The interim mandate took the recruitment expert to a company with a global reputation in cutting-edge process technology in the pharmaceutical and food industry. She was tasked with recruiting an expatriate candidate for a management position and several sales staff for local key accounts for the subsidiary of a major sub-region in Africa.
The subsidiaries in Africa are organized as local centers for sales, production and maintenance, which work with the head office to develop technology solutions specifically for local markets. The regional managing directors define the strategy and business management in a management board. At the start of the mandate, the restructuring of the strategic management of large key accounts had been partially completed. Further profiles were now to be recruited.
International management consultancy had been searching for 12 months without success
The interim manager faced particular challenges in this mandate. The client had a clearly defined general HR strategy. According to this strategy, the position of managing director in particular was to be filled by an expat who had to be familiar with the regions to be covered. In addition, the company was bound by framework agreements to an international management consultancy, which had been searching for suitable candidates for 12 months without success.
The company was looking for an experienced technologist, engineer and strategist for the management position. In particular, the candidate should be able to quickly grasp the complex activities in the diverse sub-Saharan African region with the different needs and mentalities of the target groups and be able to assert themselves against the competition with expertise in securing orders. It goes without saying that linguistically proficient and experienced managers with an international background from matrix organizations have a clear advantage here.
Detailed specifications developed for the recruitment and HR strategy
Before the interim manager began her search for suitable candidates, she identified previous failures, delays in the otherwise well-functioning talent management and inhibiting cultural misunderstandings. She developed a detailed specification for the recruitment and HR strategy that took into account the regional characteristics of sub-Saharan Africa. In this way, the interim manager was able to identify a solution that went beyond staffing with expats. Ultimately, the client agreed to an HR strategy that focused exclusively on local candidate profiles and also included a completely revised remuneration program.
Social media sourcing tested in interviews with candidates on site
In the search for the "ideal candidate", the interim manager conducted a series of telephone video interviews together with the client following a pre-selection on site. This was followed by further selections in order to finally speak with the most promising candidates at the client company.
During her research, the interim manager identified reference candidates described in great detail on social media and verified her impressions in face-to-face meetings. The use of social media proved to be very effective, but it was the human contact that enabled an accurate and swift selection. The interim manager summarized the detailed information in candidate reports in English. The reports included extensive information on tasks and results as well as assessments of the candidates' market knowledge. Armed with this knowledge, the management was able to make a quick decision and submit contract offers to target candidates.
New recruitment strategy opens up access to the executive target group
The change in the previous recruitment policy proved to be a time and cost-saving process. Addressing the local framework conditions gradually introduced the client to the otherwise very closed target group of highly specialized and highly educated managers in Africa. This target group has similar ambitions for successful career development and careers as their colleagues in the rest of the world. Professional challenges are gratefully accepted. Local characteristic: These sought-after managers are internationally savvy; trained abroad or in Germany, they are known for their extremely high mobility on the national and regional job market because they are highly sought after. International contracts are very popular. The battle for good minds on the African applicant market is therefore even more pronounced than elsewhere.
Management and many sales positions filled within 2 months
Less than 2 months passed between the first joint appointment and the customer's decision. the contract was signed 14 days later. The trial period went smoothly and the rapid integration into the international management board confirmed the selection of the new Managing Director.
In the final interview, the candidates selected for the sales positions also surprised with sales strategies that were easy to understand and met customer requirements.
