New Personnel chief at the University

The new Personnel Director at the University of Teesside has come back to his roots to take on his new role. For Richard Tait, 50, was born in the Tees Valley and says: “There really is no better place to live.”

Married with three children, Richard left the North East when he was 18 to study at the London School of Economics and worked in the transport and clothing/textiles industry for over 25 years before working in human resource and recruitment consultancy.

Now living back in Darlington, he intends to put his wealth of experience in various personnel, training and staff development roles to good use at the University of Teesside.

The University in central Middlesbrough employs over 1,500 full and part-time staff and is now one of Teesside’s biggest employers. It has Investor in People status and was recently commended for its equal opportunities policies towards women by Opportunity Now, a business-led initiative.

Richard says: “I am really looking forward to working in a professional organisation full of interesting people. I know the University has invested heavily in training and staff development as well as human resources and I think I can bring a new perspective to build on this good work. These are very exciting times for universities as they embrace the enterprise agenda, and in Teesside’s case new initiatives such as Digital City.”

Richard’s previous personnel roles have included several years in the motor industry after graduating from the LSE and Personnel Director roles on a national basis at Sketchley plc and Claremont plc.

A former student at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Darlington, Richard is keen to raise the profile of the University within the business community and is an active member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He is a keen outdoor enthusiast and loves climbing, walking and running and says: “I love the North East. You can’t get a better quality of life anywhere.”

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