Background
Our client is a privately owned UK engineering business specialising in the design and delivery of diesel and gas generator systems, switchgear integration, and turnkey critical power installations. Operating nationally, the business supports commercial, industrial, and essential-infrastructure clients where resilience, uptime, and delivery certainty are non-negotiable.
With turnover at £10–11 million and a clear ambition to scale toward £20 million, the organisation was managing a growing and increasingly complex workload. At the point of engagement, this included more than 40 live projects at various stages of delivery, with individual project values ranging from several hundred thousand pounds to multi-million-pound installations.
The leadership team recognised that further growth would place additional strain on project delivery, engineering resource, and commercial oversight unless the internal structure evolve.
The Challenge
As demand grew, pressure points began to surface:
- Leadership gap: no one was accountable for both project and design functions, leaving teams stretched.
- Delivery strain: 46 live projects, worth £4–5 million annually, created risks of delays and inconsistency.
- Margin pressures: holding at 24%, but efficiency and process gaps blocked improvements to 25–26%.
- Fragmented teams: project managers, coordinators, and design staff worked in silos, with different approaches and personalities.
- Scaling risk: ambitions to reach £20m+ turnover needed structure, processes, and a leader who could drive cohesion and growth.
Our client didn’t just need a project manager. They needed a strategic leader to sit on the senior leadership team, bring people together, and deliver growth with confidence.
Our Approach
- Discovery & clarity: a detailed briefing with the leadership team (Ashley Benfield, Leonie Bishop, and Alan Blair) to understand their goals, culture, and pain points.
- Market insight: mapping talent from adjacent industries (critical power, marine, engineering) with experience in businesses of £10–20m turnover and above.
- Transparent process: weekly steering meetings to review progress, refine requirements, and ensure alignment at every stage.
- Tools & structure: creation of a tailored briefing pack, competency-based interview questions, and clear shortlisting criteria.
- Candidate pool: a longlist refined into a shortlist of 7 leaders, balancing technical, commercial, and leadership strengths.
The Result
Through a structured and transparent process, they were able to:
- Identify senior leaders with proven track records in project and design management.
- Test candidates not just on capability, but on leadership style, cultural fit, and readiness for senior responsibility.
- Move from uncertainty to clarity on the leadership talent available in their market.
- Select a preferred candidate with the skills to unify teams, improve efficiency, and support growth to £20m+ turnover.
The Impact
- Confidence in decision-making: the leadership team gained a clear view of their options and alignment around the right hire.
- Framework for the future: the interview tools, process, and benchmarks can now be applied to future senior hires.
- Growth supported: the appointment will help deliver projects more effectively, improve margins, and scale with structure.