OSDS Staff Profiles

The following profiles are for all the staff that work within OSDS, contact details for each member of staff has been given.  For general office enquiries, please contact the General Office: +44 (0)1334 46 7198.

Image of Michael Bennie

Michael Bennie

Organisational Design and Change Specialist

E: mrb24@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Michael is the Organisational Design and Change specialist working across all schools and units. This role includes understanding the current organisation of schools and units and working with colleagues to apply design principles and implement changes to help the University achieve its strategy.


Background

Prior to this post, Michael worked in Organisational design for over 10 years the Energy and Aviation sectors.

Dr Lauren Christie

Dr Lauren Christie

Academic Staff Developer

E: lec28@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Lauren is the Academic Staff Developer working across both OSDS and CEED teams at the University. This role includes helping to establish a regular programme of events, networking with academic colleagues to help support their continued development, and being involved in our induction and training events. 


Prior to this post, Lauren worked with an interest in academic and educational development at the University of Dundee and has just completed a PhD in bibliotherapy and children’s literature.

Carina Evans

Web & Evaluation Officer

E: cme2@st-andrews.ac.uk
T: +44 (1334) 462340

Responsibilities:

Carina is responsible for the OSDS evaluation processes, including providing statistics reports and jointly responsible for the preparation, creation, and maintenance of the University MEQs.  Web development and management of OSDS unit web pages and materials ensuring any links, information and additional content remains updated and consistent, in collaboration with page ‘content owners’.


Background

Carina graduated in a BA (Hons) Commerce at the University of Abertay Dundee, followed by a PG Diploma in IT (University of St Andrews). She also has a Diploma in Cat behaviour and psychology (Centre of Excellence).

Elaine Furnivall

Head of Organisational & Staff Development

E: ecf21@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Elaine is the Head of Organisational & Staff Development (OSDS) and is responsible for coordinating organisational development initiatives across the University, including wellbeing, staff engagement, mentoring and coaching. 


Elaine also has operational responsibility for staff development and manages the OSDS ‘developer’ team which coordinates and delivers professional and career development activities for support staff, research staff and academic staff.

 

Background

Elaine is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Chartered Scientist, Registered Ergonomist and Registered Psychologist (HCPC).  Elaine has worked in people development, behavioural and organisational change for over 30 years. In addition to Higher Education experience Elaine has worked in blue chip, manufacturing, private, charitable, SME and emergency services sectors.  An experienced business owner, manager, managing consultant and executive coach Elaine is level A and B (intermediate) certified in Psychometrics, holds post-graduate qualifications in psychology, work design and management, and is working towards her British Psychological Society Chartered Coach. Elaine is particularly interested in strategic development practices, leadership and talent development.

Avery Hawkins

Organisational Development Adviser

E: ah329@st-andrews.ac.uk
T: +44 (1334) 462533

Responsibilities:

Avery is OSDS’s Organisational Development Adviser. Working alongside the Head of Organisational and Staff Development, they support OSDS’s work on staff engagement, mentoring, mandatory training, employee development planning, equality, diversity, and inclusion development, cultural transformation, and bespoke institutional change management projects.


Background

Avery joined the University in May 2019 as an Organisational Development Coordinator in CAPOD (predecessor to OSDS). Avery has over a decade of experience in human resource management, organisational development, employee engagement, and equality, diversity, and inclusion. Avery’s career has included operational and business partnership roles across public and private sector. Notable organisations include Historic Environment Scotland, Network Rail Ltd, and Santander UK Plc. Avery is a certified coach, holds a diploma in Human Resource Management from, and is an associate member of, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Yvonne Kerr

Employee Engagement Consultant

E: yk51@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Yvonne is the Employee Engagement specialist working across all schools and units. She is responsible for developing, maintaining and growing engagement strategies for our workforce to support information sharing, dialogue and feedback on University policies and plans.


Background

 

Yvonne spent the majority of her career (25 years) working for Sky UK in a variety of roles which included Operational Management, Learning & Development and Communications & Engagement. Since leaving Sky UK she has contracted with several public sector organisations such as The Scottish Government and Glasgow University. She is very passionate about the value an engaged workforce can bring to an organisation.

 

 

Sarah Pollock

OSDS Administrator

E: osdscourses@st-andrews.ac.uk
T: +44 (1334) 467198

Responsibilities:

As OSDS administrator provides support for OSDS visitors, trainers, OSDS colleagues.


Additional responsibilities:

  • Provides administration support to the OSDS team and Office Managers;

  • Works with PDMS on a daily basis, to administer and manage workshops / events;

  • Provides support at OSDS events such as University Inductions (Staff), special workshops, training events, conferences and additional ad-hoc events.

  • Manages the PDMS system and is the OSDS point of contact, as well as training colleagues in using PDMS and answering general queries when they arise.

  • Day-to-day office administration duties such as answering telephone & 'in person' queries, paper-work and so on.

Jamie Smith

Organisational Development Specialist (Research)

E: jss29@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Jamie is the Organisation Development Specialist for Research within OSDS. Jamie is responsible for the university’s commitment to the Researcher Development Concordat and for delivering development programmes that support the career development of our research community.


Background

Jamie completed his MBA at the University of Edinburgh in 2021. Before joining the University of St. Andrews, Jamie was Research Project Manager at Abertay University and was involved with InGAME, a collaborative R&D project designed to increase the economic scale and value of the Dundee videogames ecosystem. The project was led by Abertay University, in partnership with the University of Dundee and the University of St Andrews Business School. The project is forecast to deliver 15x return on public investment and the Institute for Capitlising on Creativity has published their own evaluation here.

Jennifer Sinclair

OSDS Administrator

E: osdscourses@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

As OSDS administrator provides support for OSDS visitors, trainers, OSDS colleagues.


Additional responsibilities:

  • Provides administration support to the OSDS team and Office Managers;

  • Works with PDMS on a daily basis, to administer and manage workshops / events;

  • Provides support at OSDS events such as University Inductions (Staff), special workshops, training events, conferences and additional ad-hoc events.

  • Manages the PDMS system and is the OSDS point of contact, as well as training colleagues in using PDMS and answering general queries when they arise.

  • Day-to-day office administration duties such as answering telephone & 'in person' queries, paper-work and so on.

 

Background

Jennifer has over 12 years experience in Administration and HR roles and working in high security environments. Some of the places she has worked include Ministry of Defence, Scottish Government, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, a Primary School and also the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews. This has given Jennifer experience of using lots of different complex systems – one being Oracle.

Claire Wall

Organisational Development Specialist

E: clew1@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Claire contributes to the OSDS unit through design and delivery of development opportunities for all staff. This includes induction events, institutional initiatives and working with apprentices.


Claire worked for over 10 years at a local authority developing their staff and leaders through a range of corporate initiatives and leadership courses, whilst providing support as services moved through a change management programme.

Liz Wilson

OSDS Administration Manager

E: emw28@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Liz is the Administration Manager for OSDS. She is responsible for the admin team and coordinates a range of operational activity. Liz supports the Head of OSDS to deliver on the University’s Strategy and a comprehensive range of activities and opportunities to support all our staff.


Background

Liz has worked in a range of roles in Higher Education including Events and Student Services, and has recently moved to OSDS from the University’s Admission’s team.

Lynda Wilson

Learning and Development Advisor

E: lw279@st-andrews.ac.uk

Responsibilities:

Lynda is a Learning and Development Advisor who works alongside the OSDS team on a range of projects and events to deliver and design impactful training across staff and departments targeting all levels of seniority. Specific courses/workshops will offer an array of high quality training interventions designed to meet the needs of the organisation and aligned to St Andrews University strategy.


Background

Lynda is an HR Consultant with specialisms in recruitment strategy and Learning & Development. She possesses 30 years’ experience in the Energy Industry having worked for ExxonMobil across Europe.   Latterly, Lynda joined Civil Service as a Facilitator of soft skills training.