Manchester Branch

We are a 20+ person strong committee with varying ages and levels and areas of expertise.

We are a diverse bunch, who work hard to develop and produce an events programme to meet the professional needs of the CIPD's Manchester area members, as well as managing this website and sending all members a regular newsletter. Our aim is to raise the image and profile of the branch, and represent the membership. Ultimately, to influence the Institute policy on local, national and international issues.

Special Interest Groups

We run many Special Interest Groups designed to meet the diverse needs of our members:

• Business HR
• HR Issues Forum
• Learning and Development
• Public Policy Panel
• Solo Practitioners
• Student Group
• Well-being Group
• Fellows Group

Business HR Group

We are-invigorating our special interest group for self-employed HR/L&D Professionals and want to hear from you if:

• you have experience to share, 
• you’re newly independent and need support,
• you're interested in shaping what the Manchester Branch offers in this area.

The group provides a forum for CIPD members and non-members, whether new or established, who work alone or in small, independent HR consultancy firms.  

The group aims to support you in the following ways:

• sharing your learning, experience and challenges,
• networking, 
• giving and receiving mentoring and support in an informal setting,
• accessing professional development opportunities and the latest relevant insights,
• enabling you to have a say in the support you receive from our branch and the CIPD as the professional body for personnel and development. 

We welcome engagement from members and non-members alike and want to hear from you about what support you need to deliver more impact as an HR professional.  

Would you value informal networking events? Do you want more sessions run by specialists? LinkedIn discussion groups? Mentoring or something else?  What can you bring to the group?

We look forward to working with you.

Group Lead: Liz Needham

The HR Issues forum is a collaboration between the CIPD Manchester Branch and the Alliance Manchester Business School where we bring together the latest research and explore its impact on HR practice.

This Autumn we will be meeting to consider how employers can comply with Employment Charters and the Living Wage and in Spring we will focus on the implications of an ageing workforce. 

Keep an eye on our social media channels for confirmation of dates and times.

Sharon DeMascia
Group Lead

This group is for senior HR professionals, and has recently been re-launched. This network is being established to connect senior HR professionals with each other and to provide a place for debate and discussion among your peer group. It focuses on the key issues facing senior HR professionals at the moment.

We are committed to supporting our members in successfully upgrading their membership level. We will hold quarterly membership and upgrading events throughout 2018/19. During these events, delegates will participate in interactive workshops designed to inform members about the various membership levels and upgrading routes available.

George Whalley, former Manchester Branch Chair and Council Representative is our dedicated branch Membership Adviser, together with Sophie Tothill, Vice-Chair)

For more information subscribe to our newsletter or visit our Eventbrite bookings page.

George Whalley
Membership Adviser

This year we will be offering two key events, aimed at OD, L&D and HR professionals.

The first will be a full-day ‘mini-conference’ titled ‘The Agile Organisation; Building the Capabilities for Success’. This conference will explore the qualities required for an organisation to display the agility required for today’s pace of change. Our speakers will address the key subjects of leadership development, engagement and culture development, and the smooth management of change.

The second is a shared event with our L&D Group colleagues, an evening session which aims to explore The Organisation Value of Performance Consulting. This will be an interactive session which will highlight some of the current key approaches, and showcase the value this intervention can bring to organisations.

Both events will be highly relevant to OD, L&D and HR professionals.

Neal Chamberlain
Group Lead

The Public Policy group is for experienced HR professionals who are interested in public policy issues relating to HR, such as employment law, skills policy, EU migration. 

The meetings are an opportunity to contribute and share your experience, whilst learning and networking at the same time. It is a great way to keep ahead of changes in legislation & government policy. We regularly contribute to the formation of CIPD policy and have also taken part in research for other organisations and universities. We welcome new people and all meetings are held under the Chatham House Rule, so that members feel able to express their views. 

Our Public Policy Group holds its first meeting on 20th September with a Brexit update on the Status of EU Nationals. We will hold a minimum of three additional Public Policy Panels over the next 12 months, all in Manchester City Centre. All meetings begin with refreshments and networking from 17:45. Sessions begin at 18:00 and conclude no later than 20:00.

Details of meetings will be publicised in our monthly newsletter with links to our Eventbrite booking page.

Rachel Burnham
Emma Sprawson
Facilitators

Cost
Events are free for CIPD members and students. Non-Members £15

Solo HR Practitioners' Group

Our solo group continues to grow in numbers and experience. Although mostly sole HR practitioners, our group also attracts HR professionals working across a broad range of industry sectors and sizes of business. Members are usually in environments without the day to day support of a corporate HR department, with the majority operating as the single source of HR expertise, within their employing organisation.

We provide an opportunity for members to explore the challenges faced by solo practitioners and share solutions to common problems encountered at work. In addition to providing a great networking opportunity and sharing knowledge forum, the group organises practical workshops in which we explore key workplace issues and solutions, facilitated by expert speakers.

Group Lead: Sarah Chadbourne

Student Group

The student group creates a valuable opportunity for student members to network, learn about the industry from experienced experts, and share their views. We aim to continue to provide real value for student members by creating opportunities for you to develop the skills you need and access information to help deal with the challenges associated with working in and studying HR. 

Our group enables students to network with other students; you never know who is in the room, from full-time undergraduate students to career changers and business owners. 

We are fortunate to be able to provide expert speakers who genuinely want to add value and care, as much as we do, about supporting students during their academic journey. 

There is no typical CIPD student and having somewhere to voice your opinions, share your challenges and debate with fellow students is invaluable. 

We look forward to meeting you at our next student/member event.

Group Lead: Shyamenda Purslow

This year we launch our Wellbeing Group, creating a space where wellbeing managers can share and discuss their thoughts, experience, concerns and recommendations on wellbeing at work programmes.

Early next year, we will host a mini‐wellbeing conference in partnership with the British Psychological Society and the Society for Occupational Medicine, exploring some of the key themes around managing psychological wellbeing in the workplace.

We will keep you posted via our newsletter and social media channels on the exact dates, locations and full agenda over the coming months.

Sharon De Mascia
Group Lead