SkilledUp Life

Samantha Thomas

Location

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Professional Overview

Business Administration

People work best when things make sense. When expectations are clear, communication is open, and everyone feels part of something meaningful — that’s when teams do their best work.

I discovered my love for People & Culture work while helping a startup build its foundations from scratch. What began as “just sorting out HR” quickly became about something deeper: creating the clarity and connection that let people thrive. I’ve been hooked ever since.

Now, I help small international companies and fast-growing startups build People & Culture systems that bring structure without losing their soul. My work combines strategy and empathy — designing frameworks that make scaling smoother while nurturing the culture that makes people want to stay.

My background spans HR, operations, and recruitment in international tech environments. I’ve built processes, guided founders through complex changes, and supported teams as they grew across borders and time zones. Through it all, one thing has stayed constant: my belief that good people work starts with listening.

I’m calm under pressure, practical, and focused on what actually works — the kind of person who quietly makes sure things run well so others can shine.

My goal is simple: build workplaces where people understand what’s expected of them and feel good about meeting it.

Skills

Video Pitch

No video has been added

About Me

Career Path and Aspirations

My career spans operations, administration, HR, recruitment, and coaching, primarily in startups and organisations where systems needed to be built from scratch.

I began in office management and executive assistance, managing scheduling, stakeholder coordination, documentation, and daily operations. These roles developed strong organisational skills and the ability to anticipate and resolve issues early.

I later moved into HR and recruitment, driven by organisational need. I designed and ran end-to-end recruitment processes, built sourcing pipelines, clarified role scopes, introduced competency frameworks and scorecards, and implemented tracking systems. I have worked in resource-constrained environments, requiring practical decision-making and iteration. Key outcomes include scaling recruitment pipelines, reducing hiring friction, training inexperienced recruiters, and improving continuity through clearer documentation and handovers.

Alongside this, I completed an MBA focused on high-performing teams and trained as an ICF-qualified coach. I now also work as a business and executive coach, supporting founders and professionals with clarity, confidence, and execution.

My chosen career path sits at the intersection of operations, people systems, and leadership support. I am moving toward roles where I improve organisational effectiveness, design simple and sustainable processes, and work closely with leaders to create clarity and momentum.

Ideal Volunteer Opportunity

My ideal volunteer opportunity is one where I can contribute practical skills while helping build or improve systems, rather than performing isolated tasks. I am most effective in environments that value structure, clarity, and follow-through.

I am particularly interested in roles that involve operations, people processes, recruitment, coordination, or programme support, where there is a clear purpose and a tangible outcome. I enjoy working with small, motivated teams and supporting leaders or founders who are open to feedback and collaboration.

An ideal opportunity would include intention to create clear expectations, defined responsibilities, and a realistic scope, while still allowing room to problem-solve and improve how things work. I value regular communication, transparency, and mutual respect, and I am motivated when my contribution helps others move forward or reduces friction in the organisation.

I am especially drawn to volunteer roles that offer learning, responsibility, and trust, and where my work contributes to long-term impact rather than short-term activity. While I value flexibility, I also appreciate structure and accountability, as these help ensure the experience is meaningful for both sides.

Education

University of Cumbria

Experience

HR Generalist | HRBP

Company: Stream HPC
Duration: 2019 Sep - 2022 Sep

Volunteer Team Coach

Company: Forward Inc
Duration: 2023 Dec - 2024 Apr (3 hours a week)

People and Culture Advisor

Company: Firely
Duration: 2023 Jun - 2024 May

Volunteer Business Coach

Company: Forward Inc
Duration: 2024 Dec - 2025 May (3 hours a week)

Founder

Company: Cosmea Executive Coaching
Duration: 2025 Jan - 2025 Jan

Overview