We've pulled together some of our success stories from times we've helped businesses with urgent hires, specific requirements and other big decisions.
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Interim Finance Director
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Interim Year-End Accountant
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x3 Interim Bilingual Accountant's
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Perm Finance Director
CASE STUDY ONE
Interim Finance Director
Brief
A leading Reading business required a technically capable Group Financial Controller to join them for a project, reshaping a number of policies and procedures along with working on systems improvements, whilst also taking them through year-end and an audit.
The person would need to have been practiced trained, have experiences of implementations and a solid track record of providing cost / time savings through process improvement. The appointment was time sensitive as someone had moved unexpectedly.
The Process
Firstly, we needed to establish whether the role was inside or outside of IR35 and so a CEST test was carried out by the Finance Director. This gave an ‘outside determination’.
As the role was time sensitive we needed to work quickly. As a team we called our existing networks, whilst also utilising LinkedIn Recruiter and our CRM – which has been established over 30 years. Through a mixture of these three avenues we were able to supply 2 solid options to our client within 1 day. Both candidates were already referenced as they were known to us.
Video interviews were lined up for the next day and an offer was delivered on the same day as the interviews. The candidate was able to start a week later (once systems had been set up with the client).
The Result
At the point of writing the assignment has been running two months. The client is delighted with the Interims outputs and the candidate is enjoying getting stuck into the issues that the client had. Significant improvements have already been made which have streamlined month end processes.
CASE STUDY TWO
Interim Year-End Accountant
The Brief
Wade Macdonald was asked by the Senior Business Partner of a large organisation based in the Thames Valley, to assist in the recruitment of a Year-End Accountant. The role was urgent and needed to be filled within days. The finance team were under extraordinary pressure, and it looked like they were going to miss vital deadlines.
The Process
Zoe spent half an hour taking an in-depth brief over the phone and due to the proactive work that she does daily, was already able to talk through specific candidates with the client. Zoe explained that for urgent requirements we offer a ‘working interview’ to our clients. In short this means that the candidate starts with the client and if they have a good first day then they continue with the assignment. Should they not perform well, then we would pay the candidate with no charge to the client.
The client agreed to let Zoe choose who she thought was best for the role and a candidate started the next day. Zoe had already taken references on the candidate..
The Result
The client was delighted with the speed of service and the quality of the candidate provided. The role was initially 3½ months but after the candidate finished the assignment, they were moved onto another project due to the success with the Year-End Accountant role.
Following on from this piece of recruitment the client has subsequently taken more finance contingent workers through Wade Macdonald and worked with our HR division.
CASE STUDY THREE
x3 Interim Accountant's: Bilingual
The Brief:
We were instructed by her very valued client, a large ‘Blue-Chip’ retail business, that they required three interim, Spanish/Italian/French speaking Qualified Accountants, that had used their respective GAAPs as well as US GAAP. The business had experienced a substantial amount of growth and required regional accountants, to manage the ledgers of the said countries. The roles required contractors that could start immediately, as the business was nearing Year End, which made the search somewhat more challenging, but we were up for the challenge.
The Process:
We visited the client to understand their instruction and the type of person that would thrive in the business. We wanted to really grasp what was important to the client when hiring someone during such an imperative time and how the successful candidates would fit in to the already very established team. We began by reaching out to our network and got referrals from line managers, that had worked with native language speaking accountants who would recommend them based on their work ethic and standard. We then got in touch with the referrals and within 3 days had a shortlist prepared for her client.
The Result:
We placed 4 qualified accountants, Italian, French x 2 and Spanish speaking accountants, who had all used their respective GAAPs along with US GAAP, within a week of the brief being given to us. The client liked two of the French Accountants so much, they couldn’t decide between the two and ended up hiring both. The client was very happy with the outcome and now use the business on an exclusive basis, as we were able to provide them with a good quality shortlist, with a very quick turnaround, taking the pain out of an urgent recruitment process.
CASE STUDY FOUR
Finance Director
Background
An impressive SME with growth plans for the future including further investment and growth in the APAC and South African markets. With an established business already dealing with 150 clients and working with the majority of the biggest pharmaceutical business it gained investment from Investec which shows the ongoing plans the business has are a sound investment. The business had a strategy for continued growth with a view to a 5-7 year plan that could include options such as an Exit, IPO or trade sale.
Brief
A very much “hands on” and strategic Financial Director role responsible for the management of the Finance function together with IT and HR departments. With the impending ERP implementation there were other projects that the individual would be involved with and take responsibility for running. Salary indicated was £100,000 - £120,000 range dependant on the level of the individual.
We established the person would need a wide range of skills and experiences including:
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Well-developed commercial acumen
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Effective communicator especially with non-financial stakeholders
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Able to build and maintain trusted relationships
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Good team management skills
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Happy to stand up and be counted and able to defend their corner
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Diplomatic individual who listens to senior management and offers solutions in an inclusive way and brings on board changes with the buy in of management
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Ambitious to add significant value personally
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An ability and background of improving processing and solve issues
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Historical experience of working with Senior Management / Stake Holders / CEO levels
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International experience
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Understanding of US and international Tax
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Experience and understanding of factoring agreements
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Ideally previously experience of a transaction/exit
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ERP systems implementation experience
Methodology
After meeting we assisted in writing the job specification with the CEO of the business.
We started by contacting our extensive network, utilising this both directly for candidates but also referrals. Wade Macdonald have been successfully recruiting finance professionals in the area for 30 years and we have compiled an extensive data base of candidates. We undertook a traditional headhunt approach using traditional methods of advertising and more technology-based options such as LinkedIn Recruiter which allowed to target specific people based on their profiles.
Initially we engaged with c200 people, identify a long list of 50, met the most appropriate 10 candidates face to face and submitted a shortlist of 5 people who best fit the job brief and be the right personality fit for the business.
Timescales
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Week 1 - Formalise job description and commenced search
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End of Week 2 - Deliver CV Shortlist
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Week 3 - 1st interview stage
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Week 4 - 2nd interview stage
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Week 5 - Final interview and offer
The Result
Both the client and the candidate were exceptionally pleased with the process especially as it could have been complicated by lock-downs. The process which they initially anticipated was a long and drawn out one, but became a much more simple and structured one allowing then to them to also be able to do their normal day to day jobs.
18 months in and both people appointed into the roles are very happy with their decisions to move and enjoying life in their new positions. The business is also continuing its growth strategy and now feels it has a structure within Senior Management that will not only support that growth but also be instrumental in driving the direction of the growth as the business moves forwards.