The British Dental Industry Association turned to us to find a Commercial Director with the perfect blend of commercial acumen and membership expertise – and we delivered.
The British Dental Industry Association (BDIA) is a prominent membership organisation representing businesses that supply products to the dental sector. With their small and closeknit team, the BDIA plays an important role in an industry that demands high standards and a strong voice.
The BDIA approached Membership Bespoke after a previous recruitment effort had failed to deliver the right candidates for their Commercial Director role. They were seeking a Commercial Leader to consolidate their revenue streams, develop a strategy grounded in data, and work closely with the Chief Executive and the Association’s Council to support the organisation’s long-term goals.
While the role was described as commercial, we quickly understood that the BDIA’s needs were more specific to the membership sector. They needed someone with experience developing income for associations, working collaboratively in a small team, and understanding the nuances of member-focused organisations.
The BDIA trusted us to provide:With 13+ years of experience recruiting for membership organisations, we began by conducting a detailed role briefing with the BDIA’S Chief Executive, Edmund Proffitt.
This allowed us to refine the scope of the role, focusing on BDIA’s priorities for the role: revenue development, strategic thinking, and seamless collaboration with the team and Council. We were then able to draw on our extensive network of membership professionals to identify candidates with a proven track record in association revenue development.
Our understanding of the membership sector further enabled us to see beyond surface qualifications and pinpoint individuals who could not only meet the BDIA’s needs but also thrive in their environment.
We were looking for a candidate who:
We then presented a carefully curated shortlist of candidates, all of whom had the skills and experience required to succeed in this position.
The recruitment process moved efficiently, guided by our membership-focused recruitment expertise and understanding of the BDIA’s unique needs:
"The position of Commercial Director is vital to our organisation’s leadership, playing a key role in our ongoing development. After an initial attempt to fill this important role proved unsuccessful, we turned to Membership Bespoke for their expert help. Their deep understanding of our specific needs and thoughtful approach resulted in an excellent appointment that has already begun driving meaningful progress for the BDIA."