Continues to amaze - Head of Creative Cooper Parry Employee Review

5.0
26 Sept 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The expectation here is for a 'list'. I won't be doing that. Instead, I want to give a simple narrative. I've worked full time at CP for six years. Before that I was their brand consultant for 18 years. During that time, CP were also my accountants. I've seen the firm from every angle. I state this, not to receive a long-service gong, but to give context. I've seen a lot of change at Cooper Parry (good and bad) and it continues to amaze me. The extraordinary culture that's been created is authentic and taken years, boundless energy and total commitment to deliver. Easy for me to say, of course. It's probably best if you look at the stack of glossy awards the firm has won to get an independent measure on this. And it's not for everyone, of course. It's high performance, fast-moving, dynamic and demanding. The flip of that is that it's massively rewarding and energising too. Better still, you get to work with some of the finest talents in the business. As a creative, the rebellious nature of the business appeals greatly. There's a restless desire to challenge the fuddy/duddy 'always done it that way' approach of many competitors. Not for the sake of it, but because it delivers results for clients. Over the years, I've worked with many likeminded people at CP. I'd now consider many of them genuine friends. Not many professional services firms can boast that. What the leadership team is building will challenge some and thrill others. But if you're looking to make a mark in a business, and you're willing to embrace the fizz, pace and drive - Cooper Parry should be your destination. Whether your fresh-faced and starting out or looking to make a strategic career shift. OK, that's me done. 24 years down the line and I love it more than ever. Fact.

Cons

There are times when it would be wonderful to reflect a little more. But heck, if you want this thrill of a ride, it's a small price to pay,

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Cooper Parry Response
1y
Thanks for the stella review! You've seen it all, and we've loved having you along for the ride. Thanks for continuing to support us through all that life at CP brings.

Explore other reviews about Cooper Parry

3.0
31 May 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Nice work place good environment

Cons

work life balance a little bit confusing

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Cooper Parry Response
2y
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Building an environment where our people can feel motivated and enjoy their time at work is important to us, so we are glad to hear you have been able to experience that during your contract. Whilst work-life balance is something that we strive towards, we appreciate during busy times the flexibility can be hard to reach. We are continuing to look at ways to increase the flexibility when possible and if you would like to talk things through, we are always happy to support in finding ways to increase that balance. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us, in person, over email or anonymously through open door. Many thanks, CP Talent Acquisition team careers@cooperparry.com
3.0
6 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Flexible working - Supportive coworkers

Cons

The business is not quite as I remember it when I first joined. The private equity ownership has created a working environment has become much more pressured, with almost every level feeling constantly on edge. Managers often appear to be stretched across a very high number of audits, while Assistant Managers are also balancing several engagements at once. This has resulted in people being spread too thin, with work regularly extending into evenings and, at times, weekends. The recent change in audit software has also created challenges. While the business is placing greater emphasis on efficiency and recovery, the new workflow appears to have increased the amount of work required in practice. As a result, recovery rates often appear unrealistic when compared against the actual time and effort needed to complete the work properly. There also seems to be room for improvement in how juniors are trained and supported. In addition, the promotion pipeline feels quite congested, with a number of people remaining in the same roles for longer than expected. Overall, in its current state, it is difficult to see many clear upsides, and I would find it hard to confidently recommend the business as a place to work.

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Cooper Parry Response
4w
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience in such detail. The themes you raise around pressure, capacity, ways of working and progression are clearly important, and it’s helpful to understand how these are being felt in practice. Periods of growth, ownership change and system transformation can increase complexity and intensity, and there will inevitably be times where the work feels more pressured than anyone would ideally want. Your comments highlight where that pressure has been most visible, particularly around resourcing, workload stretch and how efficiency expectations translate day to day. These are ongoing tensions we recognise within a professional services environment. Your observations around training, development and progression visibility are also noted. Supporting people at different career stages during times of change isn’t always straightforward, and experiences can differ across teams and roles. If you’re open to it, we’d encourage you to raise these points directly with your Senior HR Business Partner or leadership team, including via the anonymous feedback channels if preferred. These conversations help add context and depth to individual perspectives. Thank you again for sharing your views so openly.
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