Challenges

Having a diverse candidate shortlist was extremely important to the client, in particular female representation for gender diversity. However, the candidate pool in this area was small due to the niche nature of the assignment and products. Furthermore, the location of the position was a remote area within Italy, this meant it was likely the successful candidate would need to relocate.

Objectives

We were required to find a Senior Innovation Manager who had in depth experience working with plastic products in an automotive manufacturing setting. In addition, this position would be a direct succession into a Director appointment, so we needed to ensure candidates were equipped for Director progression in 2-3 years time.

Our Solutions

The Search

We originally targeted candidates with a plastic fasteners or fasteners background, before opening up the search to cover global prospective candidates with experience in plastic products within an automotive setting.

Ongoing Support

Weekly update calls were scheduled to provide live market insights and search progression. We also provided support for the client's internal HR team including webinars and resources surrounding the attraction and retention of diverse talent to implement internally, with superb feedback.

Overcoming Difficulties

Sourcing diverse candidates was a challenge for such an niche position. However, we delivered a high quality diverse shortlist, within the agreed timescale. This was achieved through allocating additional resource into candidate research along with client coaching to expand the search and secure an incredible candidate for the position.