Background
Our client is a Ministry of Defence department that are tasked with maintaining the UKs deterrent capability, current and future. Veredus were engaged by the client to provide a full executive search & selection service to identify their next Warhead Director at SCS level 2.
As this was a Senior civil service role at level 2, we had a commissioner assigned to the selection panel board to oversee “fair and open competition”. Following a detailed brief from the MoD and senior stakeholders, together with the commissioners’ input, we agreed a tight timeline and commenced our target mapping of aligned domains and sectors; we also developed a compelling candidates data pack.
Challenges
- Timeline Pressures – the high-profile nature of the role and programme was under ministerial scrutiny and Cabinet Office required post filling asap.
- Highly Specialised role – This programme is a highly specialised field and a Cat A government programme.
- Internal Candidates – Client required internal candidates to be processed through the selection process and evaluated in line with external candidates.
- Security Clearance – The role required top level DV clearance with no waivers allowed. UK eyes only caveat on role.
Solutions
Timeline Pressures: We are used to agile working and in this case we had to review or normal timeline (as per attached example timeline) and increase research capacity to allow us to reduce the overall assignment time by 2 weeks. We appointed a senior consultant as project manager to ensure all aspects of the search & selection process remained on track and communicated progress with MoD and Commissioner.
Highly Specialised role: Nuclear and defence is a prime area of activity for Veredus. This particular role combined both. We focussed on Cat A government programmes both current and past and identified a cross over between Major Projects delivery and those candidates that had worked in the Trident programme previously or currently. We included Nuclear New builds as well as Expat community living in US currently working on a replacement programme. It’s a very close community so we keep in close dialogue with client stakeholders to review interested candidates at a very early stage as we knew a number would be “known” to our client. This helped us reduce selection process time by removing non suitable candidates early in the process.
Internal Candidates: It is normal practice for us to include internal candidates within our selection process, however on this occasion the Commissioner mandated that a tight control and restrictions were placed around internal candidates to ensure they did not receive any additional insight beyond that of external candidates. We therefore had to ensure all internal candidates received a “restrictive notice” as soon as they applied which outlined that they could not approach or contact any of the selection panel and were prohibited in doing their own research into the role whilst on site. This effectively meant they had to come through us to ask questions the results of which were shared with all applicants.
Security Clearance: Veredus are used to working in the DV/SC secured space, we have our own “Security Watchdog” team that provide security vetting and preparation for DBS Developed vetting clearance processes. We advise all candidates in our search process of the additional personal and professional information that will need to be collated in order for their offer/acceptance to be valid. These extra checks include but not limited too:
| Check | Why? |
| Nationality | Verify Passport status |
| Identity & Right to Work | Legal requirement |
| Financial Probity (credit check) | Verify that applicant does not have CCJs or bankruptcies |
| Criminality | Verify that applicant does not have a criminal past |
| International Sanctions | Verify that applicant is not on any sanctions lists |
| Directorship | Verify that applicant does not have directorships which pose a conflict of interest |
| Adverse Media | Verify that applicant has not had bad press exposure |
| Social Media | Verify that applicant does not have unacceptable values or behaviours for future employer |
| Qualification | Verify that applicant holds the qualifications they state they have on a CV |
| Activity (2 years) | Verify applicant’s activity (employment/education) history |
Results
Given the specialism of the role, the seniority required and the security clearance requirement (DV) the mapped target field was limited to 125 potential candidates across the UK. We engaged with the targets and promoted the role and challenges along with the career benefits and high profile of the role itself. We managed to get 29 applications which following our own selection interviews and profiling was reduced to a shortlist pool of 5. Commissioner was extremely satisfied with our control processes in place that no internal candidate had received any advantageous treatment or data.
Veredus psychologist team also provided our inhouse leadership profiling and assessment for each of the 5 shortlisted candidates and produced a detailed summary report and a verbal feedback session with the panel prior to final interviews commencing.
The final Panel chaired by the commissioner concluded that 3 of the 5 were “above the line” as appointable with one being an outstanding appointed candidate. A successful outcome concluded in under 7 weeks from briefing to offer.