The Panel of Judges for the 2023 National Online Recruitment Awards.
As usual they have extensive experience of the current online recruitment sector. They are selected on the basis of this knowledge, and have no vested interested in the nominated websites. A separate consulting panel of industry experts are involved in producing the shortlist of Finalist sites, from the thousands of nominations we receive via NORAuk.com.
Shortlisting Panel
In advance of the final judging stage, we also have a Shortlisting Panel of industry experts, who will assess all websites nominated by jobseekers, and produce our shortlist of Finalists. To ensure transparency in the awards process, this group are quite separate from our Final Judging Panel, but just as vital to the NORAs.
Our Judging Panel
STEPHEN O’DONNELL
Founder of RECex, and the National Online Recruitment Awards. Stephen has been a professional recruiter for the last 3 decades, and has owned and run successful recruitment companies since 1993. Stephen has worked with a number of recruitment startups over the past 20 years. Stephen is also Chief Growth Officer with TAtech, the trade body for technology companies in the hiring and HR sector.
Stephen O’Donnell is Chairman of the Judging Panel.
JAMES PAYNE
James Payne is the Vice President of JobAdder International, overseeing the recruitment software company’s growth in EMEA and North America. Working with JobAdder, he’s adding his skills and vast knowledge to help the company bring joy to more recruiters across the world. You can find him on LinkedIn at JobAdder
JEROME TERNYNCK
Jerome Ternynck is a recognized leader in the recruiting technology industry. He has had three successful exits over 30 years of building global businesses and award-winning software. Jerome currently serves as Founder and CEO of Silicon Valley-based SmartRecruiters, a global talent acquisition suite rated as the most strategic provider by industry analysts.
KATE SHOESMITH
Kate has been with the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), the UK professional body for recruitment, since March 2013. At the REC, Kate is responsible for campaigns & their work with government, marketing, digital, communications and research. Kate is a spokesperson for the organisation, regularly appearing in the UK media and speaking at conferences to talk about the jobs market, employment and skills. She firmly believes how equal access to better skills development opportunities can empower every individual.
EMMA MIRRINGTON
Emma is Managing Director of The FIRM – a membership organisation for in-house recruiters that provides practical, tactical and strategic support through resources, tools and events to connect, support, develop and inspire our members.
DEREK PILCHER
Derek is Managing Director of Jobtrain, one of the UK’s leading ATS providers. He has previously held leadership roles at Monster, TheLadders and Hosco throughout a 25 year career in the recruitment media & technology sector.
MATT ALDER
Matt Alder is a strategic consultant focusing on all aspects of recruitment marketing, employer brand and recruitment technology. Over the last eighteen years Matt has driven value for numerous employers by helping them connect to the best talent and improve ROI. Matt is a long established blogger, an experienced keynote speaker and regular commentator on the future of work. He hosts the Recruiting Future podcast (www.rfpodcast.com.) and is co-author of the book “Exceptional Talent” which was published by Kogan Page in 2017.
WENDY MCDOUGALL
Wendy McDougall CEO Firefish Software. Wendy McDougall has been making waves and influencing the recruitment technology space for nearly two decades.
Once a top-performing recruiter and recruitment business owner, Wendy moved into the tech space in 2010 on a mission to help transform businesses into growth engines. Her company, Firefish Software, is a recruitment software solution that’s changing the way businesses recruit.
KATRINA COLLIER
Katrina Collier is on a mission to end the collaboration chaos that ruins recruitment and candidate experience; exacerbated by hyrbid working. Her inclusive workshops help companies fix the real issues preventing successful talent acquisition, and her unique shared-learning Mastermind programme develops the skills HR & recruiters need to partner effectively with the business and candidates. She is also a Mentor, Author of The Robot-Proof Recruiter, a global keynote speaker, and host of The Hiring Partner Perspective (Unedited) podcast.
Katrina is an Ambassador for Hope for Justice charity, and you’ll find her on LinkedIn and on Instagram & Twitter @KatrinaMCollier.
GILES HECKSTALL-SMITH
Giles is one of the original ‘early adopters’ in the world of Recruitment Technology, having been with Jobtrain since 2002. Today, he champions the business to the outside world – sharing his 20 years’ of experience and knowledge and developing relationships and win/win propositions to drive Jobtrain forward.
MARK LENNOX
Co-founder, IHR. The largest and most engaged community for In-house Recruiters.
JACKIE TORR
Operations Director, The TEAM Network. I joined TEAM back in 2016 and I am passionate about growing our community of like-minded recruiters. Although things have changed substantially since my days in recruitment (back in the 90’s), I know the challenges that are faced by an independent recruiter. Recruiters can collaborate, share business and ideas in the TEAM network and have the support to achieve their goals whatever they may be.
STEVE WHITE
Director and Owner at Calgary Communications. Steve has been at the forefront of recruitment advertising, marketing, branding and the candidate experience since the 1980’s.
CHRISTINA ROBINSON
Christina is the Managing Director of Green Umbrella Marketing, having led an MBO. Christina works with recruitment business owners and marketing directors to educate them on how best to maximise their online marketing activities to enhance their business, increase brand awareness and ultimately increase sales..
IAN KNOWLSON
Global Influencer and Business & Personal Growth Coach to the Talent Recruitment Sector. Ian is a Recruitment, NLP & Employment Futurist, Influencer and a Sage Global Business Expert with proven track record of aiding businesses and individuals to achieve and very often exceed their growth ambitions
ANGELA CRIPPS
Managing Director of Recruiting Gym, Angela is an experienced trainer, management consultant, coach, NED, mentor and performance specialist with 30+ years’ experience within the recruitment industry, who for the past 5 years has been working in HK, China, Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, Japan and Australia – until COVID put an end to that!
LYNDSEY TAYLOR
Currently Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Kerry, Lyndsey has over 20 years of experience in hands-on leadership positions within Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Training, L&D, Technology, Assessments, and Performance Management for global businesses.
CHARLOTTE JOHNS
Charlotte has worked in recruitment for over 20 years, holding in house ‘Head of Recruitment’ roles at Transport for London, Legal and General as well as a number of senior contract roles in HR Transformation, Talent Acquisition Leadership and everything in between. Charlotte currently works for Unilever where she plays a key role as Global Talent and Communications Director, in the setting up and running of a new Global Business Unit – Elida Beauty.
ROB COHEN
Rob is the TA Ecosystem Manager at Philip Morris International, responsible for their tech stack operationally. With more than 12 years of TA Tech experience, his previous roles include Solutions Architect, Implementation and consultant for top TA Tech vendors and customers, steering major TA Tech transformations for multinational corporations. Rob remains at the forefront of revolutionising Talent Acquisition Technology.
The criteria to be used in judging will include:
1. Ease of use, design, layout & speed.
2. Volume of available vacancies.
3. Volume of claimed visitors, where applicable.
4. Available facilities for jobseekers. This will include the availability of mobile websites and applications, and integration with social media channels.
5. Prominence in targeted market.
Sites will be judged from the point of view of a jobseeker, and what benefits candidates best. Recruitment websites which are not mobile friendly on small screens, will not be considered.
