Jark appoints group support manager

Jark Recruitment is bolstering its senior management team with the appointment of Amanda Smith as its first group support manager supporting all the companies under the Jark banner ñ Industrial, Construction, Healthcare and Commercial.

In her new role at the companyís head office in Dereham in Norfolk, Amanda will be responsible for a range of functions, including developing Jarkís corporate identity, internal and external communications, staff training and HR, as well as keeping all the companies abreast of impending recruitment legislation and industry best practice.

Amanda has a long track record within the recruitment industry spending 16 years in a variety of disciplines including industrial, commercial, construction and search and selection. She has spent the last ten years with Jark Recruitment, most recently as manager of its industrial branch in Ipswich.

During her time with Jark Amanda has helped create a strong team ethos and has trained many consultants who have gone on to become branch managers both within Jark and outside of the company. For the last two years her team in Ipswich has been shortlisted for the Customer Service award for Suffolk Recruitment awards and was awarded the prize in 2007.

John Buckman, chairman of Jark Recruitment says: ìWith the expansion plans we have for Jark and the rapid growth we have achieved over the last few years we have reached a point where these functions need to be addressed on behalf of all the companies in the group. By creating a central support function for the whole group it ensures that the same practices are carried out throughout.

ìThe growth plans and new office openings mean we are bringing more companies, individuals and locations into the company, so need a business template to enable people to feel part of Jark and understand our culture and work ethic from the day they start.

ìAmanda knows Jark and the companyís ethos inside out and has demonstrated her skills in creating strong teams and good working relationships with clients. In her new role she will be able to use her experience and skills for the benefit of the entire group.î

As a consequence of Amandaís promotion, Susan Walker has been appointed branch manager of Jark Industrial in Ipswich. Susan has also worked for Jark for 10 years in both Norwich and Ipswich, most recently overseeing the launch of an Industrial operation in Jarkís Norwich branch. In its inaugural year Susan led a team that helped the combined Norwich operation achieve a 6 million turnover, 43 per cent up on the previous yearís trading figures.

ìBy appointing Susan to manage our Ipswich branch, we have maintained a degree of continuity as she has worked with Amanda in Ipswich before,î says John. ìIt also demonstrates that within Jark we have the capacity to train staff for senior positions and the opportunities to reward staff who are capable of rising to the challenge of holding management positions.î