Tina McKenzie (politician)

Tina McKenzie
Born Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Residence Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma mater University of Ulster
Occupation
  • Managing Director of Staffline Ireland
  • Director Northern Ireland - Recruitment & Employment Confederation
  • Managing Director of PeoplePlus NI
  • Managing Director of Diamond Recruitment Group
Children 3
Website www.staffline.co.uk

Tina McKenzie (born 1973[1]) is a business executive from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Early career

Prior to joining Staffline Group, McKenzie enjoyed a successful career in the recruitment and employment support sector and has held several senior positions across the industry.[2][3]

After graduating from the University of Ulster, McKenzie started her career coordinating job-skills programmes for the rehabilitation of ex-offenders, working closely with NIACRO, Extern, and the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI). After a move to London she quickly progressed in the corporate world across GB and internationally,[4] becoming a successful Sales and Managing Director with experience in a variety of business verticals logistics, financial services, health and social care,[2] agrifood and banking. McKenzie has consulted with some of the world’s largest international companies, advising on employment strategies, HR, and best people practices.[3]

Political Life

McKenzie returned to her native Northern Ireland in 2013 to set up Staffline Group (Ireland).[5] Shortly after her return she joined newly formed political party NI21 and was appointed its first chair. McKenzie described herself as believing in the maintenance of the union of Britain and Northern Ireland, principally for economic reasons.[1]

NI21 selected McKenzie as their candidate for the European election of 2014,[6] proposing to support the region in Europe and promote jobs and economic growth.[7] She also stood for Belfast City Council in Balmoral.[8]

On the night of the election the majority of the party resigned, including McKenzie,[9] following allegations of misconduct made against party leader Basil McCrea,[10] which have since been dismissed by the Assembly Commissioner for Standards.[11]

Shortly after, McKenzie announced she was leaving politics on the grounds that she was disillusioned.[12]

Business Life

McKenzie is a business professional with over 20 years’ experience in the human resource, recruitment and employment support sectors.[4]

In her current role McKenzie is Managing Director of Staffline Group (Ireland) a recruitment and employment support business, comprising Staffline Recruitment, PeoplePlus NI and Diamond Recruitment.[13]

Under McKenzie’s leadership Staffline Group (Ireland) has grown from a standing start in 2013 with a staff of two in Belfast to a turnover of £55m and a staff of over 100 full-time employees across the island of Ireland.[5]

Owing to McKenzie’s expertise and experience in the recruitment sector, she currently holds the position of Regional Director (Northern Ireland) for the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the governing body of the recruitment industry.[14]

In addition to being an active member of several business networks such as the Institute of Directors,[15] Queen’s University Chief Executives’ Club, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Business in the Community,[16] Northern Ireland Business Assembly Trust and Women in Business,[17][18] Tina is also a member of industry associations such as the Northern Ireland Food & Drinks Association, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation. She has previously held positions including being a board member of the NI Chamber of Commerce (2006-2008) and of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) Health and Social Care Sector Group (2011).

Owing to her connectivity across public, private and voluntary organisations, McKenzie is regularly invited to speak at conferences and to attend events as a guest hosted by organisations such as the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce, the British-Irish Association, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Northern Ireland Retail Trade Associations (NIRTA).[19]

McKenzie’s contribution to the local economy and the local business sector has been recognised by stakeholders across the island,[13][20][21] as she is frequently asked to contribute to crucial discussions impacting the local economy. As a respected voice on the role of local businesses, McKenzie is a regular contributor to discussions hosted by the BBC, Ulster Bank and UTV amongst others,[22] and as such has helped shape local understanding of the labour market and the contributions the business sector makes to the local economy.[16][23][24][25][26]

McKenzie is also a contributor to the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Framework and is frequently consulted on the health of the labour market in Northern Ireland. McKenzie’s role in promoting a people-focused approach to business and the economy has also seen her become a business mentor for Women in Business NI and a contributor to the REC’s recent report on progression in low-pay work, where she promoted the value of jobs in the retail, hospitality and care sectors.[27]

Business Achievements

In 2015 McKenzie was awarded the "Outstanding Management and Leadership" award by Women in Business Northern Ireland.[28]

She has also been shortlisted for UTV’s "Business Personality of the Year" Award.[29]

McKenzie was UK Leader of the Year in 2001 at Premiere People. She was also a Judge on the Contact Centre Best People Awards in 2007, and is an alumnus of the Senior Executive Programme of INSEAD. Tina has achieved the IiP Award in the Staffline Group, and has completed the Leading Effective Boards programme at Queen’s University Belfast, and studied Business Management at the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra and the Tias Business School at Tilburg University.

Personal life

McKenzie is married and the mother of three children.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Dunn, Kerri. "On The Record". Lisburn's 98FM.
  2. 1 2 "87% of care staff work on contract from choice – highest of any sector". MyNewsDesk.
  3. 1 2 3 Staff, UTV (7 April 2014). "McKenzie to run for NI21 in Europe". UTV.
  4. 1 2 Creeth, Barton (7 April 2014). "Tina At Home: Talking Politics At The Breakfast Table Of NI21 Candidate For Europe, Tina McKenzie". Off The Record NI.
  5. 1 2 Canning, Margaret (14 October 2015). "Diamond Recruitment snapped up by UK employment agency". Belfast Telegraph.
  6. ↑ Murray, Gemma (7 April 2014). "NI21 chair Tina McKenzie to stand in Euro elections: http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/northern-ireland-news/ni21-chair-tina-mckenzie-to-stand-in-euro-elections-1-5984948#ixzz3savhdbs7". Newsletter. External link in |title= (help)
  7. ↑ "Tina McKenzie selected as NI21's European election candidate". BBC. 7 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Vote 2014: Belfast council candidates". BBC. 15 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "McKenzie quits amid NI21 crisis". UTV. 22 May 2014.
  10. ↑ McBride, Sam (23 May 2014). "NI21 implodes amid allegations against Basil McCrea". Newsletter.
  11. ↑ http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/02/11/news/stormont-probe-clears-mccrea-over-sex-claims-415343/
  12. ↑ "NI21 European candidate Tina McKenzie quitting politics". BBC. 22 May 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Diamond: One of NI's biggest employment agencies sold to Staffline". BBC. 13 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "REC welcomes new Regional Director for Northern Ireland". The Recruitment & Employment Confederation.
  15. ↑ "Ambitious Woman" (PDF). IoD. June 2015.
  16. 1 2 "Steps 2 Success launches in the Northern region". Business in the Community. BITCNI.
  17. ↑ "NIABT MEMBERS". NIABT. Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust.
  18. ↑ Grosman, Eva. "Female Business Experts Mark Women’s Entrepreneurship Day With Special Mentoring Breakfast". Centre For Democracy and Peace Building.
  19. ↑ "NIIRTA Launches Economic Five Point Plan For Europe". NIIRTA. Northern Ireland Independent Retail and Trade Association.
  20. ↑ Calder, Tina (20 November 2015). "Women’s Entrepreneurship Day celebrated in Belfast". Newsletter.
  21. ↑ Grosman, Eva. "IS A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY IN REACH IN NORTHERN IRELAND?". Northern Ireland Foundation.
  22. ↑ "MAC Question Time, In Partnership with Ulster Bank". The Mac Live. Mac.
  23. ↑ "Tackling poverty and assessing the impact of proposed welfare reform in Northern Ireland". Community NI. Policy Forum For Northern Ireland.
  24. ↑ "Policy Forum for Northern Ireland Keynote Seminar: Tackling poverty and assessing the impact of proposed welfare reform in Northern Ireland" (PDF). Policy Forum For NI.
  25. ↑ "Committee for Employment and Learning" (PDF). NI Assembly. Hansard.
  26. ↑ Walker, Gavin (16 December 2014). "Steps 2 Success launches in the Northern region". Business First Online.
  27. ↑ "What progression looks like for low-paid workers today" (PDF). REC. Recruitment & Employment Confederation.
  28. ↑ "WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT 2015 WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS". Woman In Business. Woman In Business Northern Ireland.
  29. ↑ "UTV Shortlist". Business Eye. 2015.
Party political offices
Preceded by
New position		 Chair of NI21
2013–2014 		Succeeded by
Olive Buckley
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