After a cosmetics MNC had searched a Purchasing Director for 6 months we found one in 6 weeks

A European cosmetics firm required a regional Head of Purchasing to act as playing manager as well as change agent to develop and grow a regional team historically managed in a highly conservative, top-down style..

The role had been on the market already for over 6 months when we were contacted to bring the search back on point. Numerous candidates had already been approached.

The position called for an indirect procurement background, an area with relatively few qualified candidates. Additionally, the CFO wanted a dynamic and multicultural candidate with superior communication skills, and a team-oriented management style. The company culture also demanded a proactive work approach and an ability to work with relatively few processes already in place.

We advised the client to add younger high-potential prospects to the candidate pool, rather than confine it to the more established candidates they had been focused on for the half year they’d been looking.

We focused on candidates from a consumer goods background with similar product cycles. Our research team methodically mapped the market according to the parameters agreed on with the client.

Of the 200 candidates we identified, there were 3 in particular whom we felt confident would be of interest to the client. Of the 3, the one hired had significant exposure to international projects and was fluent in 3 languages key for the role. The project took 6 weeks from start to finish.