Executive Recruitment Partnership
We are proud that VoiceAbility chose the Ashdown Group to be its exclusive recruitment partner.
VoiceAbility were looking to build out their senior management team to help create the growth platform required for the charity's ambitions to be realised. Ashdown supported VoiceAbility in recruiting four new director-level positions, and a new project management function, making sure to understand not only the roles and the skill sets required, but also ensuring the successful candidates had the right motivations and cultural fit to make an even bigger difference for their clients.
About VoiceAbility
VoiceAbility have been supporting people to be heard in decisions about their health, care and wellbeing for almost 40 years. They are an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services.
They believe that everyone, regardless of situation, illness or disability, has a right:
- to be heard and respected
- to have choice, control and freedom
- to be safe from violence, discrimination, harm or abuse
They work with all kinds of people and all ages. Many of their services are specifically for people with long-term conditions such as mental health conditions, dementia or a learning disability. About half of the people they work with are over the age of 60.
What were VoiceAbility's recruitment challenges?
VoiceAbility are an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. The charity wanted support promoting their vacancies to the widest possible audience, requiring a deep candidate pool to establish the best individual for each role.
How did Ashdown help?
We worked closely with VoiceAbility to ensure a robust, objective, and confidential recruitment plan. The experience and capability of our team, collaborative partnership approach and commitment to delivery helped VoiceAbility build out their team in a highly organised recruitment campaign.
Over the past 10 years we have fostered a strong partnership with the VoiceAbility team, combining our in-house research with a keen focus on the requirements of the charity. We have had the privilege of working on many campaigns, and this knowledge certainly helped find the right cultural add for the organisation's key roles. Aligning the charity's purpose with each individuals career objectives and values delivered a team of highly motivated managers commited to the success of the organisation.
The Outcome
Working as VoiceAbility's exclusive recruitment partner, Ashdown successfully placed several senior leaders, including Head of HR and Head of Operations, and helped create a new project management team. Working alongside the charity to fill roles across all departments; Marketing, IT, HR and Finance, and by sourcing additional bid writing specialists for the team, the charity has successfully continued to win a higher volume of contracts nationally, seeing a growth of market share in the charity sector.
Partnering with Ashdown, VoiceAbility has access to a recruitment team familiar with the charity, its ethos and values, who react quickly and efficiently whenever required.
Executive Search Process
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Initial Research: We met with the VoiceAbility team to gain a deep understanding of the organisation, culture, values, vision and objectives to fully understand the challenges, opportunities and the specific skills, attributes, and experience required for each role. |
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External Research: Once we had requirements for each role we created a detailed person specification and conducted extensive research, carrying out salary benchmarking. |
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Marketing/Advertising Campaign: with access to all leading job boards and over a million candidates within our private network we delivered a targeted campaign to the broadest base of professional candidates in the UK marketplace. |
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Selection: following in depth screenings of prospective candidates, a carefully selected shortlist of well matched professionals, precisely matching the requirements of the charity, were introduced. |
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Outcome for VoiceAbility: Successful onboarding of senior managers and project management team. |
Recent Appointments
Director of Operations
VoiceAbility engaged Ashdown to recruit an experienced Operations Director to join their senior management team. This was a fantastic opportunity for a strong operational leader to take ownership of the delivery of services and operations within a fast growing not for profit organisation. Accountable for all aspects of defined functional, cross functional delivery and compliance this was a great role for a purpose-driven Operations Director.
HR Director
Ashdown were tasked with recruiting a values-driven HR Director to join the senior management team at VoiceAbility. A good opportunity for a qualified HR professional to lead and take ownership of the established HR function within an organisation planning to double in size over the coming years. Collaborating with the executive leadership team to develop and lead on all people focused strategies, the HR Director role was a great opportunity to make an impact within the charity/not for profit sector.
, VoiceAbility"We have been recruiting key people into our organisation to create the growth platform to enable our ambitions to be realised. Ashdown Group have supported us to recruit four new director-level positions as well as establishing a new project management function. They have taken the time and care to understand not only the roles and the skill sets required, but also to ensure that the successful candidates had the right motivations and cultural fit to enable us to strive to make an even bigger difference for our clients."
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