Inside Cronofy with Mark Harbottle, Head of Talent
Welcome to the fourth installment of our Inside Cronofy interview series! Today we're sitting down with Head of Talent, Mark Harbottle, to learn more about his role and the projects he's currently working on.
Hi Mark, thanks for speaking with me today! Firstly, could you tell me a bit about yourself and your role at Cronofy?
I'm the Head of Talent at Cronofy; I'm responsible for employee attraction, retention, development, and motivation.
Great, and how long have you been with Cronofy?
I will have been with Cronofy for one year at the end of January. It's flown by!
What were you doing before you joined?
My background has always been in IT recruitment. I ran my own firm for a while, and then focused on regional IT recruitment in my home city, Newcastle upon Tyne. I really enjoyed the job, but I've always had a passion for people, talent, and culture, which is why I started studying for my CIPD qualification during lockdown and completed that last year. CIPD certifications are the recognized professional standard for HR specialists in the UK and are highly valuable for the role I was looking for. I wanted a role where I could utilize my recruitment experience and also allow me to develop my skills in the broader area of HR. Cronofy is a perfect fit for me and my ambitions.
Could you tell me about a project you're working on right now?
My job is full of important internal projects, but one of the most interesting ones has been developing our Competency Framework. I've been working on defining what excellent looks like at Cronofy, setting out the individual competencies of our levels of seniority, and the areas of competency that are so important to succeeding while working here. We'll use the framework to support career development for all our team members.
Sounds interesting! Is anyone else involved in this project?
Although I've led the project, I've had loads of support from our Management team. They've helped me define the competencies within their departments and integrate our framework across our review process to ensure we're maximizing its value. I definitely couldn't have done this without their support.
Why would you say this project is important?
We've always been great at giving feedback here, and I realized last year that although we put a significant focus on personal development and career opportunities, there wasn't as much structure around a career path as there could be. I've been working on a framework that provides clarity on the range of opportunities at Cronofy and gives visibility on what our team members need to do to progress internally.
Simply put, it's important because it shows everyone what they need to do to be as successful as they can at Cronofy.
Once we finish this project and we've fully rolled out our competency framework across all departments, I hope that we can publish it for full transparency of anyone who is thinking of applying for a role.
Sounds like a really valuable project – what have you enjoyed most?
I've really enjoyed the challenge! It was a big project to embark on so early in my employment at Cronofy, with such a significant long-term impact. I've definitely learned a lot during this project. That being said, the satisfaction is in the result. Seeing colleagues develop themselves while staying true to our Principles is so rewarding.
It's also something that I'll be revisiting every year to assess its impact - could we be doing better? Do we need to make any amendments to get more value? It'll be interesting to reflect on it later in 2022.
Now that you've been with us for a year, what would you say you enjoy about working at Cronofy?
I relish the freedom to work on important things that I feel will bring value and help the company grow and manage my job around my family life. I have a two-year-old at home, and being able to be 'present' in his life makes everything worthwhile. I adore my colleagues; even though we primarily work remotely, I have a really strong relationship with all of them.
Working at Cronofy is fast-paced and challenging; the business has already been through so much in my year working here. It's so exciting to see the growth happening in real-time, and I adore being part of this journey.
Finally, what would you say to anyone who's considering applying for a role with us?
Firstly I'd say if you want to be part of a fast-paced startup that has doubled in headcount in the last year and is making a real difference to people's lives, then this is absolutely the place for you. I'd also say that if flexibility, transparency, rewarding work, a tight-knit community, and a principles-driven culture are things you value in a job, you should certainly apply.
Does Cronofy sound like the perfect fit for your career? If you're interested in joining our team, head to our Careers page to see our current open positions or submit your CV to recruitment@cronofy.com!