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Public Sector and Not For Profit

Within local, regional and central government, the democratic landscape is unique. Balancing the political, financial and operational aspects of a government organisation with the service delivery expectations of citizens and service users requires a complex blend of skills, sensitivity and experience. Within health and education, the picture is also evolving rapidly. As demands upon public servants grow, leaders in these sectors need to be equipped to drive and embed meaningful change. They must also operate in an increasingly commercial way, meeting service users' needs against a background of targets, initiatives, league tables and inspections.

In the not-for-profit sector, finding the right combination of financial understanding and passion for the cause is usually the goal. High performers here demonstrate unswerving commitment backed up by exceptional budgetary management, and in these challenging times, flair and innovation are increasingly important competencies. Wickland Westcott has a track record of finding candidates with these rare skills who can hit the ground running. We actively contribute to the knowledge pool through our own privately-funded, ground-breaking research projects, such as Trailblazers.

Case Studies

Surveyor of the Fabric

To recruit their next Surveyor of the Fabric, Westminster Abbey required a search partner that would be sympathetic to their needs whilst having the credibility to engage with a sophisticated and knowledgeable market - the very best ecclesiastical architects in the country. As well as assessing their technical prowess, we also had to evaluate whether candidates had the commitment required to take forward one of the nation’s most unique historical and architectural treasures, encapsulating over a thousand years of British history.

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University of Salford Director of Finance

With around 2,500 staff and 18,000 students, the University of Salford is internationally recognised for its enterprise, collaboration with business and knowledge transfer. It is also rightly proud of its excellent research and teaching activities, and its successes in widening participation and international activities - with a student body drawn from over 80 countries.  Through its Strategic Plan, the University has set out its medium-term aspirations to reposition itself nationally and internationally as a top quartile institution by 2017. In

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Transformation at BCU

Dedicated to becoming a leading business-facing university, and with a clear commitment to engaging employers, Birmingham City University is undergoing a change programme driven by the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Tidmarsh, and has seen the introduction of a new mission, vision and key objectives including a new recruitment programme for the future. Finding

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Boston Mayflower - Recruiting Top Jobs

Boston Mayflower Housing Association was formed in 1999 to manage the housing stock transferred from Boston Borough Council. Following the retirement of the chief executive, the position was temporarily filled on an 'acting' basis. Wickland Westcott was engaged in February 2009 to work with the Board to recruit a new chief executive. The process initially involved spending a full day with board members reviewing the profile of the role, using our proprietary 'Blueprint' role modelling methodology.

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Director of Finance

Wickland Westcott was retained in January 2010 to recruit a new Director of Finance for the University of Manchester, the largest in the UK with 2008/9 turnover of £750m, 11,500 employees and over 35,000 students With an operating budget of £4.5m and responsibility for over 100 staff, the Director is one of the University's most senior executives and a member of the President's Executive Group. The

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Rochdale MBC - Public Sector Recruitment

The value of partnership working within the public sector is well established. Wickland Westcott has recently supported Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council in the recruitment of three Head of Service level positions within an eight-week timeframe.

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TFL - Senior Executive Recruitment

Recruiting for very senior positions is always interesting as each role presents a different set of challenges. This was the case when Transport for London (TfL) recently entrusted Wickland Westcott with the task of finding a candidate for the newly created role of Managing Director, Marketing and Communications. The unique demands of the role and circumstances surrounding the appointment made for a fascinating assignment, as John Fortescue of Wickland Westcott explains: "TfL is one of the world's leading transport authorities and is responsible for London's strategic transport network.

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