FTSE 100 Retail Financial Services Group
This leading UK retail financial services had a clear vision for a higher value, dynamic, internal client focussed finance function. However, it believed that too many of its existing finance staff were institutionalised and lacked the aptitude to drive the broader team towards this vision. It, therefore, wished to recruit a cohort of high calibre individuals who would transform the capability of the team.
THE CHALLENGE
The organisation had an incumbent RPO partner and associated PSL of recruitment agencies, however, based on previous experience, they did not believe that it could source candidates of the calibre required.
Argyll Scott was engaged directly by the COO, Finance and the Head of Executive Recruitment to hire up to 15 individuals into roles at E, F, & G level grades (£50k to £120k per annum basic salary) covering core finance and finance change disciplines into the organisation’s London, Edinburgh and Bristol offices.
OUR APPROACH
To scope the project, we initially worked with key stakeholders to define “what good looks like”. In addition to being experienced financial services practitioners and possessing the core skills sets and experience for each role, it was agreed as a pre-requisite that each successful candidate should be able to demonstrate both a current career trajectory and the potential to progress by two grades in the next three years.
Argyll Scott adopted a multi-channel sourcing strategy of:
- conducting an exhaustive search of the financial services organisations in each city,
- building a recruitment micro-site supported by a geographically targeted PPC campaign in Edinburgh and Bristol, and
- an online advertising campaign using selected jobs boards.
We held assessment days in each city to qualify candidates. All qualified candidates were interviewed and appraised by Argyll Scott using the organisation’s own personal development competency framework. Subsequently, a long list of candidates was presented to the client from which individuals were selected to attend six client recruitment assessment centres.
Argyll Scott managed these assessment centres across the three cities with up to 10 candidates invited to each event. Hiring managers were provided with interview packs which included each candidate’s CV and competency framework assessment, together with a summary of which competency each interviewer should focus on.
All assessment centre candidates were managed through a four-stage interview process. At the close of the assessment centre, Argyll Scott facilitated a wash-up session whereby the client staff discussed each candidate and made a preliminary decision to offer or reject. Appropriate offers were then made the following morning.
Argyll Scott consultants managed the full offer process and prepared candidates to handle their resignation submissions and potential counteroffers. We stayed in regular contact with the successful candidates until their start dates.
THE OUTCOME
 | 19 offers made |
 | 16 accepted positions |
In total the client made offers to 19 candidates, of which 16 accepted positions. This was one more hire than the project had been originally scoped for, however, the client was so impressed by the calibre of the candidates that they decided to increase the headcount.