A privately held, international, highly matrixed manufacturing conglomerate set a path for expansive growth and development of a hybrid structure corporate center from a formerly decentralized, holding company structure. They needed to find the right VP, HR and Organization Effectiveness for a successful growth strategy.
Due to the prior challenges they had faced, The HRC recommended the inclusion of its proprietary Search SWOT Analysis and Stakeholder Alignment which is included in its search process to ensure that the business unit leaders and their HR staff, as well as key stakeholders, were congruent in their views of this role and the new hire. The CEO declined based upon the stakeholder review of the role, yielding unanimous agreement as well as the volume of other critical initiatives. However, during this search, greater value would have been realized had they completed this work on the front end.
After guiding the CEO and General Counsel on revisions of the description that added more specifics on priorities and performance-based measures, The HRC researched individuals for this role who had to have experience in this type of role in related industries, as well as in privately held, hybrid structure, in complex and simultaneously differentiated growth strategies, with labor experience, and where HR and OD required significant development in an environment of significant regulatory change in benefits. And, relocation was not an option as past experience had revealed relocation retention challenges. We presented four initial candidates all the required background yet, with variations in style and strengths among the Firm’s wish list. One of the four rose to the top and was seen as the benchmark candidate. The other three had mixed reviews by the diverse interviewing team of eight leaders and were put aside. They then wished to then interview another round of candidates based upon feedback on the initial slate.
The HRC identified three additional candidates, including diversity in the slate. During this time, the benchmark candidate accepted another position. Two of the three-second slate completed initial interviews and assessments, as well as a day of second interviews. One emerged a unanimous decision. The cycle time for this challenging search was seven months, almost double The HRC’s average. Their resulting new VP, HR and Organization Effectiveness was exceptionally credentialed, well received and led to a significantly elevated HR function for years to come.