In the absence of our Chair, I led the recruitment process on behalf of Age UK North Yorkshire Coast and Moors for a new Chief Executive. As a result, we commissioned James Carss of the Castle Peak Group to undertake the Search. Given the pivotal importance of finding a first-class CEO, our Board had shortlisted six possible recruitment agencies to work with us – some local, some national and interviewed each one of them online. Having done so, my colleagues and I unanimously agreed to appoint the Castle Peak Group – though, interestingly, only I was aware that they were the second cheapest of the six tenders that we received (a full £6k cheaper than a London Agency).
“James Carss was, by some way, the most personable, the best prepared and the most impressive executive search consultant we spoke to.”
We chose them because James Carss was, by some way, the most personable, the best prepared and the most impressive executive search consultant we spoke to.
He demonstrated excellent and up to the minute understanding of
i) the Voluntary Sector and the challenges it faces in a health and social care landscape that is changing rapidly both nationally and regionally
ii) the potential impact that our coastal location – and its restricted transport links – could have on the pool of candidates we might hope to attract and
iii) the likely characteristics of the type of new CEO we would be seeking
Once we chose the Castle Peak Group, having understood the urgency of foreshortening an unavoidable CEO inter-regnum, James travelled down within days to meet Board representatives face to face so he could learn more about our organisation, the specific immediate and longer term challenges and opportunities that confront us, and the particular characteristics of the CEO candidate we were therefore seeking. Within a fortnight thereafter, he presented us with a longlist of fourteen prospective applicants and from those he suggested a shortlist of six. We spoke directly to James about his own feelings, as he had spoken to each applicant. Together we made one addition to and one deletion from his initial suggested shortlist, and then identified an early date for the Interviews. Within two days, James had spoken to each shortlisted applicant and confirmed with each of them the Interview date we had identified. On the day, we were impressed by the calibre of each of the applicants that the panel met. Most importantly we were able, unanimously, to offer the post to an outstanding candidate. Neither I nor my colleagues believe that, had we simply advertised our vacancy, we would have found the new CEO, who is already a talented and highly valued member and leader of our organisation. We have maintained contact with James and will, without question, call upon his services as and when we are next seeking either Executive or non-Executive additions to our Team. It has been and will continue to be a pleasure to work with James.
Professor Paul Stanton
Non Executive Director,
Age UK North Yorkshire Coast and Moors.