The New HR Director

"It's not hard to see why people with zigzag careers might be more successful."

James Kelly
Author, Power and Influence in the Boardroom

Executive Summary

1.   This briefing deals with the personal qualities, experience and qualifications of the strategic HR director who can play a full role in defining and delivering HR strategy.

2.   Why the HR director needs to be accepted as a part of the management team, capable of demonstrating both strategic thinking and general management skills.

3.   In addition to playing a role as a member of the senior management team, the HR director must also possess leadership skills to manage their own department and staff effectively.

4.   A summary of the research into the qualities of effective IT directors by the University of Strathclyde and the findings from Business Intelligence's research.

5.   The value for HR directors of gaining experience in line positions (over half the survey respondents have held more than three line management jobs) is reflected in their understanding of customer, commercial, financial and other business issues. This can help them speak the language of business.

6.   How effective HR directors use networks to improve their knowledge both inside and outside their own sectors, the latter being particularly valuable for gaining new perspectives on issues, especially for HR directors in the public sector. Further education, in the form of executive courses inside and outside the organization, can play a valuable role in upgrading an HR director's strategic capability.

7.   Currently, HR qualifications, while equipping managers to fulfill their technical HR roles, fall far short of the needs of HR directors who want to play a full, strategic role in their organizations.

8.   A profile of Phil Porter, formerly VP international HR, Orange, underlines the importance of gaining a broader business education to play a strategic role in the business.

9.   Prejudice, sector and business experience factors: why fewer women than men are to be found in the top HR job.

10. Why the future of HR relies ultimately on the personal confidence of HR practitioners to take risks outside their traditional field of operation.

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