Division: Human Resources
Role/Assignment: HR Director
The Challenge
Bond Williams was approached by a client after another agency had spent six weeks unsuccessfully attempting to fill a specialist HR Director vacancy.
While the original brief focused on finding a HR Director, a detailed consultation with the client revealed the real priority was securing someone with a CIPD Level 7 qualification who could also mentor and support another employee through their development.
Our Approach
Rather than focusing purely on HR seniority, we repositioned the search around the client’s core requirements:
- CIPD Level 7 qualification
- Strong mentoring and coaching capability
- Experienced in supporting employee development
- Strong Practical HR expertise
This significantly narrowed the talent pool, as many senior HR professionals either did not hold the Level 7 qualification or lacked the confidence and experience to mentor peers effectively.
By taking the time to fully understand the client’s needs, we were able to target the right niche audience rather than conducting a broad senior HR search.
The Outcome
Through a more consultative and targeted approach, Bond Williams successfully identified suitable candidates within a highly limited market.
The assignment demonstrated the importance of understanding the “why” behind a vacancy, rather than relying solely on an initial job title or level of seniority.
Key Takeaway
This project highlighted how deeper client and candidate consultations can completely reshape a recruitment strategy. By identifying that mentoring capability and professional qualification were more critical than seniority alone, Bond Williams succeeded where a previous search had stalled.
