Meet the MD – Phil Whelan
Meet Phil Whelan – Managing Director of New Red Planet
Built Through Education, Payroll and Leadership
My name is Phil Whelan and I am proud to be the Managing Director of New Red Planet. Whilst many payroll providers come from purely financial, legal or recruitment backgrounds, my journey has been slightly different.
Before entering the employment and payroll sector, I spent 15 years working within education both as a classroom and head teacher. That experience continues to shape how the wider NRP team and I support education recruitment businesses, schools, academies and workforce providers today.
Fromm Accountancy To Education Leadership
My professional career began in football whilst studying for a degree in Accountancy at the University of East Anglia.
After completing my BSc (Hons) in Accountancy and spending over a decade in professional football with clubs including Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough, Oxford United and Southend United, I returned to education and completed my PGCE.
Teaching quickly became more than just a profession. Over the following 15 years I worked with pupils, parents, governors and education professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, eventually progressing into senior leadership and Headteacher roles.
Understanding The Challenges Facing Education
During my time as a Headteacher, I was heavily involved in managing school budgets, payroll responsibilities, staffing requirements and financial planning. I worked closely with local authority finance teams and regularly engaged with education recruitment agencies supplying temporary and permanent staff into schools.
This gave me a first-hand understanding of the pressures schools and education recruiters face, including:
- Budget constraints
- Payroll administration
- Compliance requirements
- Workforce shortages
- Recruitment challenges
- Managing temporary staffing solutions
These experiences continue to influence how I view the world of finance, and how New Red Planet operates today.
Supporting Education Recruitment Businesses
Education recruitment is changing rapidly.
Framework requirements, compliance expectations and workforce legislation continue to evolve, placing additional pressure on agencies and suppliers operating within the sector. At New Red Planet, we help education recruitment businesses navigate these challenges through a range of workforce solutions including:
- Umbrella Payroll
- PEO PAYE
- PAYE Bureau Services
- Payroll Administration Support
- Compliance-Focused Workforce Solutions
Our aim is simple.
To provide education recruiters with transparent, compliant and reliable employment, payroll and workforce solutions whilst delivering the level of service that schools, agencies and candidates expect.
Let’s Talk
Whether you are an education recruitment agency operating through CCS frameworks, supplying schools directly, or exploring alternative payroll models, our team would be delighted to discuss how New Red Planet can help.
We understand the world of education and education recruitment because NRP’s team has a living experience throughout the supply chain.
Phil Whelan
Managing Director
New Red Planet
Take Care,
After managing school budgets and payroll for a number of years, working closely with the finance team in my school’s LA and meeting many people from the recruitment sector within education, my thoughts drifted back to my accountancy studies and what ‘Might have been!’.
“I am very aware of the importance of creating the right working environment for internal staff, agencies and contractors”
– Phil Whelan
Get in Touch
Our team are ready to listen to your needs and requirements, before sharing further information about how our services can support your Agency and contractors moving forward.
Find out more
If you would like to know more about New Red Planet Products or services, request an information pack by completing the quick form below