Role re-design and upgrade as part of a HR transformation agenda, with an immediate focus on supporting the design and build of HR frameworks that would enable aggressive growth plans as the result of acquisitions and new product launches

Remit challenges - With a history of HR in the region being more focussed on operational “doing” rather than proactive thinking and planning, whoever came into this role would be needing to educate and convince an array of business stakeholders that the HR function really could provide useful Business Partnership. In addition this person would be juggling the ability to working at a more strategic level with management teams, with cumbersome layers of HR administration and process, which also needed to be streamlined and moved to modern technology platforms, despite opposition from long serving local HR staff. Finally, with a barrage of commercially focussed HR initiatives being launched globally, this person would have little time to get the regular “day job” under control in order to also take on key projects that required local markets customisation.

Hiring challenges - Finding exceptional Business Partners at Senior Director level in this small East Coast town was always going to be difficult - the tiny talent pool of locally based high calibre performers were well rewarded by their existing employers, and this location wasn’t particularly attractive for leaders open to moving from other markets within the USA. Given this role was viewed as a likely mid term successor to the current CHRO, the executive team were also keen to secure a professional with considerable executive gravitas and a track record of success within complex, matrix, international corporations, plus Six Sigma or Lean methodology expertise - thus further limiting the local talent pool and requiring a national search and some creativity in marketing the location!

Solution - 4 professionals were recommended by Carter Morris within just 16 days of accepting this hiring project, after carefully targeted but extensive outreach across our HR leadership network within the USA. The CHRO and key business stakeholders struggled to narrow the selection of people we had them meet with, and relied heavily on our assessments and detailed reference checks to determine their preferred candidate. The appointed professional is now settled in and performing well, and receiving additional mentoring to be a viable successor to the current CHRO.

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