The challenge
A small biomedical diagnostics company based in Berkshire faced a critical recruitment challenge. Their highly skilled Technical Director planned to exit the business within the next five years, and the company urgently needed to appoint a Clinical QA Manager who could be developed to take over the role.
The search was complicated by several factors:
- Differing priorities among directors about what the role should involve and what type of person was needed.
- A limited talent pool of mid-tier candidates with the necessary blend of clinical quality assurance expertise and leadership potential.
- A less competitive employer brand, with some rival companies offering more innovative cultures and higher salaries that were more attractive to prospective candidates.
The client had already spent six months advertising, networking, and interviewing candidates. After reaching the offer stage and being turned down, they had exhausted their internal networks and knew a new strategy was needed to reach passive candidates.
GR solution
GR designed a targeted executive search campaign to identify and engage high-calibre candidates from competitor organisations.
Our strategy included:
- In-depth consultation with all directors to align expectations and define a clear role profile and long-term development pathway.
- Mapping the market to identify candidates with relevant QA experience and leadership potential, even if they weren’t actively job-hunting.
- Crafting a compelling pitch for the role, focusing on the unique opportunity to work alongside a highly skilled Technical Director and eventually step into a senior leadership position.
- Managing candidates closely throughout the process, keeping them engaged and addressing concerns to reduce the risk of counter-offers or drop-outs.
By positioning the role as a rare chance to shape the future of a growing company, we were able to overcome initial hesitations about salary and employer branding.
Outcome
Within just two months, we successfully appointed a Clinical QA Manager with the right balance of technical knowledge, leadership potential, and cultural alignment.
This placement delivered immediate benefits:
- Provided stability and expertise to the QA function.
- Allowed the Technical Director to gradually transition out of the business with confidence.
- Created a clear succession plan for leadership continuity.
The company now has a highly capable QA leader who is invested in the organisation’s future and positioned to step into a director role over time.
