Hello, I'm Susi.
I’m an independent HR Consultant and owner of Susi O’Brien HR. I live in Edinburgh with my husband and son.
My Style of HR
I like to combine a technical understanding of employment law alongside a softer but equally important understanding of individual workplace cultures. Not every organisation, employee, leader, role, relationship, or situation is the same. And this means that good HR advice should recognise the context, resources, and personalities at hand.
Managers want to make confident decisions on people matters. Having consistent, ethical policies (tailored to individual organisations) which are underpinned by good training and guidance, is empowering. I support managers to fulfil their legal duties as employers in a way that boosts engagement, motivation, and performance. My style of HR is business-savvy.
My Style of Consultancy
Where possible I explain different options that clients can take on people issues, and help them to assess the risks and benefits associated with each. I aim to understand organisations as best I can, and love learning about how different businesses and charities work. That’s one of the most fun aspects of being a consultant!
Professional Background & Qualifications
I’ve worked in HR management since 2003, firstly in retail, and later in the social care sector. I spent around seven years in total at senior management level, leading and developing a team of other HR professionals. I’ve line managed employees, implemented change projects, handled conflict, worried about resources, and done most other standard things that managers do. I’ve also advised on complex employee situations, enabled restructures, updated contracts, negotiated with union reps, and above all, supported my operational colleagues to run their services successfully.
This experience is backed up by strong qualifications - namely an MSc in Human Resource Management and an LLM in Employment Law. Both masters’ degrees were passed with distinction. I enjoy using this knowledge to get my head around tricky problems involving conduct, performance, discrimination, data protection, TUPE, or similar. I am a self-confessed employment law geek!
Professional Accreditations & Memberships
*Cough* My full title is Susi O’Brien Chartered FCIPD because I’m a Chartered Fellow of the UK’s official HR membership body, the CIPD. In order to gain that status I needed to demonstrate that my qualifications, experience, and previous achievements in HR were substantial and at strategic level.
That’s not my only professional membership. I’m active within the HR Inner Circle, which is a group for HR specialists with a particular interest in employment law. In 2022 I joined HR Independents and have had my consultancy standards accredited with them at Platinum level.
Finally, I’m also a member of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and enjoy networking with other business owners there.
My Journey into HR Consultancy
In 2020 I began to carry out some work on a consultancy basis and LOVED it. Since then I’ve worked with organisations from a wide variety of sectors (including health, charity, marketing, and technology). In spring 2022 I set up Susi O’Brien HR and haven’t looked back since.
Want to know any more about me and my background? Please get in touch. I’d be very happy to hear from you.
