Campaign for Multiple Roles for a UK Housing Provider

About The Client

The client is a UK housing association operating within the North-East of England.

The Challenge

The client were going through a period of change and restructuring within a business-critical department that would require niche, highly specialist and suitably qualified hires within a short timeframe.

The recruitment project took place during the COVID pandemic – when most candidates were naturally apprehensive about moving into new positions.

The client needed a quick solution for securing these niche skill sets within a difficult geographical location and immediate cover in the form of interim candidates to cover critical and time-sensitive business projects.

The campaign consisted of filling the following roles:

• Group Asbestos Manager
• Technical Manager
• Project Surveyor
• Fire Risk Assessor
• Building Safety Auditor
• 2 x Asbestos Coordinators

The client reached out to five agencies, with Adecco Public Sector appointed as the project’s supplier of choice.

Our Solution

Adecco immediately met with the key stakeholders to discuss the requirements for each role and how we could assist while discussing various strategies and options available to the client.

We provided interim staff to cover the client’s immediate needs, which allowed time to find long-term appointments without pressure on the recruiting line managers.

Our campaign consisted of the following key stages:

• Kick-off meeting – to set out project plans, timelines, and expectations, and to understand the client’s unique selling points, which were essential for filling niche roles with a low candidate supply.
• Bespoke marketing strategy – including a list of sites we would advertise on, social media strategy, and content of the advert. We also agreed on a microsite with specific content and design.
• Headhunting – a thorough market search for each role, including headhunting from agreed-upon organisations and sectors, against the essential skill sets, qualifications, and cultural fit.
• Shortlisting – pre-screening each candidate against agreed questions, then discussing the approach and recommendations with the client during shortlisting calls, before providing CVs of the shortlisted candidates.
• Selection – facilitation of video interview software to accommodate the COVID lockdown, with assessment provision for key roles, and checking of all relevant certifications and qualifications.
• Offer management – provision of feedback to all unsuccessful and successful candidates while also keeping in touch with them until the onboarding process was completed.

We ultimately secured candidates for all seven positions, three of whom were promoted within the first 12 months.

Impressed with our work, the client also decided to pursue a separate agreement with us to provide additional roles for both temporary and permanent contracts, including Group Water Hygiene Manager, Head of Assets & Sustainability, Building Safety Manager, Compliance Manager, Asset & Investment Manager, Planned Works Manager Fire Risk Assessor, and Asset & Project Surveyor.

“We chose Adecco to lead this project not only due to their leading reputation as expert property recruiters but also due to their excellent grasp of our business. The process was smooth, despite operating during a national lockdown and the communication with myself and relevant stakeholders was fantastic. My colleagues and I couldn’t recommend the Adecco team highly enough”.

— The Client.

Key Results

• Secured candidates for all seven positions.
• Three candidates went on to receive internal promotions within 12 months.
• Adecco was appointed to provide additional temporary and permanent roles across the client’s wider business.

Manage Your Recruitment Needs with Adecco

At Adecco, we have over 20 years of experience helping clients manage their flexible and permanent recruitment needs across housing and the public sector, including recruiting senior and niche candidates.

We are ready for any challenge, with the proven ability to scale up and down and change course as needed.