Smart Works - Our staff

Senior Leadership Team

Chief Executive Officer

Anna Hemmings

Anna Hemmings is a transformational leader with over two decades of experience driving significant change and growth in complex organizations across the health and social care sectors. Throughout her career, she has led organizations through remarkable periods of expansion, consistently delivering strategic vision while enhancing reach and impact for beneficiaries. Her expertise spans development of innovative service models, creation of inclusive organizational cultures, and implementation of effective governance frameworks. With a proven track record of quintupling organizational turnover and tripling service reach, Anna brings deep expertise in organizational transformation, coupled with a passionate commitment to delivering measurable social impact and positive change for underserved communities.

“Many women, particularly those entering the job market for the first time or returning following a break in paid work, face significant barriers in gaining the skills, experience and confidence to succeed in interviews and thrive in professional roles. Providing women the holistic support they need is critical to helping them reach their full potential, enabling them to flourish."

Director of Communications and Marketing

Hemma Gooljar

Hemma provides strategic direction and oversight for the charity’s communications, brand and marketing. Collaborating with key functions nationwide, she is passionate about growing our reach and ensuring every woman who comes through the Smart Works door leaves feeling happy, confident and empowered. Hemma is also a Trustee for the RAF Museum and a panel expert for her home council’s VAWG strategy.

“It’s a total joy to see the simplicity of our service in action every day. Knowing that after two hours with our incredible volunteers, a woman will leave feeling lighter, brighter and happier, serves as a real inspiration. Thousands of women have benefited from our help, but we know there are so many more than need our support. With our passion, knowledge and expertise, I’m confident that we can reach them.”

Director of Partnerships

Sue Wicks

Sue joined Smart Works in January 2025 as Director of Partnerships. She is excited to be leading the fundraising team to build on strong existing partnerships and seek out new opportunities for funding. Before joining Smart Works, Sue previously held roles as Director of Soccer Aid at UNICEF UK, Director of Partnerships at British Red Cross and Executive Director – Impact and Investments at Comic Relief. Sue has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 25 years. She is Vice Chair of Women in Sport and a co-opted member of the Global Programmes Committee at Battersea.

Director of Finance

Mehala Manimohan

Mehala has overall responsibility for the financial control and management of the charity.

”I joined Smart Works as the Head of Finance, to apply my finance and accounting skills in support of its mission. I am passionate about its goal of enhancing economic independence among women. My highlight so far is the dedication and commitment of the team in working together towards achieving our objectives.”

Director of Programmes and Operations

Jess Beider

As Director of Programmes & Operations at Smart Works, Jess leads across service delivery, data analysis, and operational initiatives, contributing to Smart Works’ mission to empower unemployed women across the UK. Her career to date has built expertise in change management, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building. Passionate about fostering collaboration and innovation, Jess combines authenticity with strategic vision to deliver sustainable growth, and her work reflects a deep commitment to creating meaningful societal impact.

“I feel incredibly lucky to be part of the team at Smart Works, an organisation that at its core is dedicated to helping women realise their potential and achieve their ambitions. Together with our network, I am committed to ensuring that every woman who could benefit from our service is aware of it, and I look forward to ensuring we consistently deliver a high-quality, impactful service that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of our clients every single day.”

Director of People and Culture

Elise Campbell-Bates

Supporting Smart Works' mission to empower women feels like a natural extension of the support and encouragement I’ve received from incredible women around me in times of need. I feel honoured to work for an organisation that is such a powerful force for good and it is so heartening to see the impact that the service has on the lives of women every day. Knowing all of the effort that the incredible team that make up Smart Works makes, I joined the organisation to ensure they are listened to, encouraged, valued, and cared for as they do this crucial work.

Elise spearheads the People and Culture efforts at Smart Works, championing inclusive and joyful work environments anchored in values-driven leadership. She is passionate about prioritising wellbeing across teams such that all employees can thrive and that HR initiatives are underpinned by the voices and needs of those that make up the Smart Works team. Elise also sits on the advisory board of The Catalyst Collective and is a Trustee for a local chapter of mental health charity, Mind.

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Smart Works is driven by a dynamic and passionate staff team working across 12 UK centres.

Senior Leadership Team

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