The challenge
The logistics department of a home accessories business was searching for a professional who could analyse and make improvements to the way they were processing information in their operations team. They decided to create a head of logistics role to lead on efficiencies and the creation of more accurate management information.
The firm’s operations director has many years’ experience with Reed. He said: “I’ve a good relationship with a Reed consultant who specialises in procurement and supply chain (P&SC). She’s recruited for us in the past, bringing us good quality candidates who really add value to the business. She was naturally my first port of call as she’s saved me a great deal of time in the past.
“Though we do use other agencies, I tend not to go outside Reed unless the candidates aren’t there. We also use Reed for our finance and supply chain roles.”
The solution
“From past experience, I fully understood the business, where it was going and what it was looking to achieve, so knew I could attract the right talent,” our consultant explained. “My knowledge of the company was also helpful in briefing potential candidates about what they could expect from working there.
“I have worked within the P&SC industry for over 15 years, and my recruitment strategy is always to ensure candidates’ career goals and skills are aligned to the employer, while making sure they’ll be a great fit for the team and business.
“The head of logistics was a newly created role, and non-urgent, so the business was happy to wait for the right person. I pre-interviewed candidates and was then able to provide a shortlist of people with the right skillsets and expertise.”
The operations director added: “We went through the job spec, and I received some preliminary CVs to review. The Reed consultant took on board my thoughts about the particular skills we needed, then narrowed down the field to give me a shortlist.
“I was looking for someone with experience of processing stock issues – it didn’t matter too much if they lacked sector experience.
“It took quite a while to find the right person, mainly because it was such an important position for us and the labour market was tight. However, it wasn’t a role we needed to fill urgently but one we wanted to develop, so we were happy to take our time to ensure a good match.”
The results
The recruitment process was worth the wait, as the firm’s operations director attests: “The person we hired quickly got the team up and running and made a lot of progress through negotiations with our third-party suppliers. He’s introduced new processes and systems and made a lot of improvements, also making us much more efficient. Obviously, all this makes us a bit more money too!”
The successful candidate added: “The recruitment process with Reed was professional – there was no messing about. The Reed consultant was always available to take my calls and it was a seamless process. When I got the job, she sent me a congratulations card which was nice. It makes a difference.”
Looking to secure talented professionals for your business? Contact your nearest Reed office for support from one of our specialist recruiters.
