Tom Cruse

Tom is our Associate Director of People and is responsible for the People Services team. The role is integral in ensuring the consistent application of People strategy, policies and processes, and shares accountability as part of the wider senior management team (SMT) for ensuring a values-led, inclusive culture that places wellbeing at the heart.

Prior to joining Making Space in 2016, Tom worked in several different HR/Payroll/Systems roles within a 15 year spell in Local Government. Working his way up from a payroll trainee, he eventually left the organisation in project management and system administrator roles which were primarily working on the successful delivery and maintenance of an HR & Payroll Management Information System. Tom has delivered several projects, taking creative and measured approaches in order to get the desired result through lean thinking.

Seeking a new challenge, Tom joined Making Space to assess and reconfigure our iTrent HR & Payroll system, attempting to release its full potential to deliver enhanced digital capability for the many processes and aspects of the system and team that had previously been paper-based. Tom has a PRINCE 2 Project Management qualification and is currently studying a CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management.

“Some of my main focuses are to improve recruitment, retention, pay & reward and succession planning of our amazing workforce. We have an established People Services team in place and a real good assortment of Payroll/HR/Learning & Development knowledge and experience in order to deliver a bold but achievable people plan in the next 3 to 5 years.”

You may have seen Tom, along with other team members, carrying out the occasional fundraiser for Making Space, which is normally an annual event. “We’ve already tackled the Yorkshire 3 Peaks (twice!) and have walked Hadrian’s Wall in 3 days, which I wouldn’t advise! Our next challenge is already being planned and is potentially bigger again.”

In his spare time Tom likes to be outdoors, mainly in his native North Wales, walking with family and his dog. Tom also enjoys travel, running and trail riding in the local hills and countryside.

Read Tom's One Page Profile.