Human Resources: A HR Leader's Journey

The HR Leader Spotlight with Donal Hurley

In this HR Leader Spotlight, we hear from Donal Hurley, an HR professional whose journey from university commerce student to Human Resource Manager at Spice O’Life reflects both the strategic depth and evolving nature of the HR function. Drawing on early hands-on experience, a dedicated academic path and a mindset that blends discipline with continuous learning, Donal offers a candid look at the challenges, milestones and insights that have shaped Donal's career in human resources.

Q1. Was this the career path you had always planned? What avenues did you take to bring you to where you are today?

To be honest, I’m not sure I had a plan starting out, but I always had a deep-rooted interest in business. Growing up around a family business, I saw firsthand how the gears of an organisation turn, which naturally led me to study Business Commerce at University College Cork.

The moment I knew Human Resources was for me was during my college placement. I was fortunate to be part of an incredible team at Spearline, where the leadership shaped my perspective on how vital the area is to an organisation’s success. I ended up winning the UCC placement award for the year and was offered a full-time role on the HR team as the Learning & Development Specialist. That experience solidified my direction; I went on to complete a Master's in HRM and have remained in the field ever since. What keeps me here is the sheer variety, HR touches every corner of a company, and there is always a new challenge to solve.

Q2. What was the best piece of career advice you ever received?

The best advice I’ve received actually comes from two very different sources: "Work now, play forever" and "Win or Learn".

My grandmother used to say, "Work now, play forever." to me every day. In a professional sense, I interpret that as the value of operational discipline and doing the job right the first time. If you don’t commit to the proper process early on, you inevitably waste time repeating work later. It’s about putting in the hard yards upfront, ensuring you aren't constantly firefighting the same issues and thus earning the freedom and rewards later.

I balance that with a "Win or Learn" mindset. HR involves complex situations where things don’t always go to plan. When a project doesn't hit the mark, I’ve learned not to focus on the loss, but on the controllables. Treating challenges as learning opportunities keeps the ball rolling and helps me focus on improving the process so we are guaranteed to win the next time.

Q3. For those considering a career in Human Resources, what is one piece of advice you would give them?

Don’t just specialise, diversify. My main advice is to never stop adding strings to your bow by proactively seeking out the uncomfortable corners of the business. HR is no longer a standalone department; it is the glue that holds other departments together. My own transition from a career starting in the Tech sector to my current role as Human Resource Manager at Spice O’Life, a dynamic and expanding food business in West Cork, is a direct reflection of this. To be truly effective, you need to understand all sides of the business as well as anyone else in the company does.

The more "strings" you have, legal knowledge, commercial awareness, emotional intelligence, etc., the more "tunes" you can play for your organisation. For me, a practical example of this was completing an HDip in Business Analytics at ATU. While it was outside the traditional HR comfort zone, it gave me the data literacy needed to drive better decisions. Every time you step into a new area of knowledge, you are investing in your own professional resilience.

Q4. In your view, what are the top 3 strengths that define a successful HR professional today?

The Ability to See the Big Picture: You have to look beyond the immediate HR task and understand how every decision impacts the wider business strategy.
Data Literacy & Predictive Insight: In the modern workforce, being able to interpret data is non-negotiable. It’s about moving from simply reporting what happened to predicting what might happen next, allowing HR to be a proactive partner.
Strategic Resilience & Change Facilitation: Business moves fast. A successful professional needs the grit to stay disciplined during difficult times and the agility to lead others through constant organisational change.

Q5. Over your career, what would you consider to be your best memory or achievement?

It is hard to narrow it down, but winning the HR Rising Star of the Year at the HR Leadership & Management Awards is definitely a highlight. This award recognises early-career professionals who demonstrate leadership and innovation. For me, it was a validation of all those hard yards I’ve put in since my college days. It felt like a full-circle moment, proving that the "work now” philosophy my grandmother instilled in me really does lead to those rewarding "play" moments in one's career. Beyond the trophy itself, it represents my commitment to this industry and serves as a reminder to keep pushing boundaries in how HR evolves.

Q6. If you were entering the workforce again, would you do anything differently?

I would place a much higher value on networking and building strategic connections from day one. Early in my career, I had a head-down mentality; I believed that if I just worked hard and did my job perfectly, that would be enough.

While hard work gets you through the door, I’ve since learned that who you know provides the vital context for what you know. If I were starting over, I would spend less time trying to be the sole expert on a topic and more time becoming a well-connected leader who understands the power of collaboration. Your ability to move the needle in an organisation is often tied to the strength of the relationships you’ve built.

Q7. If you weren’t in your current profession, what possible path would you have chosen?

I think I would have pursued the path of an entrepreneur. I’ve always had a great deal of admiration for people who have "been there and done it", building something from the ground up. I genuinely enjoy the process of solving problems and the satisfaction that comes with securing a win through my own initiative. Whether in Human Resources or business, I’m driven by the challenge of making things work more efficiently and successfully.

Thank you Donal! This was a really enjoyable read and offers some great, down-to-earth insights into the world of Human Resources and your own experiences. Well worth the read!