Riikka Jokelainen
Vice President, People
Experience
Jul 2023 - Apr 2024
10 monthsVice President, People
Gay Times
- Scaled the business and developed culture, leadership, and the HR team to enable 4x revenue growth.
- Contributed to diversification following VC investment within a rapidly changing operating environment.
Sep 2022 - Jun 2023
10 monthsHR Consultant
Gay Times
- Reported to the CEO and defined the HR strategy; part of the SLT working on overall business planning, shaping the organisation, leadership advice, and preparing investor communications.
- Defined HR strategy based on business goals and upgraded HR operations, including onboarding, HRIS, wellbeing provision, culturally-fit company policies, reward, and hybrid working principles.
- Developed employee experience principles, resulting in strong trust and engagement.
- Designed organisation structure for sales and commercial delivery; facilitated strategy workshops to resolve impasses.
- Improved performance by implementing OKRs and addressing training needs analysis and plans for commercial skills.
- Designed and implemented coaching and training programs for early career managers, reducing reliance on senior leaders.
- Led internal communications resulting in strong trust and engagement, despite challenges.
- Conducted diversity and inclusion reviews and delivered learning programs achieving inclusive behaviors.
- Scaled recruitment processes and enhanced the talent brand, saving £100k on recruitment fees through direct hiring.
- Resolved sensitive employee relations issues and implemented organisation changes, including exits.
Oct 2018 - Jun 2023
4 years 9 monthsHR Director & Founder
Companies in Balance
Built and ran a consultancy delivering HR solutions and advisory work to diverse sectors and company sizes.
- At MENCAP: Senior HR Business Partner managing corporate functions and delivering people plans, HR leadership development, and business services organisation design achieving cost savings.
- At Nexstim: Developed talent review and capability planning toolkits for workforce development and board-level leadership reviews.
- At Whitefox: Designed and delivered a succession planning program shifting to strategic people management.
- At Growth Intelligence: Headed talent acquisition for commercial and technical roles, positively transforming hiring processes.
- At YouLend: Managed high-volume talent acquisition for EMEA and US business development and compliance roles, reducing managers' time on hiring.
- Delivered advice on people strategy, culture, performance, reward, management development, employment law, and DEI initiatives for businesses in creative and B2B services.
Mar 2017 - Oct 2018
1 year 8 monthsHead of HR
Systemiq
- Reported to the Managing Partner and contributed as part of the SLT to align organisational decisions with target culture and employee experience.
- Achieved high employer branding and retention rates with turnover at 7% against an average of 25% in start-ups.
- Enhanced employee agency through working groups on decision-making, diversity, hiring, and team effectiveness.
- Designed a holistic talent management and development model based on individual strengths, career paths, and purpose.
- Enabled several employees quickly assuming leadership roles within the organisation and affiliates.
Dec 2015 - Dec 2016
1 year 1 monthHR Business Partner - Marketing, Digital and Data Science
Direct Line Group
- Collaborated with Centres of Excellence for HR transformation, embedding new strategies and resolving long-standing issues in roles, recruitment, and compensation.
- Facilitated leadership development via surveys and competency frameworks across marketing and digital science areas.
- Drove succession planning and talent reviews, promoting secondments and career progression.
- Implemented performance and reward process changes aligned with graduate and apprenticeship setup.
- Consolidated the customer experience team structure with change management for c. 50 staff.
- Enhanced data science function operating models impacting company-wide transformation.
Aug 2015 - Dec 2015
5 monthsHR Business Partner (FTC)
Grass Roots Group
- Developed talent engagement plans aligned with organisational goals through survey data analysis.
Jan 2013 - Dec 2015
2 yearsCIPD Chartered Member (Level 7)
Oct 2012 - Dec 2015
2 years 3 monthsHR Director
Rayner
- Created and implemented HR strategies enabling global market growth and modernisation of the business.
Feb 2012 - Sep 2012
8 monthsPeople Development & Resource Manager (FTC)
RBS Invoice Finance
- Designed strategic workforce planning methodologies collaborating with COO and business unit leaders.
Oct 2008 - Feb 2012
3 years 5 monthsOrganisation Development Manager (Head of HR)
Pure360 (now Spotler)
- Built scalable HR functions enabling consistent business growth at a rate of over 40% annually.
Jan 2008 - Dec 2009
2 yearsMaster of Arts in Opera and Music Theatre
University of Sussex
Jan 1999 - Dec 2004
5 yearsBachelor of Arts in Drama & Theatre Studies (Hons)
University of Dublin, Trinity College
Summary
Commercial and creative HR leader with versatile multi-sector experience including Marketing, Technology, Sustainability and Financial Services, and proven success leading growth and change with progressive people strategies. Skilled at collaborating with global, ambitious teams, I am quick to build rapport and trust with leaders and teams alike and deliver results at pace.
Languages
English
Native
Finnish
Native
Swedish
Intermediate
French
Elementary
German
Elementary
...and 1 more
Education
Oct 2008 - Jun 2009
University of Sussex
Master of Arts · Opera and Music Theatre · Falmer, United Kingdom
Oct 2000 - Jun 2004
University of Dublin, Trinity College
Bachelor of Arts, Honours · Drama & Theatre Studies · Dublin, Ireland
Certifications & licenses
Chartered MCIPD
CIPD
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