Laura Chandler – HR Manager
After developing her expertise in Human Resources in the public sector, Laura Chandler was drawn back to Hawke’s Bay and the chance to be closer to family. It was this move that gave her the opportunity to join Napier Port.
“I’ve been here a while now and I can definitely say that my favourite thing about working at Napier Port is the people. I love coming to work and seeing everybody – we have an awesome team and the culture’s fantastic. We do things well and I think people are aware of that when they think about working with Napier Port.”
Laura’s role with Napier Port is HR Manager. Her position encompasses a broad variety of projects and responsibilities, so Laura’s in the lucky position of never having two days the same. It’s also given her the opportunity to work across the business and build relationships with people from all areas of the Napier Port team.
“The role gives me the chance to work with people from all different walks of life. Developing positive relationships is absolutely key and I put a lot of time into that. You have to be open and approachable, and be transparent too.”
As well as drawing on her natural strengths, Laura has had the opportunity to develop and broaden her skills since starting in her role. She’s says professional development, both formal and informal, is actively encouraged at Napier Port.
“In addition to external courses and conferences, there’s also on-the-job training and mentoring from the people around you. As a company we’re focused on getting the right people in the right places, and growing the right skills in our business.”
Working at Napier Port has given Laura lots of opportunities, and that’s just one of the reasons why she’s big on encouraging other people to join the business.
“We get looked after really, really well here – you work hard but you get rewarded for what you put in.”
“There are lots of opportunities at Napier Port for the right people. If you have potential, it gets recognised and you’ll have the support you’re looking for to progress through the business.”
