Page updated June 2022
Chair’s Welcome
I was delighted to take up the Chair of CIPD Manchester in 2020, working alongside a great group of fellow CIPD members, volunteering as committee members and ambassadors for the branch, serving our profession and the Manchester community.
With 30+ years of HR experience, firstly in-house with several charities and then for the past 20 years running my L&D consultancy, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the role. I have been involved with CIPD Manchester for many years – initially as the Public Policy Lead and then as the L&D Lead. My contributions have also included initiating work on Flexible Working, hosting a Modern Slavery fringe event at CIPD Ace in 2019 and leading a social media campaign to raise awareness of Neurodiversity at Work.
2022 will likely remain a hugely challenging time for people professionals and individuals. As in 2021, we continue to face the most significant economic challenges of our lifetime, post-Brexit implications, a growing need to create a much fairer and more inclusive society, not to mention rapid digital transformations across so many areas of our life.
We still have a lot to do as a profession, and I am looking forward to working with you for another 12-month term as we continue to step up to these challenges together.
Rachel Burnham, Chair of the Committee
CIPD Manchester Branch
Who we are
We are the largest local CIPD branch in the world, and proud to play our part in serving our area membership and the wider business community across Greater Manchester.
Our committee comprises 15 volunteer CIPD members who work hard to develop and produce a programme of activities to meet the needs of people professionals across the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester.
Branch Committee 2021-2022
Committee elections 2022
Learn more about the candidates standing for election at our formal annual meeting on 20 June, 2022.
Click here (page 5)
Branch Ambassadors
We’re supported in everything we do by a fantastic team of Manchester Branch Ambassadors who represent all the career stages across the people profession from Students to Chartered Fellows. Becoming a Manchester Branch Ambassador is the first step for those aspiring to serve on our committee. You can find out more about becoming an Ambassador below.
Our Vision 2020-2023
To be your dedicated career partner for the people profession, by engaging our area membership and the wider business community, as trusted advisors, role models and mentors, at every stage in people’s working lives.
To be an established voice and an essential partner in the development of an inclusive and thriving community for Greater Manchester and its people professionals.
To be innovative & creative and enable our members to adapt and evolve in a fast-changing world of work.
To be a dynamic connector, offering diverse opportunities to network through groups of passionate people who want to make a difference, share learning and give back to the profession.
What we do
We give our free time to bring people professionals together, putting ideas into practice and making our voice heard across our communities. We are committed to providing people professionals and students with learning at a local level, CPD opportunities and careers support. We also contribute insight on, and engage with, local enterprise partners, communities and the labour market.
We actively support the CIPD’s purpose of championing better work and working lives for the benefit of individuals, business, the economy and society and strive to make better work, and working lives, a reality for all at a local level.
Attending our events enables you to learn from, and interact with, influential speakers, respected academics and representatives from key organisations and establishments across the North West and beyond, while connecting with like-minded CIPD members, students and non-members.
Digital programme of activities
Browse and bookmark our current programme of activities to learn about forthcoming events and to catch up on events you’ve missed. We’ve included links to view event summaries, slide decks and. where available, links to view recorded sessions.
Special interest groups
A career in HR, L&D or OD incorporates a variety of roles in every type of business and industry. Our special interest groups and activity streams exist to provide a bespoke setting, where you can build the connections you need, learn and share ideas, strengthening your ability to create a positive impact in the workplace. Some of our groups are private either operating within a circle of trust or due to the unique nature of the group’s area of speciality.
Student events
We run many events for students throughout the year. If you’d like to know more about what the CIPD has to offer, our Student Engagement Lead will be more than happy to discuss talking to your students. Get in touch with us to book a dedicated session for your learning centre.
Campaigns
In 2019 we ran a very successful campaign on Neurodiversity At Work and we continue to raise awareness of the important role HR plays in helping to abolish Modern Slavery & Trafficking. In 2021 we also ran a campaign on Skills for the Future, featuring guest articles from members of our community.
Keeping up to date
We send out a regular newsletter to thousands of subscribers, keeping our community up to date on news, events and campaigns. If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter, visit our showcase page on the main CIPD website, scroll down and complete the newsletter subscription fields.
We are active across a number of popular social media channels: Search #cipdmcr and #cipdmanchester
We look forward to engaging with you further and hope to welcome you to future events. Feel free to contact us at any time via your preferred method. We are here to support you.
Become a Manchester Branch Ambassador
Manchester Branch Ambassadors are CIPD members interested in local affairs, who volunteer to support our elected committee members in the successful design, development and delivery of our annual programme of activities. Many Manchester Branch Ambassadors progress to become committee members, bringing with them fresh ideas to help keep everything we do relevant to the ever-evolving world of people management and development.
Like our committee members, Manchester Branch Ambassadors represent people professionals at various stages of their career journey (including those who are studying to become a people professional), from all sectors and across a broad range of industries.
Becoming a Manchester Branch Ambassador is a great way to develop new and transferable skills, form important links within the Manchester region, promote good work and practice, give back to the people profession and raise your professional profile. If you are highly motivated and hold CIPD membership we’d love to hear from you. Please visit our dedicated Branch Ambassador page to learn more.
CIPD Manchester Branch 