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Niki Hurst-Smith

Niki Hurst-Smith is a trusted advisor to agency leaders on HR strategy and people led initiatives to deliver business goals and happy teams.

Areas of expertise

People Human Resource Management • Appraisal Systems •  Client/Consultancy Contracts •  Terms & Conditions •  Staff Development & Training Plan •  Staff Handbooks • Coaching • Mentoring • Training

Business Processes

Business Strategy & Planning

Experience in the design industry

Design industry experience: 20 years plus

I take away your people led challenges and allow you to focus on taking your business forward. I offer a flexible, out-sourced HR function working with leaders of businesses who understand the importance of a highly motivated, engaged and happy team, but don’t have the time or specific expertise to deliver this.

I’ve spent my working life in service led businesses and get my energy from like-minded people. I was in client services BC (before children) managing teams in several different agencies, big and small (all independent), across a range of brands / sectors / disciplines. For the last 15 years I’ve continued my journey within agencies, either in house, in people teams, or over the last 8+ years running my HR consultancy.

Because I started my career in a business role, my take on HR and people stuff is slightly different. It’s flexible, adaptable, and fit for purpose. I ensure businesses are focusing on their people, their product and their profitability because only when all three are working in tandem will you achieve your goals. 

What does this mean in practice?

  • Pragmatic approach
  • Fit for purpose for company size and culture
  • Best in class approach
  • Simple, high impact solutions

As part of the offering, it is useful to note that I have specific expertise supporting businesses with the following workstreams (this list is not exhaustive):

  • Employer brand
  • Values & behaviours
  • Organisational design
  • Talent strategy
  • Talent planning
  • Recruitment process
  • Employee relations
  • Employee engagement
  • Training & development / coaching
  • Cultural initiatives
  • Benefits / reward
  • Policy drafting
  • Career development
  • Performance Management
  • Career mapping /career ladders
  • Setting up fit for purposes procedures
  • HR Portals

I offer a flexible approach ways of working.  For ease I work on an hourly rate.  I am happy to work on a monthly retainer or an ad hoc basic.  We can either agree a monthly retainer or we can work on a project basis. I use xero to record my time.

When working on a retainer basis we will agree objectives over a monthly or quarterly basis so we can review progress. We will also agree some success criteria upfront so you can be clear on the impact of the initiatives.

Testimonials

"Niki has been an ENORMOUS support to us at Otherway. She brings a fountain of knowledge (and patience!) to any HR challenge - guiding us through every step of the way. More like an extended team member than a consultant, there’s nothing I wouldn’t trust Niki with when it comes to people and policy. Not only has she made Human Resources a much more understood area within our business, she also does a fantastic job of pushing us to ensure that we’re delivering a cut above the rest. "

Ellie Price, Joint MD, Otherway

"Niki has been working with us at MCCGLC for over five years and over this time she has helped us to navigate many different types of HR and personnel challenges, providing advice and consultancy both in the fast-paced growth phase of our business and in the more challenging times such the recent pandemic. Her approach is very human whilst also practical and she has a multitude of resources and connections to ensure that we are making well informed decisions backed up by industry good practice and recommendations. On a personal level she has been a great help to me, always there on the other end of the phone as a sounding board to give me some quick guidance when I need it!  "

Beth Karpowicz, COO, MCCGLC

"Niki has been a calming voice of reason in what has been at times, a challenging environment. Her calm and friendly approach belies a determination to take the correct and appropriate action for any HR situation. From transformational change through to disciplinary action and the unfortunate situation of redundancies, Niki has been the consummate professional. I have really enjoyed working with Niki and would wholeheartedly recommend her into any organisation. "

Tony O’Reilly, Project Director, CGMA

"Initials has spent time  refocusing on our agency purpose, values and behaviours.  We wanted to ensure that our people strategy was fully aligned with the goals and vision of the company.  Niki spent some time reviewing employee engagement levels across the agency and reviewing our current people led initiatives.  It was clear from her response that she understands the agency environment and how to create high performing teams. Subsequently we are now working with Hurst-Smith Consulting to create our unique employer brand.  This has created a clear framework for our people led ambition.  More importantly, we have a clear focus for the year and a calendar of people led initiatives to implement.  In the short term, we have implemented a range of activity to drive empowerment at middle management level and are already reaping the benefits of this as a business.  Longer term we are working on other areas including a new interview framework, and a transformational approach to career development and employee engagement. Niki’s background has been a key part of the success of the work we have done to date, in that she knows how busy agency principles find themselves. So, her unique knack of driving the agenda forward in a world where often-great ideas fall by the wayside in the eternal prioritisation of client work has made the difference between success and failure. "

Richard Barrett, MD, Initials Marketing

"Niki has been an invaluable partner - supporting our business and contributing to its success. She consistently goes above and beyond in developing our strategic thinking, making things happen and helping to align our approach to people with the growth journey we are on. Niki brings a strong strategic mindset to the table, helping us look ahead and proactively put plans in place to help our team thrive. Through Niki's guidance and support our team is equipped to perform at their best, fostering a positive, high-performance culture. By working in close partnership with us Niki is fully engaged in our growth journey, helps us to take impactful action and she is an essential part of our team and a true factor in our success. "

Katie Spreadbury, UK CEO, Vested

Contact expert

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