Proven People Strategy With Measurable Commercial Impact
Delivered a UK-wide restructure and cost reduction programme for a major consumer brand, resulting in £1m+ savings in operating cost.
Built and led an in-house talent acquisition model for a fast-growing fashion brand, reducing external recruiter spend by 40% in 12 months while supporting aggressive headcount growth.
Merged sales functions in a luxury retail/manufacturing business, harmonised commission and targets, and drove a 25% uplift in sales.
Designed and launched a scalable Career Framework as a roadmap for employee development and progression that increased group engagement by over 10% within 6 months.
ABOUT PHOENIX HR
Senior HR leadership without the permanent headcount.
Phoenix HR is led by Stephen Richardson, an independent HR consultant and interim HR leader.
Stephen has spent 25+ years in senior HR roles in complex, fast-moving and often politically sensitive environments – from multinational retail and fashion to betting/gaming, luxury manufacturing and global chemicals supply. He has operated at Head of HR / HR Director level for brands including PrettyLittleThing, Betfred and The Sofa & Chair Company, reporting directly to CEOs and MDs and leading on people strategy, organisational change and workforce planning.
What our clients value:
Commercial clarity
Stephen talks in facts — cost, margin, productivity, workforce risk — not just policy.
Delivery, not decks
He doesn’t produce a slide deck and disappear. He embeds, executes and hands back something that actually works.
Trust at all levels
From boardroom to factory floor, he’s known for building buy-in fast and keeping people with the business through difficult change.
OUR SERVICES
What Phoenix HR Delivers
We embed quickly, stabilise what’s urgent, and build what’s missing.
We work in three core ways. You can engage us on an interim/fractional HR leadership basis, for a defined, fixed-term people project, or for interim HR cover and support. There’s no off-the-shelf “HR package”. Every project is tailored to the unique needs of your business.
Interim & Fractional HR Leadership
Whether you've got a leadership gap, an underpowered HR function, or a critical phase of change, we step in as your interim Head of HR / HR Director. That means: board-level support and full delivery of BAU HR — without losing service quality.
VIEWPeople & Organisation Strategy
We build people strategies that line up with where the business is going — not where it was last year. That includes organisation design, succession planning, workforce planning, reward, progression frameworks and leadership capability.
VIEWTransformation & Change
Redesigning structures. Moving work across locations. Consultation. Harmonising terms. Exiting underperformers. Re-aligning pay and bonus plans with reality. This is the hard stuff, and it needs to be done quickly, legally and compassionately. This is where we come in to provide tailored support.
VIEWTalent, Capability & Workforce Development
Build the team you’ll need in 12 months — not just fill the vacancy you had last week. We partner with founders and functional leaders to find the talent you need and create a talent pipeline that isn't agency-dependent.
VIEWReward, Recognition & Retention
If you want people to perform, they have to know performance is seen, valued and rewarded — fairly. We create reward and recognition frameworks that are aligned to business performance and values, not random spot bonuses.
VIEWWe provide expert care and support with your HR needs so you can focus on your business.
WHAT WE DO
What Sets Us Apart
Areas of specialism:
Interim / fractional HR leadership during gaps or transformation.
Restructure, consultation and complex ER cases.
Workforce and capability planning (including apprenticeship pipelines and succession frameworks).
Reward, recognition and culture programmes that retain talent and drive performance.
How We Support You:
Fractional HR Support (set days per week or month at leadership level)
Fixed-term / interim cover - on a short or longer term basis
Project delivery - supported by a project plan, milestones, key deliverables and measurable outcomes for your business
Hybrid or On-Site as needed (HQ or multiple sites; UK-wide and international travel possible)
We act as a true HR Partner that treats and respects your business as though it’s our own.
OUR WORK
Case Studies
These are examples of projects delivered personally by Phoenix HR. In each case, we weren’t “advising from the sidelines” — we were in the room with the CEO, designing the answer, then on the ground making it happen.
Explosive growth plans demanded rapid headcount expansion. Recruitment agency spend was spiralling. Leadership needed control, speed, and a talent pipeline that understood the brand.
The business needed to reduce UK operating cost, streamline support functions and exit non-core operations — fast — while staying compliant and protecting brand reputation.
The client had gone through significant organisational change and transformation. Leadership wanted to strengthen culture, celebrate excellence publicly, and position the Company as a place where high performance and values-led behaviour are genuinely seen — internally and externally.
Your Brand - Our HR Expertise.
Book a free no-obligation HR consultation with us today...
Testimonials
Our Track Record
OUR PARTNERS
Who We Work With
