Procurement

The strategic Procurement function has seen significant talent investment from businesses across the last ten years to streamline processes, reduce raw material prices and costs, and identify better sources of supply. We entered the market due to demand from our clients needing to manage compliance and risk mitigation across their supplier base: a complicated process, requiring specialist talent to do it well. Having a solid Procurement strategy in place is business critical and our clients need our networks and expertise in identifying and sourcing the relevant professionals to execute that strategy.

Technology is redefining the role of Procurement. Cloud-based communities today enable enhanced collaboration between buyers and suppliers, improve supply chain visibility and allow Procurement teams to make better-informed decisions about the contractors they work with. This risk mitigation across suppliers is vital, certainly after the weaknesses in the global supply chain were exposed by the recent pandemic. Investment in digitisation in Procurement is at the forefront of many CPO’s minds to maintain a competitive edge.

We appreciate the impact that a robust strategic Procurement function has on a business culture and reputation, particularly post COVID-19. Our team of specialist consultants have unrivalled market knowledge in terms of Procurement talent and best practice and are able to deploy tailored recruitment solutions and offer a true strategic partnership to our clients.

Supporting your hiring needs on a longer-term basis, we can adapt depending on your requirements. An ideal solution for businesses who are always open to being introduced to the very best candidates in the market.

Key features:

• We source and secure high calibre talent using innovative, customised search methods

• On-off flexibility to suit your needs

• We can deliver a “full package” from resourcing high-quality candidate to contactor care and compliance

• Ongoing brand awareness campaigns via our headhunting schemes

• Weekly or bi-weekly meetings to discuss progress, candidates, and feedback

Why you’ll love it:

• We can accommodate the differing needs of your business over time

• Long term support and advice on your talent management strategy

• Easier to compare the quality of candidates across the market, so you can make more informed decisions

• Option to request a search for a specific role or to be kept regularly informed of relevant people becoming available in your market

• No commitment to hire unless you really like a candidate

Hydrogen is appointed as the sole agent on a particular role, or instruction on a contingency basis. Ideal for a business wanting to conduct discreet and confidential searches without candidates being approached multiple times by agencies.

Key features:

• One specialist point of contact at Hydrogen

• Using innovative, customised search methods, we source and secure the market’s best talent

• Searches conducted by a consultant and dedicated research team, to ensure a thorough search and all relevant candidates in the market are spoken to

• Weekly updates on the search

• Flexible rates depending on the role requirements

Why you’ll love it:

• Save time having to manage different agencies and numerous points of contact

• More control over your brand message in the market as candidates don’t get approached multiple times for the same role

• Receive better quality candidates for the role, as we’re not simply in a race to find the best people, which is often detrimental to the thoroughness and quality of a search

• More cost effective than a non-exclusive solution

We offer an end-to-end service including an analysis of requirements, project scope, delivery, and measurement. You maintain full visibility, flexibility and control of a delivery strategy that is aligned to your business requirements.

Key features:

• More cost-effective end-to-end solutions, compared to bigger consultancies, because we have direct access to the talent

• Our pool of trusted advisors, Delivery Assurance Directors (DADs), ensure every part of your project is optimised to ensure success

• Dedicated project delivery team

• On-going administration and compliance management

• Regular progress review meetings

• Project off-boarding and IP transfer

Why you’ll love it:

• Direct access to the best talent in the market, built up over 20 years

• Average savings of 36% against leading consultancies

• A completely personalised solution for your unique needs

• A scalable solution that's swift to implement, so you can ramp up and down quickly

• Guaranteed knowledge transfers to you can maintain BAU

• On-site dedicated service and programme management led by industry-leading specialists (DADs)

The best solution for hiring talent into your business quickly and effectively. We take full responsibility for the entire search – our approach is targeted and specific, plus we meet and screen all prospective candidates for cultural fit before considering an introduction.

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Key features:

• You have one specialist point of contact at Hydrogen

• Using innovative, customised search methods, we source and secure the market’s best talent

• Searches conducted by a consultant and dedicated research team, to ensure a thorough search and all relevant candidates in the market are spoken to

• Weekly updates on your search

• Option to conduct market mapping and report on your brand perception in the market

• Staggered pricing solutions, in line with different hiring phases

Why you’ll love it:

• You gain preferred access to the best pools of active and passive candidates in your market

• Working exclusively with us, we will control your message in the market and promote your brand successfully

• We’ll work to tighter deadlines due to the increased resources that can be committed to the search

• Ability to spread the cost across a number of weeks or months

The challenge:

Our client, a British railway owner, was embarking on a business-wide programme of change, a major part of which was the Procurement transformation and the largest of its kind in Europe. Attracting world-class Procurement talent was going to be a huge challenge, and they’d had no success so far with agencies that were part of a broader supplier agreement. The initial scope was for a Director of Sourcing, a Director of Supplier Management and a Director of Procurement Operations, though successful delivery would lead to a larger volume of roles required.

Our solution:

Our depth of network and reach set us apart from the other agencies, meaning we could sell the concept of the brand’s true procurement change better and further. Our team identified the managers of all the large, successful procurement transformations of the previous five years and then arranged to meet all the other best-in-class leaders across sourcing, Operations and SRM. Our eventual shortlist consisted of three candidates per role.

The outcome:

• We filled two of the three roles, with our candidate for the third reaching the final two

• As a result of the quality of our work, we were awarded a further 40 roles as part of the transformation

• We successfully delivered the project on time, with a broad range of talent from the private and public sector

• The CPO and Commercial Director remain advocates of ours and we continue to work with them

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The challenge:

Our client, a British multinational retailer, was planning a £500 million cost reduction programme across the business, creating four new positions in a restructuring of its Procurement function to deliver this. They had utilised their internal Talent function to no avail so invited us to present our experience in both the Procurement space, as well as for niche, executive talent from the Strategy world. We were soon engaged to recruit for four key positions, including the newly created roles of Head of Procurement Strategy & Delivery and Global Head of Sourcing.

Our solution:

The strength of our senior Procurement network is second to none so there was no need to map the market – all roles were sourced exclusively from our network at speed. Five candidates were shortlisted and presented for each role, with two from each progressing to the interview rounds, who were subsequently offered and accepted successfully. Our knowledge of the market and the strength of our network from the outset reassured our client, with the quality of our candidate submissions underlining this.

The outcome:

• The four key executive Procurement roles were filled on time with exceptional candidates that our client couldn’t find elsewhere

• The speed of our turnaround meant that the team was in position before COVID-19 and set the business up to deliver the positive results they have seen throughout this crisis

• The hiring client was delighted with the outcome and has since been appointed to the CIPS Power List, thanks in part to this project

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The challenge:

Our client, a multinational consumer goods company, was driving their diversity agenda but struggling to attract female talent in executive sourcing roles. They were keen to benchmark the best talent they had against the best talent on the open market as they sought someone to run Sourcing out of Sydney, Australia. They had exhausted internal networks and their preferred suppliers. We were retained, after a recommendation, to recruit the best female sourcing (Procurement) talent at this level from anywhere in the world for relocation.

Our solution:

We had been promoting female talent into senior Procurement, Supply Chain and Manufacturing roles through our partnership with the National Association for Women in Operations (NAWO) so had a good knowledge of businesses with solid diversity policies and track records in developing women into senior roles. We mapped the international FMCG hubs to compile our long list of 16, then shortlisted three excellent candidates for review before mapping the UK and Europe.

The outcome:

• Our client moved quickly with a standout female candidate from a global FMCG business in Singapore, looking to return home to Australia

• Three years later, the candidate has excelled in the role and is currently looking at transitioning into another internal senior role

• Speed and assurance of delivery allowed our client to make the hire two months before a crucial capital project began

• The brand has since worked with us on many more senior/business-critical roles

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