Client Profile
Formed on 1 April 1974, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council is a local government district in east Surrey, that oversees district services – such as community parks, refuse and recycling, and parking – for local towns including Reigate, Redhill, Horley and Banstead.
The district was formed, under the Local Government Act 1972, after a merger of the Municipal Borough of Reigate with Banstead Urban District and part of Dorking and Horley Rural District.
Assignment
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council contacted Robertson Bell with the requirement for a Finance Team Lead because the role’s incumbent was being promoted internally. The consultant insisted on a meeting with the organisation’s CFO to discuss the role in more detail. This turned out to be crucial to the recruitment process, because taking a thorough brief allowed for a full understanding of the requirements for the role and a focused search from the outset.
The nature of the role meant that candidates would need to be at least AAT Level 3-qualified, whilst also having strong communications skills to reflect the managerial element of the position. In taking the brief, the consultant learned that the CFO was open to this being a candidate’s first leadership role, as long as they demonstrated these soft skills and the interest and desire to take on the challenge of managing three team members. A permanent position, the financial specifics were to oversee accounts payable and receivable, whilst also contributing and making improvements to efficiency of internal processes.
Considerations and challenges
Thanks to Robertson Bell’s strong market knowledge and robust network, the consultant was quickly able to identify and approach two candidates. With the client requesting a hybrid working pattern, and therefore some attendance of the Surrey-based office, the major challenge lay in recruiting outside of the London market. But, of the two CVs shared with the client, within a week of the initial brief, the candidate who was progressed to interview stage was based 20mins from the office. The interview was arranged in the following days and the candidate was able to attend this in person.
Solution
The combination of the consultant’s work to prepare the candidate for the interview – something that Robertson Bell works hard to ensure interviewees are fully briefed on the details of the role and who they’re meeting – and the candidate being willing to meet with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s CFO in person obviously made an impression because an offer was made 20 mins after the interview. The consultant sought feedback from the candidate – always the first step directly after an interview to determine thoughts on how the interview went and whether the candidate wishes to pursue the opportunity – and subsequently received a phone call from the client.
The CFO said that the candidate had interviewed very well and made an excellent impression. It also worked in his favour to meet in person, since this gave him a better opportunity to portray his knowledge and experience, but also to gauge a potential working relationship with the rest of the team. From the candidate’s perspective, he had enjoyed the conversation and got on well with the team. He was thrilled to accept the offer.
Outcome
This appointment demonstrates Robertson Bell’s approach of applying a personal touch to each project, in order to gain a full understanding of what the client is looking for in candidates and the requirements for the role. A knowledge of the market and awareness of the profiles of potential candidates allowed the consultant to match applicants to the role quickly, when timeliness was key. It was the first time Robertson Bell had worked with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and the organisation’s positive experience has led to further briefs.