Leeds Ahead
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Leeds Ahead is a dynamic, not-for-profit organisation facilitating private sector involvement in the social and economic regeneration of Leeds. A pioneering initiative, it harnesses the significant resources of Leeds' successful business community to support, at strategic and practical levels, the regeneration of the city's most disadvantaged communities.
The work of the Leeds Ahead team and its partners is making a tangible difference to the lives and prospects of many people who are not sharing in the city's success.
The Challenge
In early 2007, Leeds Ahead approached Independent RPO as it was embarking on a recruitment drive.
The challenge lay in the organisation's lack of in-house HR skills which were necessary to build a robust recruitment approach, and the need to ensure the process was as cost-effective as possible.
Independent RPO agreed to take on the complete management of the process, working closely with Leeds Ahead to define job profiles and conduct a robust attraction and selection process.
The Solution
Independent RPO designed the recruitment project to include the following key milestones:
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Establish an appropriate structure, job descriptions and remuneration levels
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Identify the right competencies and skills profiles
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Create appropriate selection questions for long listing
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Establish the right interview process
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Design and implement an assessment centre approach
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Ensure successful management of the candidates
The Results
Launched in early March 2007, the project achieved a significant early success when Independent RPO negotiated for Leeds Ahead to run a substantially discounted recruitment advertisement in the Sunday Times' Regeneration supplement. This was supported by recruitment adverts in the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post, as well as a range of web advertising.
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Over 70 qualified applicants were telephone screened and a third of these were subsequently interviewed by the Independent RPO team.
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Two assessment centres were set up, involving the participation of the Leeds Ahead team and partners, at which 13 candidates were asked to perform a group planning and presentation exercise, as well as an individual presentation.
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Four candidates were short-listed for the Business Account Manager roles.
Following final interviews the successful candidates were offered the roles and all started ahead of schedule in July 2007.
An Ongoing Partnership
In subsequent months Leeds Ahead continued to expand, drawing on the expertise and services of Independent RPO to advise them on the most cost- effective and efficient approach to recruiting key personnel to the organisation.
Independent has been supporting Leeds ahead in various projects since then.
“We were very aware that we needed real recruitment expertise on this project to make sure we had the right processes in place and recruited the right people. We spoke to our partners at Northern Foods and they had no hesitation recommending their recruitment partner Independent RPO as a company that truly understood good recruitment, could design and manage our entire process and would show the flexibility required for us to build a successful partnership. We were not disappointed. Independent RPO has designed and managed this project from start to a very successful delivery. I am absolutely delighted with the result and would like to thank all of the team involved on the project.”
Stephanie Burras, CEO Leeds Ahead -
What our clients say
“ We were very aware that we needed real recruitment expertise on this project to make sure we had the right processes in place and recruited the right people. Independent RPO has designed and managed this project from start to a very successful delivery. I am absolutely delighted with the result and would like to thank all of the team involved on the project. ”
Stephanie Burras, CEO Leeds Ahead