Expert Trade Association Recruitment Support - Technical Manager for The Safety Assessment Federation

Our client, The Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed), needed to fill their Technical Manager position with a suitably skilled candidate, with the long-standing outgoing employee having a 6-month notice period before departure.

The specific qualifications necessary for the job entailed having Engineering and Inspection Certifications, be a Standards and Committees expert as well as expertise with plant equipment and MOT machinery.

Our client – The Safety Assessment Federation

SAFed, the Trade Association representing the UK's independent engineering inspection and certification industry, is a go-to resource for any individual or organisation dealing with equipment inspection and safety in the workplace.
It serves as the hub for all issues concerning statutory inspection and certification, in addition to promoting safe use and operation of machinery and plant. Those who turn to SAFed gain access to essential advice, guidance, information, and experience.

Our brief

SAFed had an outgoing Technical Manager who served the organisation for over seven years, with a set of in-demand, distinctive and particular competencies, including:

Plant and MOT machinery experience
Inspection and Engineering Certifications
Standards and Committees expertise

After a prolonged period of employment with SAFed, not only did this employee possess a six-month notice period, but they also had specialised skills in military safety.

This called for a highly targeted campaign, not only in regards to these particular niche skills but also regarding their length of experience in Trade Associations, the Membership Sector overall and Technical Committees.

This role was a permanent, hybrid position with the option to work full or part time, including some traveling in the UK and other European countries.
With over a decade of experience in the membership sector and the ability to locate highly-skilled multidisciplinary talent, such as tech and IT professionals, we were in a strong position to customise our recruitment services to enable us to present top-tier, niche permanent talent in this space.

Our solution

To ensure the success of our clients, we focus on obtaining a comprehensive knowledge of their ambitions, employees, and workplace culture.
As part of the recruitment process for the soon-to-be-vacated Technical Manager role, we were aware that SAFed sought a candidate with a background in Standards and Committees and a proficiency for working with a tight-knit technical team.
With niche hard and soft skill requirements, we pulled on all of our resources to search hard to find the right professionals for this role.
Our strategy included:

Extensive research on construction and engineering related candidates within targeted geo-areas
Targeted advertising and engagement across many key media streams including social, and niche IT and technology job boards
Leveraged our expansive database of more than 15,000 pre-vetted specialists in the membership sector, and honed in on the necessary niche technology skills profiles

Our results

Despite requiring specialised and highly sought-after technical expertise, we pulled our resources, database, networks and contacts and delivered a credible shortlist of candidates within a two-week time-frame.
Subsequently from which, the SAFed Board Members and their Chief Executive Officer, Caroline Hamilton, selected and onboarded their successful, key hire.