Meet the Team

When it comes to people at Benchmark, our vision is simple – we want to be the most motivated, high performing little recruitment team in Yorkshire. We have lots of talented people here at Benchmark and like to keep our eyes peeled for more great people to join us on the ride.

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Our mission as a recruitment consultancy is to match the right person to the right role every time. A dynamic team of knowledgeable professionals uphold this commitment.

Louisa Harrison-Walker (Director)

Louisa is a Sheffield girl through and through, and is partial to more than the odd Yorkshire pudding. With over ten years experience in high level recruitment she won national acclaim and came 1st place as the permanent consultant of the year for high street super brand Office Angels due to the number of people she placed in permanent positions that stayed in their roles. With a deep founded insight into the Yorkshire employment market and knowledge of job seekers behaviours and expectations, Louisa is perfectly placed to pinpoint your exact requirements.

Favourite month: May (because the sun starts shining)

Favourite food: Sunday Dinner time and time again

Favourite place: Meersbrook Park next to Bishops House, the view over Sheffield is stunning ( and helps you work out where everyhwere is! )

Most treasured possession: My little girl Bella-Rae, technically not a possession, but still a treasure

Most embarrassing moment: Hhmm, an approriate one to mention here, probably spilling gravy on someone trying to silver serve waiting tables whilst at Uni

How would your best friend describe you: Busy, motivated, and straight talking

Amy Tingle (Director)

Amy too is born and bred in our fair city. She has come a long way since her early days in the fruit and veg shop at 13 at Banner Cross! Before launching Benchmark with Louisa, Amy was a recruiter, trainer and manager on a national level for The Spirit Group. Amy has interviewed and talent spotted hundreds of individuals whilst managing and training Regional Managers. She is perfectly placed to identify core competencies in job seekers and identify learning styles.

Favourite month: December it means so much to me, a time to show people how much you love them, a period where you get to spend time with your loved ones, a time to reflect on the year gone and think of the exciting times ahead. Throw in some fireworks and you have one happy person

Favourite food: Sunday Dinner (preferably one of Lou’s Sunday dinners!)

Favourite place: A nice panoramic sea view with a glass of wine in my hand - not fussy where that is!

Most treasured possession: My engagement & wedding rings

Most embarrassing moment: When I got over excited and introduced myself to Danni Minogue as 'Danni'

How would your best friend describe you: She’s been trying to get rid of me for 20 years but I am still here! Someone she would come to in times of happiness and sadness. Someone she will always manage to get into trouble with on a night out!

Tom Wylie (Consultant)

Before joining Benchmark, Tom was working as an Executive Recruiter and Head Hunter within the retail sector for a regional company. he is a graduate from Sheffield Hallam University with an honours degree in Business Studies and Marketing. Tom likes to think he is a talented footy player; but he is still waiting for the Stoke City manager to call. Tom heads up our specialist Sales desk and is also Benchmark's champion networker!

Favourite month: August

Favourite food: Mexican

Favourite place: Benchmark HQ - all I need is a bed here!

Most treasured possession: Definitely my mobile phone...I’m lost without it!

Most embarrassing moment: I was on a Rugby tour in Australia and a DIY hair cutting incident went very wrong. I had to have my whole head shaved which (after 3 weeks in Oz) meant my head was a lot whiter than my face. I looked very ill, had no hair and a thick ear from a disgusted mother!

How would your best friend describe you: Easy going, fun loving and never taking myself too seriously! And not vain at all…

Tom heads up Benchmark's Sales & Marketing Division

Emily Coates (Consultant )

Emily is Benchmark's IT & Technical Consultant. A graduate from The University of Leeds with a degree in Joint Honours in Pharmacology and Physiology

She is an experienced IT recruitment professional, a self confessed linked in tart, and blogging guru. Emily has previously worked in Leeds as an IT recruitment specialist. Recently engaged she is looking forward to planning her big fat Greek wedding!

Favourite month: July or any summer month

Favourite food: Greek food and anything healthy

Favourite place: On the beach with a frappe

Most treasured possession: My engagement ring

Most embarrassing moment: When I posted a letter into the bin instead of the post box, when I got back in the car everyone was laughing at me - whoops!

How would your best friend describe you: Good fun, nice and likes purple!

Emily head's up Benchmark's Creative, Digital & IT Division

Fiona Brown ( Consultant )

Fiona is a native of Yorkshire, she was born and bred in Sheffield and lives in Crosspool. She went to Univeristy in Liverpool and started her career in hospitality. Fiona has spent over six years working in recruitment, most recently as a branch manager looking after a team of recruitment consultants. Fiona understands the importance of recruiting and motivating people and the challanges of management. Her background as a recruiter and manager ensures she is well placed to help employers looking for those management & HR roles.

Favourite month: December - mulled wine, decorations and the lovely build-up to Christmas (and of course the Christmas Dinner)

Favourite food: Chocolate - any kind but especially galaxy ripples and Turkish Delights!
Favourite place: Las Vegas - I went for the first time last year and am planning a return trip very soon

Most treasured possession: Either my I-phone (which I can't live without) or a picture of my 3 best friends and me at a friends wedding in Santorini last year

Most embarrassing moment: Falling into a pile of dog poo the first time I met my boyfriends parents

How would your best friend describe you: bossy, funny, loyal, caring and ditzy!

Fiona heads the HR & Management Desk

Melanie Barker – (Consultant)

Melanie grew up in Worksop before leaving to study in Cardiff. She spent three month after Uni roughing it and travelling through Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa despite not having ever been camping! Melanie has worked as a top performer in a sales role in Sheffield for over six years. Loves football and support Nottingham Forest which we are just learning to forgive her for.

Favourite month: June coz its my birthday and I always have more than one celebration with lots of my favourite people!

Favourite food: Pizza every time and preferably dominos

Favourite place: My aim is to visit no where twice until I’ve travelled the world so I’m happy anywhere hot with amazing views and a glass of rose in my hand

Most treasured possession: Has to be my many photograph albums

Most embarrassing moment: There are so many its hard to choose one but walking into a lamp post on holiday is definitely up there.

How would your best friend describe you: Always up for a good time, there whenever they need me and the clumsiest person they know!

Melanie works in the Sales & Marketing Division

Mollie Hopkins ( Graduate Trainee )

Mollie heads up our Marketing and Creative desk. Originally from Chesterfield, she moved to Northampton to study Marketing and after graduating, moved to Sheffield to be with her boyfriend. Mollie has a passion for working with people so quickly got into recruitment. In her spare time Mollie enjoys playing The Sims and Pikmin or in Meadowhall spending all her money on clothes.

Favourite month: March . . . It’s my Birthday

Favourite food: Curry!! I love spicy food

Favourite place: My bed!

Most treasured possession: I have a really cheap tacky necklace that has my name on it, that my mum bought me one Christmas from the ‘Coleen Rooney’ Collection at Argos!! And I love it! I wear it every day.

Most embarrassing moment: Accidentally punching my boyfriends dad in the stomach when I first met him and then later on walking in on him in the toilet. . . I’ve never been allowed to live it down

How would your best friend describe you: Mollie is caring, fun loving, very excitable, but never knows when to shut up!

Christoper Barnes ( Graduate Trainee )

Chris was born in Manchester and came over to Sheffield to go to study law. He returned home to teach for a year before answering the beckoning call of Yorkshire’s green and pleasant land. He enjoys playing cricket badly, spending time in the Peak District and cooking.

Favourite month: January – You can wrap up warm, the expense of Christmas is over and pub lunches never tasted better.

Favourite food: Curry - Madhur Jaffrey is a goddess!

Favourite place: Country pub, log fire, pint of bitter – sorted.

Most treasured possession: My car, Reginald. He’s on his last legs, though.

Most embarrassing moment: Breaking wind at an interview. Fortunately, it wasn’t for this job.

How would your best friend describe you: Loyal, spontaneous, instinctive and born in the wrong century.

Sophie Daniels ( Graduate Trainee )

Sophie works alongside Emily to run our IT and Technical desk. Originally from Cambridgeshire, Sophie moved to Sheffield to study History at the University of Sheffield and was quick to move into recruitment soon after. Outside of work Sophie can often be found at a Steelers Ice Hockey match or at a gig listening to terrible bands.