The Brief

A leading Main Contractor approached us with a critical challenge: they urgently needed a Bid Manager. They had been looking for 9 months and had instructed external recruiters for the last 6 months. During this period, the owner of the company was overseeing all bid writing, which he felt contributed for winning new business, but not the best use of his time.

By the time we were contacted, there was a total of five other recruiters working on the role. This scattergun approach meant candidates were being pushed forward without proper qualification, turning the process into a race to submit CVs rather than a strategic search for the right fit.

Our Process

After a detailed consultation, where we explained the downfalls of the contingency service they had adopted, the client instructed us to implement a focused, quality-led search over a four-week exclusivity period. This meant all other recruiters were stood down, giving us the time and space to work the role properly.

With exclusivity in place, we:

• Fully re-qualified the brief, ensuring we understood not just the job description but the company culture and business objectives.
• Targeted candidates with the right industry experience, technical knowledge, and leadership skills to seamlessly take over the bid function from the owner.
• Carefully assessed each potential hire for both competency and cultural alignment.

The Result

From an initial longlist of 15 candidates, we identified three strong prospects. Two were shortlisted and interviewed on the same day. Within just two weeks of instruction, a second interview took place, and an offer was made and accepted.

The successful candidate joined the business two months later, after serving their notice period. From the day we were engaged to the day they started, the entire process took under three months, including that two-month notice.

By focusing on quality over speed and by taking full ownership of the search, we delivered where others had failed, providing the client with a high-calibre Bid Manager who could immediately add value and free up the owner to focus on strategic growth.

What the Client said

"Not only did Darren take time to understand the brief and take time to understand what we were looking for, but the attention to detail and quality of the candidates were more than expected. Since then, we have employed several personnel from Darren's efforts - all of whom have not disappointed. We continue to use his services, and I recommend Darren for your recruitment needs."