Senior HR leadership embedded in your business - without the full-time overhead.

You get an experienced Head of HR working alongside your leadership team, taking ownership of the people agenda and giving you the consistency and judgment that comes from twenty-five years at the top of the profession.

This works for three distinct situations:

1. You’re scaling quickly and your people infrastructure hasn’t kept up.

2. You have a leadership gap - your HR Director has left, is on leave, or the role is evolving.

3. You’re navigating change - restructuring, acquisition or a culture shift - and need someone you can trust in the room.

Typical engagements run from three to twelve months (three-month minimum). We agree the scope, rhythm and focus at the outset then adjust as your business evolves.

Most HR functions are built for the business as it was - not the business as it is now or needs to be.

What worked when you had fifty people and one HR generalist looks very different at two hundred, after an acquisition or when the leadership team is expecting a strategic partner from a function that’s only ever been asked to be operational. The function hasn’t failed, it just hasn’t evolved at the same pace as everything else.

This service is for CHROs, VPs of HR and business owners who recognize that their HR function needs to catch up - in how it’s structured, what it’s accountable for and how it connects to where the business is going.

The work typically includes:

• HR function design - roles, levels and accountabilities built for where the business is now and where it’s heading.

• Governance framework - clarity on who owns what, how decisions escalate, and where the boundaries sit between HR and the business.

• HR strategy development - a people strategy that connects directly to business priorities with the metrics to show whether it’s working.

What you end up with is an HR function and team that works for the business - where leaders know how to use it, the HR team is clear on what it’s there to do and the function is positioned to deliver what the business actually needs from it.

“Jo took a leading role in developing our people strategy with a clear focus on strong leadership and developing an open and engaging culture to deliver our business priorities.” - David McGarry, HR Director

Some situations require an investigator who is experienced, independent, and completely separate from the internal dynamics of the business.

When a complaint is raised against a senior leader, when a whistleblowing allegation surfaces, or when the stakes are high enough that the outcome will be scrutinized - that's when an internal investigation isn't enough. You need someone who knows how to conduct a thorough, fair process and present findings that will hold up.

I've handled complex investigations across global organizations, including being selected by a Global CHRO to investigate sensitive whistleblowing cases across international operations. I bring the same rigor and discretion to every engagement, regardless of scale.

This service covers:

• Workplace misconduct investigations

• Whistleblowing and protected disclosure cases

• Grievances and formal complaints

• Senior and executive level investigations where independence is essential

A good investigation doesn't just reach a conclusion. It gives the business confidence that the process was fair - and protects everyone involved.

When leadership teams aren't functioning well, the whole organization feels it — in decisions that get pushed until they become a crisis, in communication that breaks down and tempers start to show, in good people who quietly check out.

This service is designed for leadership teams that are newly formed, going through transition, or simply need an external perspective to break a pattern that's become the norm.

Work typically includes facilitated team sessions, individual leader coaching, and a practical framework your team can use beyond the engagement.

Rooted in proven methodologies such as Insights Discovery and Lencioni's Five Dysfunctions model.

"Her ability to shape a company's development needs into a program was exceptional and gave very tangible results — clarity and direction for the leadership team, increased employee satisfaction, and a number of senior leaders progressing into more rewarding roles."

- Paul Cassidy, Head of Strategic & Performance Marketing -

At the heart of every team challenge is a people challenge. How people understand themselves, understand others, and make the most of the relationships that affect them at work.

Insights Discovery is a psychometric tool built to do exactly that. Using a simple and memorable four color model - Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green and Cool Blue - it helps people understand their style, their strengths and the value they bring to the team. The language spreads quickly. It's memorable, practical and - crucially - it doesn't get forgotten once people are back on the day job.

I'm a licensed Insights Discovery practitioner. I facilitate half-day and full-day sessions for leadership teams and working groups, either as a standalone session or as part of a wider program. In person where possible, virtual where needed.

Every participant receives a personal profile. What the team leaves with is a shared language and a clearer picture of how to work better together.

Sometimes the most valuable thing a senior HR leader can do is come in and help to get the basics right.

If your business is growing and your people practices haven’t kept pace - or you’ve never had proper HR support before - this is where we start. We audit where you are, address the compliance gaps, and build the people infrastructure your business needs to grow without the wheels coming off. Practical, proportionate and built around how your business actually works.

Done properly, this work doesn’t just reduce risk. It builds the platform everything else grows from.

This typically includes:

• HR compliance audit - understanding where you are and what needs addressing.

• People policies and foundations built around your business, not a generic template.

• Onboarding and first hire setup.

• Coaching the business owner or leadership team on people management fundamentals.

“Joanne combines a deep understanding of HR compliance and employment law with a collaborative, solutions-focused approach that made the process seamless. She took the time to understand our needs and foster trust throughout the project.”
- Jamie Polk, Director of Operations at AIM Center, Tennessee -

Your HR Business Partners are only as effective as their confidence, credibility and capability allow them to be.

This service builds the skills your HR team needs to operate as genuine strategic partners. We work on commercial acumen, executive presence, influencing without authority, and the ability to have the conversations that others avoid.

Delivered as a tailored program or individual coaching, depending on what your team needs most.

One-to-one coaching for leaders navigating a significant transition, a complex people challenge, or a moment where an honest, experienced sounding board would help.

Available as a standalone engagement or as part of a broader piece of work.

Not everything fits neatly into a retainer or a defined program. Sometimes you have a specific piece of work that needs doing - properly, and by someone who has done it before.

This is for HR leaders or business owners who need experienced hands-on support for a defined project: a particular initiative that's fallen behind, a complex piece of work that's stretching your internal team, or something that simply doesn't fit anywhere else.

Recent examples include:

• Supporting an internal HR team through a complex organizational change initiative

• Designing and delivering a specific HR program with a clear start, end, and output

• Stepping in as an experienced resource alongside an existing team when capacity or capability is the constraint

If you have something in mind and you're not sure whether it fits - get in touch. If I can help, I'll tell you. If I can't, I'll say that too and recommend someone who can.

Mercate People Partners is in the process of registering with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) to to work with federal, state and local government agencies and their contractors.

If you’re a prime contractor looking for experienced HR consulting support - on compliance, workforce structure, people operations or organizational effectiveness, I am open to teaming and subcontracting conversations.