SME News Q3 2026/ 22 H&S MD of the Year 2026 (North West England): Nicola Millar & Best H&S & HR Consultancy Services 2026 – North West England Nicola Millar joined H&S and HR consultancy Spectra nearly 18 years ago in a part-time admin role, alongside having young children. Since then, she has grown with the company, progressing to office manager, operations director, and now managing director. Over the years, she has gained extensive knowledge in all aspects of successfully growing a business, from accounts and managing staff to expanding into a multi-service business. By staying true to the company’s values and fostering a solid team, Nicola continues to lead Spectra to thrive and provide an exceptional level of support to clients. We caught up with her for more. Spectra supports client businesses of all sizes and sectors with services in H&S consultancy, HR consultancy, ISO consultancy and accreditation, CDM (construction design and management) principal Design, and building regulations principal design – becoming an extension of their teams and empowering them to manage their compliance with confidence and success. Whether raising a H&S audit score; getting a business SSIP accredited; supporting with day to day employee relation, disciplinaries, and grievances; keeping abreast ever changing employment law; or building policies to an ISO or ethical standard, Spectra is well-versed in how best to respond. “We have an amazing team at Spectra, and that starts with recruitment,” Nicola said. “Finding the right people, not just skilled consultants, but people who’ll work well with the rest of the team and with our clients, is essential to us.” The team aren’t all office-based, so they don’t see each other every day, but this doesn’t mean they don’t feel supported. They stay in regular contact, with this including regular team meetings to ensure everyone remains aligned. Each consultant is backed by an admin team who manage their diaries and communication with clients, so they can stay focused on what they do best: understanding the client’s business and identifying the right solutions, rather than getting buried in paperwork. “We’re driven by the belief that compliance shouldn’t be a burden. Spectra consultants work with our clients to understand their business and advise practical solutions for them as busy owners/directors.” “Although we are a growing team, with consultants out on site most days, we try to ensure we keep up-to-date with everyone and keep communication open,” says Nicola. “We have an amazing team who work well together and support each other.” She goes on to tell us how she leads her team: “As managing director, my approach is about trusting the people I work with. Every consultant at Spectra is experienced in their field, and they understand our values inside out, so they can bring excellent client service to every interaction without needing to be told how.” Nicola also views professional development as essential, with this regularly reviewed during appraisals. Team members are given the opportunity to request any training they would like to complete in order to enhance their skills and remain at the leading edge of the everevolving world of HR, H&S, and compliance. Ultimately, it’s easy to see how Nicola Millar has come to be named H&S MD of the Year 2026 (North West England), while Spectra has also been recognised for Best H&S & HR Consultancy Services 2026 – North West England. Ever since the beginning of her time at the company, Nicola has consistently demonstrated her solid commitment toward doing whatever it takes to ensure Spectra’s success, and she proves herself a strong leader too as she manages her team with grace. Finally we asked her what’s next for the firm. “Spectra has grown mostly through referrals for 18 years and we are proud of what we have achieved, and this comes from the hard work of our team,” said Nicola. “We have an excellent Trustpilot page with amazing feedback on our consultants and how they have helped our clients. We will continue to grow and are always looking for partners to work with or ways to develop our services to benefit our clients.” If you would like to learn more about Spectra, please visit the company website. Contact: Nicola Millar Company: Spectra Website: www.thespectragroup.co.uk Spectra
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==