Sarikha McCarthy

In my role as Business Partner – People and Culture at WM New Zealand, I provide strategic HR support to approximately 700 staff across the organization. I also lead the Learning and Development (L&D) portfolio, driving initiatives that build capability, strengthen engagement, and support long-term workforce success. My key achievements and responsibilities include:

• Change Management & Employment Relations: Led and supported twelve change initiatives, including five restructures, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, and managing impacts with professionalism. Provided expert advice on employment relations, managing complex cases such as personal grievances, mediations, and investigations, to ensure fair and constructive outcomes.
• Learning & Development (L&D) Leadership: Championed L&D initiatives to build capability across the workforce, including the Manager Activation Programme, the Watch Me Thrive Mentorship Programme, and targeted coaching for leaders. Partnered with Upskills to deliver a Digital Jumpstart program, enhancing digital literacy among drivers and operators.
• People Insights & Engagement: Delivered data-driven HR reporting to guide strategic decisions on retention and workforce planning. Promoted staff engagement in the Upper North Island Region, driving a 7% increase in survey participation, and a 2% rise in engagement through tailored initiatives.

In my role as a People and Culture Advisor at WM New Zealand, I provided strategic HR guidance and support, while overseeing the Learning and Development (L&D) portfolio. My key achievements and responsibilities included:

• Change Management, ER, and Engagement: Led divisional change initiatives, provided employment relations advice, managed complex cases, and drove staff engagement surveys to improve workplace culture.
• Learning &Development and System Implementations: Supported the delivery of Learning and Development initiatives, and facilitated training programs; supported the implementation and optimisation of the Smart Recruiters system to enhance recruitment processes.
• HR Metrics, Remuneration, and Position Grading: Analysed HR metrics for strategic reporting, and managed remuneration and grading processes to ensure fairness and consistency.

In my role as a People and Culture Coordinator at Waste Management New Zealand, I effectively provided strategic HR guidance and support, fostering a collaborative work environment. My key achievements and responsibilities include:

• HR Operations and Recruitment/Onboarding Improvement: Coordinated HR operations for a workforce of over 2,000 employees, helping to design and implement a more efficient onboarding process that strengthened compliance and reduced administrative errors. Processed an average of 40 new hires and 25 employment condition changes each month with a focus on accuracy and process optimisation.
• HR Metrics: Streamlined the reporting and presentation of monthly business data by introducing Power BI, reducing report collation time by 40%, eliminating manual handling, and improving reporting accuracy through automated data integration from live platforms.
• Job Framework and Learning Development: Conducted job evaluations and reviewed role descriptions to align with organisational needs, while supporting the delivery of Learning and Development programs to enhance employee skills and productivity.

In my role as Recruitment and Allocations Coordinator at Northern Regional Alliance, I effectively managed the recruitment processes and supported various operational needs. Key achievements and responsibilities include:

• Recruitment Support and Pandemic Response: Assisted with recruitment during critical periods, including the annual cycle and changeovers, adapting quickly during the pandemic to ensure 15 international doctors in transit were cleared to work in New Zealand. Collaborated with medical professionals, the Medical Council, and the recruitment team to support service delivery across various specialties.
• Changeover Reporting and Payroll Processing: Successfully managed changeover reporting and payroll processing for regional DHBs, facilitating seamless transitions for early-career medical professionals.
• Annual Recruitment Cycle Coordination: Contributed to the coordination and delivery of the annual recruitment cycle, ensuring effective recruitment practices throughout for national and international medical professionals.

In my role as Senior Clinical Administrator, I efficiently managed a wide range of administrative tasks, supported clinical teams, and implemented significant improvements to service delivery, enhancing operational efficiency and patient care outcomes.