Employment and skills specialist the Employability and Skills Group (esg.) has appointed Diane Herft as its group director for HR.

Herft joined the company’s senior leadership team at the beginning of April and will report to the group’s chief executive, Gavin Freed. She will lead on the group’s national HR function and will work closely with esg.’s operations around the country to deliver on the company’s people strategy.

Herft was previously in charge of HR strategy for the Nestor Healthcare Group, providing HR services to the firm’s 81 branches.

Group chief executive Gavin Freed says: “With our stronger operational position in the market presented by the Work Programme results and our newly combined skills provision, we have decided to further strengthen our senior management team with the appointment of a new group HR director.

“She will provide us with the HR expertise that a company of our size needs to ensure the ongoing development of its people to support our growth ambitions.”