A complex partnership between three Borough Councils, Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Vision and the NWDA required Private Sector Chair and board appointments for both the West Cumbria Vision and the Barrow Vision Delivery Boards. After years of economic decline and disparate activity to change the fortunes of these areas there was intense interest in what and how substantial funding might achieve successful regeneration programme outcomes.

Both Chairs and board members were needed from the private sector to drive the programmes forward through effective leadership, influence, informed and clear decision making, and pace, translating the Energy Coast and Barrow Masterplans into thematic delivery plans. It was clear that while advertising the roles would draw in some good people looking for such opportunities, most of the appropriate individuals would not even be aware of the vacancies and so search would be the only way of reaching them and communicating how they could make a difference.

Non-Exec Board member roles

The majority of our recruitment work at Proventure is in search and selection of Executive roles, which although unique in themselves, require a similar approach to candidate management. However in the case of the West Cumbria and Barrow Delivery Boards the exceptional candidates would by nature be very busy due to their successful roles in their respective business worlds. While we are used to searching and headhunting difficult to reach individuals they are not always looking to add extra responsibility into their schedules by taking on non exec and unpaid roles even if they are for good of their community.

We therefore had to adjust our approach, our communication style and information to engage and create buy-in to commit to an application. Working in the private sector and leading local businesses meant that some of those interested did not have CVs, had not had an interview in many years. This was especially true of those who had built up and ran their own companies. They were short on time and needed some assistance in meeting the demand of what was still a very thorough application process designed to select the real winners among Cumbria’s business leaders, measured against a clear but demanding job description and person specification for each role.

Sensitivity and consideration was required to approach a balanced spectrum of private sector operators so that those who were not suitable on original screening may stay positive about their local community and still assist in their own ways towards regeneration goals. Conforming to ever higher levels of scrutiny on appointments, candidates had to be very credible to partners, stakeholders and the wider public and be able to contribute their time and effort rewarded by tangible goals being reached, and not a remuneration. Even at interview, candidates remarked on how long it had been since they were asked to outline their achievements and skills relative to the role of a non exec board member, and praised the process of selection and its discussion and debate within.

As an independent board member of Cumbria Vision, Professor John Fyfe said

This testimonial to the services provided by Proventure is given both from a professional viewpoint, as an international specialist in Human Resource Management, and as the ‘Independent’ Board Member of Cumbria Vision involved in the restructuring and recruitment exercise.

Having dealt with several of the ‘larger’ recruitment organisations operating globally for many years I would like to strongly commend and testify to the highly professional, and efficient manner by which Proventure went about this particularly difficult restructuring and recruitment exercise.  Proventure did far more than just body shopping and in my professional opinion stand out from the pack of their competitors.

If there is any way I can give prospective clients, or indeed other headhunting organisations the benefits of professional learning from Proventure that would be a pleasure.

Finally the leadership, management and administrative support provided by Proventure themselves is first class and sets a standard that others might wish to follow in the wider business world of 2009 and beyond.