a Consultant specialising in Search, Selection and Assessment, who has led on assignments for leading international firms. He has over 15 years' experience in search and worked in commercial and industrial sectors prior to specialising in public appointments. He has led on the recruitment of top teams and non-executives, as well as designing and delivering assessment centres and team building events.
An experienced line manager in the Public Sector, after an early career in retail sales Laurence worked for a number of local authorities and for 10 years was Director of HR for Manchester Airport plc.
A languages graduate, Laurence holds level A and B certificates (BPS) in occupational testing. A former chair of the Manchester Branch and Fellow of the CIPD, he chairs the Manchester Industrial Relations Society.
Interests
Rugby, cricket, foreign travel, theatre and familyArticles
17th May 2011Adopting Commercial Values
Faced with an austerity agenda from central government, UK public sector organisations are being urged to take a more commercial approach and adopt the values and mindset of the private sector....
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15th February 2011Surviving in Tough Times
The UK public sector is facing unprecedented challenges: striving to maintain service levels while making deep cuts in budgets, rethinking the whole nature of organisations, addressing the new ‘localism’ agenda and dealing with the impact of these dynamics on the workforce. Following the Government’s publication of expenditure plans to 2015, the scale of the economies required has become clear....
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08th October 2009How to Spot a Public Sector Trailblazer
With public sector cutbacks looming, there is a need for leaders who can deliver cost-effective change. In-depth interviews with 30 leading public-sector executives have identified what makes a 'trailblazer' - someone who drives transformation in public services and delivers results. HR must get these trailblazers on board, keep them motivated and ensure the organisation gets the most from their dynamism and commitment. That way, transformations will yield tangible benefits to local communities. Basic tenets will have to be rethought though....
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08th July 2009How Benchmarking Can Identify Those Vital Skills
Recruitment consultancies have traditionally maintained that they add value to clients. They unearth candidates with appropriate skills and experience, and help organisations to secure competent people. But...
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22nd May 2008Transformation at BCU
Dedicated to becoming a leading business-facing university, and with a clear commitment to engaging employers, Birmingham City University is undergoing a change programme driven by the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Tidmarsh, and has seen the introduction of a new mission, vision and key objectives including a new recruitment programme for the future. Finding...
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14th September 2009Boston Mayflower - Recruiting Top Jobs
Boston Mayflower Housing Association was formed in 1999 to manage the housing stock transferred from Boston Borough Council. Following the retirement of the chief executive, the position was temporarily filled on an 'acting' basis. Wickland Westcott was engaged in February 2009 to work with the Board to recruit a new chief executive. The process initially involved spending a full day with board members reviewing the profile of the role, using our proprietary 'Blueprint' role modelling methodology....
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09th March 2010Director of Finance
Wickland Westcott was retained in January 2010 to recruit a new Director of Finance for the University of Manchester, the largest in the UK with 2008/9 turnover of £750m, 11,500 employees and over 35,000 students With an operating budget of £4.5m and responsibility for over 100 staff, the Director is one of the University's most senior executives and a member of the President's Executive Group. The...
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30th October 2008NHS Trafford PCT - Leadership Assessment
A ground-breaking project with Trafford Primary Care Trust was recently show-cased in the Health Service Journal. Members of Wickland Westcott's Public Sector Practice have first-hand knowledge of working in public services, specifically the NHS, and they drew on this experience to develop an innovative Leadership Assessment Toolkit. The toolkit enables Trafford PCT's recruiting managers to work hand-in-glove with HR colleagues to construct and run tailored assessment events....
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