Project Overview
Client: US-Based Marketing Technology Firm Expanding in Europe
Roles: EMEA Customer Implementations Managers
Key Stakeholders: VP Project Management and Global Head, Customer Implementations
Timeline: 49 days (from client brief to candidate offer)
Objective: Hire seasoned client-facing leaders to drive European growth.
Client Background
A global leader in technology solutions for customer loyalty, the client offers scalable platforms that leverage zero- and first-party data to enhance customer engagement across industries. With a strong reputation in the market, the company supports enterprise clients and integrates with over 100 technologies.
Recruitment Brief
The client was hiring two Customer Implementations Managers to lead the onboarding and implementation of loyalty software for European clients. Responsibilities included guiding clients through the process, collaborating with internal teams, managing timelines, and presenting status updates.
Candidate Requirements:
- Experience: PMP/Agile certifications, e-commerce knowledge, loyalty management, technical skills (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP).
- Soft Skills: proactive attitude, ability to collaborate across teams and cultures, communicating effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders. Strong problem-solving skills were key.
Our Recruitment Process
To manage the recruitment process effectively, our search firm designed a matrix scorecard, enabling us to track candidate progress and maintain transparency. Key client stakeholders from different time zones and locations were actively involved, which made the process smooth and efficient.
- Sourcing: 112 passive candidates identified and approached
- Screening: 11 candidates engaged with the brief, out of which Optima Search took forward 8 for initial screening
- Interviews: 6 candidates completed the first round, 3 advanced to the final stage.
- Offer: 2 candidates have been selected and accepted the job offers.
- Time to Hire: 49 days
Challenges/Learnings:
Potential candidates from direct competitors often lacked the necessary technical expertise or were bound by non-compete clauses. Many candidates seemed to function effectively as Technical Project Managers without requiring deep technical knowledge. After discussing these challenges with the client, we agreed to refine expectations and adopt a more flexible approach, letting go of certain technical skills that, while important, are less critical and more teachable.
We also established that recruits for these roles typically don't come from a "like-for-like" position, but rather from backgrounds in Technical Consulting, Solution Architecture, or Implementation/Pre-sales. This shift helped broaden the talent pool and ensured we attracted the right candidates.
The key to the project's success was our exclusive engagement, regular client meetings, and full transparency on both sides.
