Lavette Cole

I am a Human Resources and Corporate Compliance Professional with 14 years of experience, continuous professional and personal development.

As an HR analyst, I am risk conscious and keen to interpreting people, business and labour market data for trends to inform business decisions.

I am a skilled communicator and negotiator with the confidence to challenge practices at all levels, to avert/mitigate risks and realise corporate objectives and cultural improvement.

Adept in designing bespoke HR interventions in relevant business areas/teams, for strategic and measurable impact on organisational performance and employee experience.

I am passionate about coaching, co-creating breakthroughs and learning new things.

AREAS OF EXPERIENCE

• Employee Relations
• Just & Learning Culture
• Trade Union Partnering
• Employment Tribunal
• Org change/TUPE
• HR Projects
• People Analytics
• Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion
• Performance Improvement
• Talent Management.
• Policy creation &alignment. 
• Capacity Management
• Health and Wellbeing.
• Neurodiversity at work.

WORK HISTORY 

 

NHS/Yorkshire Ambulance Service Trust; Senior HR Advisor/Manager Aug 2022 – Present

• Draft/align policies to legislation, coach managers to implement policies, observe best practice and champion organisational values in the people management. 
• Analyse HR data per service area to interpret patterns, to inform senior leadership decisions. 
• Consistently identify learnings from ER cases, develop improvement plans, conduct cultural reviews, development projects and measure for significant impact on individuals, wider teams and business.
• Work collaboratively across functions, coaching managers and facilitating honest & difficult feedback.

 

YSJ – York St. John University – UK; HROD CONSULTANT June 2021 – May 2022

• Fostered trusted relations with stakeholders; SLT, Managers, Employees, Trade Unions and externally. 
• End-to-end technical Lead on complex ER cases; Dignity at work, Disciplinary, capacity, Attendance Management, Work related stress, Occupational Health, Health and Wellbeing, EAP, Resilience Hubs.
• Created, updated and aligned policies and monitored for EDI compliance. 
• TUPEs (in/out), restructures, redundancies and supported change management. 
• Led project to optimise inclusivity by attracting and retaining BAME Applicants. 

 

 

YORKSHIRE WATER UK; HR Shared Services/Payroll Analyst: October 2020 – April 2021 

• Synthesized and analysed large quantitative and qualitative financial/non-financial data to determine correlation, causality, and predictions to resolve and pre-empt business issues. 
• Processed benefits, wage garnishments and liens in compliance with finance and tax laws. 
• Aligned policies/practices to amended regulations and ensured National Minimum Wage compliance.  

VODAFONE GROUP/VODACOM BUSINESS AFRICA; West, East, Central and South-East Africa 

(ANGOLA – CAMEROON – GHANA – IVORY COAST – KENYA – MALI – SIERRA LEONE – UGANDA)

REGIONAL HR BUSINESS PARTNER October 2012 – September 2020

• Harmonised and aligned equitable UK Employment Law practices across Vodafone’s new markets, reasonably achieving equality in people processes across the Group of companies. 
• Analysed people strengths against business objectives and labour market trends, and designed informed HR interventions to positively impact organisational performance. 
• Defined relevant performance and talent metrics for effective compensation and reward.
• Sustained good Trade Union relations, minimized claims and prevented litigations in the respective countries. 
• Promoted a culture of ‘regular-informal-constructive-feedback’, which increased employee involvement thereby improving employee and corporate performance. 

REGIONAL HRBP/REGULATORY COMPLIANCE Officer, West, East & Central Africa, Apr 2011–Oct 2012

• Coached Line Managers on people handling skills, guided HR processes/procedures; Grievances, Occupational Health, Flexible working, Capability etc.
• Prepared Employment and service provider supplier contracts for compliance and conducted equality impact assessments.
• Delivered regular unconscious bias trainings, monitoring, sporadic audits, detailed reporting and corrections. 
• Managed applicant expectations, increased new starter retention rate by evaluating job and ensuring congruence in Role Specifications and the Job Advert.
• Trained and supported line mangers through long and short term sickness absences, reviews, monitoring, wellbeing support through Occupational health, EAP, implemented adjustments, facilitated return, and supported terminations for ill health or SOSR.

Gateway Communications Africa, HR Generalist, Central Africa – March 2009 – April 2011

• Created, and implemented HR Policies and procedures for different countries in alignment to UK Employment laws, EU Directives, Collective Bargaining Agreements in consultation with Unions.
• Supported investigating officer on informal investigations into grievances raised by employees. 
• Conducted staff consultations during org changes of mergers and acquisitions.

EDUCATION 

Executive CoachingDestiny Coaching – Executive Co-creational Transformation Coaching ApproachSept 2023CIPDChartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK – January 2020 CIPDChartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK – January 2020 CHRBPCertified Human Resources Business Partner, HLTIJuly 2017CHRACertified Human Resources Analyst, HLTIJuly 2017SLDSenior Leadership Development Certificate, Wits Business School, South Africa,June 2016CTPCertified Translation Professional (CTP) – Global Translation InstituteAugust 2014LLMMaster’s Degree in Business Law, University of Yaoundé II SOA, CameroonJune 2006LLBBSc. Law Degree, University of Buea, Cameroon – UK Naric equivalent to UK LLBMay 2004 

AFFILIATIONS 

CIPD Associate Destiny Coaching – Co-Creative Transformational Executive Coach Associate Member; Global Academy of Finance & ManagementAssociate Member; Certified Translation Professional (CTP)

 

LANGUAGES:

• Certified Translation Professional ENGLISH> – Global Translation Institute

 

PROFICIENCIES: 

• Proficient use of Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, etc).
• Data analytics with proficient use of Power BI.
• Agile working.