Placement:

Sales Manager, UK & Ireland

(Animal Nutrition)

The project

The Client had established an animal nutrition division for the United Kingdom and Irish markets. Initial results were successful, with projected growth. Subsequently, they needed to hire a dedicated Sales Manager for UK & IRE. Due to the size of the portfolio and the complex product offering, a sales professional with a background in animal nutrition was required.

The UK and IRE market is a small, closely-knit community, with a low unemployment rate in animal nutrition. In other words, it is difficult to find an expert with an established network and understanding of the region. As a result, the internal search didn’t yield the required profile.

In the meantime, BASSWOOD was recommended to The Client and, as a result, they selected us as their headhunter for the project.

The initial brief for the Sales Manager UK & IRE was…

• Technical support background & education in animal nutrition/ health
• Experience in Sales & Business Development in the UK and/or Ireland
• Knowledge of the livestock market, ideally with a strong network and contacts in poultry
• Ability to work in a multinational company and handle work individually
• Based in the UK/IRE, from Home Office

Our method & solution

Basswood began intensive data mining in the United Kingdom & Ireland, with a focus on Animal Nutrition, Production and Health sectors.

• Total leads identified: 407
• Total candidates interested: 6
• Candidates shortlisted: We were able to qualify 6 professionals, from which 5 were selected for the shortlist.

Hired profile: BSc in Animal Science. Over 8 years of experience in the UK & IRE markets. Has worked with all species, ruminant, monogastric (poultry integrators, as well as pig producers), aquaculture, and companion animals (dogs, cats, equine). Connections with various key opinion leaders within the industry.

Success timeline for the Sales Manager UK & IRE

Contract with the chosen candidate signed in July 2021, with the position starting in September 2021. The professional is integrating well into the team and has already visited clients. The Hiring Manager is happy with their progress.

Lessons learned from the Sales Manager project

1. Know your market and be realistic.

Why choose BASSWOOD?

At the beginning of the project, both The Client & BASSWOOD were in an agreement on the difficulty of the search. If you have ever done recruitment in this region, you will know exactly why.

This meant, that we all entered the project with very realistic expectations. Securing 1 or 2 relevant candidates would have been considered a positive outcome. In addition, we had the flexibility to look into related markets and a generous deadline window.

However, as a result of the pandemic and the enforced home-office working environment, the UK and IRE market was much more responsive than usual. Yes, you read this right. 6 positive replies out of 407 is a success.

So, a realistic approach will yield exactly what you expected. And it can also give you the knowledge to act on and appreciate the unforeseen.

Are you looking for talent in a challenging market? Contact us and let us find your person. 

Interested to see the Testimonials for the project?

Read Candidate Testimonial | Read Client Testimonial