Curiosity about businesses of all sizes and in all sectors is what motivates Claire Harvey in her role with Reed, and is why her involvement this year as a judge of the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards (NBEAs) is something that excites her greatly.
As Managing Director of Reed’s UK Network, Claire oversees operations from Aberdeen to Southampton, managing relation-ships across 60 Reed locations. Her client-facing approach and dedication to building long-term relationships underscore her commitment to ensuring Reed’s teams of recruiters provide the best possible advice and support.
Reed has a long-standing tradition of networking and charitable efforts within the local business community, and Claire’s involvement in the NBEAs is a natural extension of that.
“I’m a curious individual,” she said. “I think you have to be, in recruitment, because a clear understanding of the client, what their needs are and what skills they require, is crucial. I have a passion for seeing businesses grow, how they make a real differ-ence to people’s lives and their local communities.
“My role with Reed is about building strategic relationships with clients. On the back of our excellent brand reputation and networks, local businesses come to us for our specialist recruit-ment knowledge and expertise, we then partner with them to build that into a longer term relationship.
“That’s why I’m excited about being a judge for the NBEAs, finding out more about the finalists and being part of something that really makes a difference to a company – something that recognises what they do and that they’re really proud of.”
With over 25 years of experience in the recruitment industry, originally as a finance recruiter, Claire has channelled the skills learnt over the years to develop high-billing, motivated teams, across many industry sectors, to great success.She is involved at a strategic level, ensuring that Reed delivers a consistent, high-quality service across all locations.
The company places great value on the importance of Google reviews and fostering a culture of going above and beyond for clients. ‘Improving lives through work’ is Reed’s core purpose, and Claire ensures that her team of 600 people is dedicated to understand-ing and meeting client needs.
Within each of Reed’s offices there has to be a deep under-standing of the individual local business landscape, the key employers and the types of people businesses need to hire and the skills they require. With companies needing to stand out in a crowded marketplace, advising on brand perception to make the client an employer of choice and ensuring they are noticed by the right professionals is vital.
Claire added:
“At Reed we’re not just filling job vacancies, we’re committed to educational activities – thought leadership, salary surveys and market insights – so that we’re helping clients navigate the business world with as much information as possible.”
As an NBEA judge, innovation is one of the key qualities Claire will be looking out for – as she believes innovation drives businesses forward and is at the heart of growth and success.
“I know it’s going to be a tough job,” said Claire, “but one I am very much looking forward to. It is fascinating to watch companies evolve and I am passionate about being part of their journey. I’ve seen how much it means to businesses to win awards, it recognises the efforts they have put in and it’s quite humbling to be a part of something that matters so much to people. I’m very excited for judging day.”
Find out more about the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards at our dedicated awards webpage here.
