Date: February 2020
Client: Horsecross Arts Ltd
Project: Recruitment of Head of Finance & Administration
In February of 2020 Jenson Fisher alongside a number of other search and selection firms from across Scotland were approached by Horsecross Arts Ltd, a high profile organisation under public scrutiny, to discuss the recruitment of a new Head of Finance. Upon meeting with the Chief Executive and discussing not only the Jenson Fisher methodology but also our proven track record hiring similar positions we were subsequently awarded the business.
In this instance, Horsecross Arts Ltd were in the process of emerging from a period of significant turmoil, financial mismanagement and changes at board level including the appointment of a new Chief Executive to spearhead the change in fortunes. It was essential, at this point, that we maintained constant communication with the client and had a full understanding of the organisation’s position in order to maintain a consistent and transparent brief with all individuals concerned.
Recruitment of Head of Finance & Administration
This position was handled by one of our Partners and, in agreement with our client, we adopted a multi-faceted approach from the off which comprised of a national, full-scale advertising campaign (maximising the attraction of both the Horsecross and Jenson Fisher brands) a thorough market research resulting in a longlist of candidates with crucial sector-specific experience and the use of our own state of the art CRM system, existing candidate database and existing candidate networks alongside a direct headhunt of passive individuals to generate interest and potential referrals.
The timeframe agreed with the client was 3 weeks from engagement to shortlist which presented its’ own challenges however with the correct approach, time and dedication we were able to perform the shortlisting process within this time. This included meeting all potentially suitable candidates, fully briefing them on Horsecross as an organisation and discussing frankly with them the challenges previously faced whilst also highlighting the opportunity that this subsequently provided for the successful candidate. Additionally, this provided us with the opportunity to pre-screen each individual and probe further around technical and personal competencies. Our initial objective was to provide a shortlist of 5 individuals who met the criteria required, the shortlisting process itself generated over 100 potential candidates with over 25% being met and further qualified.
At this point, the shortlist was submitted to the Chief Executive and a meeting took place to discuss their thoughts and feedback and also our reasons for shortlisting for the position. Each candidate had a CV professionally prepare by Jenson Fisher written in a consistent format containing consultant notes and also highlighting clearly areas of particular relevance. At this point interviews were confirmed for all candidates and the structure of how this would work was agreed in terms of interview dates, second interviews and structure of feedback. At this point we also confirmed expected remunerations for all candidates to avoid any issues or concerns later in the process.
Uniquely, for this role, upon completion of the first interviews our client felt that there was one candidate who stood out as being absolutely perfect for the position. Given the urgent need for the new Head of Finance to join the organisation, and to avoid potentially losing the candidate to another opportunity, the decision was made to offer at this point which, given the work undertaken thus far, was smooth and straightforward.
The offer was made in advance of the Covid-19 outbreak and as a result the individual concerned was able to start, albeit remotely, during the lockdown period. This in itself presented a unique challenge to both the candidate and the client and also to Jenson Fisher. However, maintaining regular communication with all parties and structuring as straightforward an induction period as possible ensured that there were no hiccups and all parties were delighted with the outcome.
The Head of Finance & Administration position with Horsecross Arts Ltd is one of, if not the, highest profile finance positions in the Perthshire area. At Jenson Fisher, we were able to confidently support here given our commitment and experience to the Accountancy & Finance sector, our specialist experience and unrivalled network of candidates. Like all of our divisions, we have a far stronger fill rate than direct advertising and aim to take the pain out of any recruitment process.
