National housebuilder Persimmon Homes has appointed its first Director of Talent and Diversity.

Madi Pilgrim joins with a remit to develop the company’s approach to talent, diversity and inclusion, ensuring Persimmon attracts and supports the best people to deliver its long-term growth and sustainability strategies.

She brings extensive experience of HR and talent management, gained over two decades with National Express, is a Chartered Member of the CIPD and accredited Internal Coach.

Speaking of her appointment, Madi said: “Construction is a very fast-paced industry and Persimmon Homes already has a proven record in developing its employees.

“This role is an opportunity to build on that by implementing new strategies and approaches to harness the great talent we have and ensure our people reflect our customer base and the communities in which we build.”

Madi’s role will focus on developing a clear process of reviewing talent and identifying potential; providing development support and creating opportunities for career progression.

Richard Latham, Persimmon Group HR Director, said the creation of this new group role underlines the business’s determination to ensure a strong and diverse talent pipeline for the future.

“Madi’s role will encompass both talent identification and development and ensuring we have a diverse and highly skilled workforce across our entire business,” he said.

“Persimmon is an ambitious company and we want to ensure we have career paths for talented people to thrive right across the business. Madi will work closely with the wider HR and training teams, as well as senior management in the business to deliver this.”

Madi added: “There is a great sense of team among Persimmon’s 31 regional businesses, and everyone recognises their individual roles have an immediate impact on people’s lives.

“Developing diversity is about providing clear routes for people to progress, whether they are learning ‘on the job’, being mentored or following traditional training paths and – combined with effective succession planning – we can excel in this area.

“Construction is a complex, competitive industry and Persimmon already benefits from a wealth of talented people within its workforce. In addition, we want to attract people who bring a fresh perspective and share our focus on quality, customer service and sustainability to deliver the new homes so urgently needed by communities across the country.”

Founded in 1972, Persimmon Homes is one of the UK’s leading housebuilders. With headquarters in York, the Group operates from 31 regional offices throughout the UK, trading under the brand names of Persimmon Homes, Charles Church and Westbury Partnerships, building quality homes across England, Wales and Scotland.

The company directly employs more than 5,000 people and supports around 86,000 jobs in the construction sector.

For more information visit www.persimmonhomes.com