Mencap has appointed Adrian Blair as people director.
Blair will start is new role at the charity, which supports people with learning disabilities and has 8,500 employees, in April.
Blair has spent almost five years as director of people and organisational development at fellow charity Diabetes UK. He developed a strategy to achieve the organisation’s stated ambition of ‘best people, best organisation’, reducing staff attrition and improving employee experience, wellbeing and loyalty, according to Mencap.
Prior to that he was director of organisational effectiveness at children’s charity World Vision. In six years at the Christian organisation, he is credited with reducing staff turnover from 42% to 9% and taking it into the top 10 in the Sunday Times Top 100 Places to Work.
Before working in the charity sector, Blair worked at Buckinghamshire events centre The Ridgeway Trust and New Life Church in Milton Keynes.
Mencap said he has “extensive experience” across all sectors, with a background in programme and project delivery.
“His passion for identifying and leading change has been key in implementing large-scale business transformation and ICT programmes, which have invariably involved cultural change,” his new employer added.
Blair said: “I can’t wait to join the Mencap family in April, when I hope to meet some of my new colleagues across our work in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“I am looking forward to working together to help make the UK the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives – and Mencap one of the best places to work.”
Mencap chief executive Edel Harris added: “I am pleased to be welcoming Adrian Blair to Mencap.
“Adrian has extensive knowledge and experience of leading organisational change, culture and performance and will be of huge value to Mencap as he helps our work to campaign for the rights of the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK.”