Executive search and selection

Executive Search and Selection is at the heart of our business, and we are one of the largest specialist firms in the country.

Our clients tell us they value our flexibility and willingness to go the ‘extra mile’.

And they appreciate our ability to provide a ‘package’ of tailored support through strong in-house capacity, for example in Business Psychology and Interim Management. As part of the Capita group, we can call upon specialists across a whole range of professional services, too.

We bring a professional approach, and the confidence which comes from having worked with hundreds of organisations to find just the right person for a critical appointment – often at times of change and uncertainty.

We have developed a unique process for executive search and selection, which we review and improve all the time.

Every project is bespoke, and our search capability is renowned within the industry. And every project begins with original research.

In fact, we typically call 100-150 potential candidates, as well as searching our existing database. (This also helps to keep our database as current, and far-reaching, as any you will find.)

We can search for candidates internationally. In one recent assignment we recruited the Country Manager for India for a financial services company – drawing together a shortlist from North Africa and the Middle East, as well as Europe. In another, the Managing Director of the Sri Lankan subsidiary of a UK manufacturing group . The successful candidate was a German national previously based in New Delhi.

At the same time we are rooted locally. We maintain excellent networks in the regions and our presence in a network of offices throughout the UK is crucial in understanding the local and regional context in which our clients operate.

The combination of international capacity and local understanding means that we can help organisations to recruit exceptional people. For example, the Director of Metrolink in Manchester, a key position in the region as well as the organisation, or the first Chief Executive of the Richard Rose Academy – a community leadership as well as an educational role.

Our focus is on people. Candidates tell us that our assessment process is like a development centre on its own. We see this as a good investment, because we recognise the cost of getting senior recruitment decisions wrong – and regard selection as a two-way process.

Above all, we understand that talent comes in all shapes and sizes.

So we aim to spread the net as widely as we can, in order to find the right candidate from whatever background. The results of our search and selection are teams which embrace difference, and blend the best thinking with leading edge skills.

We operate in both public and private sectors, and are equally at home in both. We believe this brings benefits to both sectors, because so many organisations operate on the cusp between the two.

(In fact, you might be surprised to learn how many private sector candidates we have placed in top public sector jobs.)

We are particularly experienced in recruiting Chief Executives and to senior, complex roles. We have a strong track record within national, regional and local government, and we bring specialist expertise in several key industries.

For example, we work a great deal within regulated markets, and have recruited to regulatory bodies, as well as organisations within sectors such as health , transport, financial services , and leisure .

We are trusted advisers to our clients, and help them to build capacity and capability – often during periods of major change.

For example, one recent assignment followed the merger of two leading Business Process Outsourcing companies, and another the formation of a new NHS trust . We are frequently called in following major structural change, and have recently helped to recruit entire new teams in several large local authorities , central government departments and national agencies .