John Laing

John Laing is a specialist investor, operator and manager of public sector infrastructure assets in the UK and overseas. By combining their skills in the management of development risk, project financing, asset management and operations with those of their chosen partners and the project supply chain they have built an enviable reputation, as a market leader, in the privately financed (Pfi / PPP) form of infrastructure renewal and modernisation, long recognised as a key element of public sector procurement policy.

Their reputation is the product of success, in managing 74 privately-financed infrastructure schemes for the public sector, ranging from ground-breaking  Urban Regeneration solutions, the Second Severn Crossing between England & Wales and the Greater Manchester Waste Management PFI as well as health,education, police, rail, roads, street lighting and special purpose government facilities in the UK and overseas.

Government departments, local authorities and other public bodies such as hospital trusts go to them for their project development experience, operating skills, creativity and ability to finance their scheme through the most appropriately structured investment package. This may be in the form of traditional PFI, but equally could utilise the innovative Local Asset Backed Vehicle (LABV) through regeneration-led initiatives.

Harcourt Matthews has supported John Laing as a preferred supplier since 2006 when a review of the previous suppliers indicated that the quality of the current service had significantly reduced. Following a recommendation by the Group FD, we met with the Recruitment Manager to outline the experience of our PFI, Infrastructure & investments division and its success with some of John Laing’s competitors and key business partners, this in turn led to a recruitment trial and subsequent inclusion as a preferred supplier.

Harcourt Matthews still enjoys preferred supplier status and has recruited temporary, contract and permanent individuals from AP Clerks and graduate trainees up to Treasury Managers and Divisional Financial Controllers.

Internal reviews of existing and new businesses identified the need to leverage higher calibre and quality staff for head office, regions and Contracts / Projects accounting & finance staff amongst other functions including Procurement, HR and Contract Management. The Group MD and the CFO sought to make step changes in the level and capability of these teams and at the same time reduce the number of temporary staff within the whole business community in London and the rest of the UK.

Several key objectives were highlighted, including:

  • Development & replenishment of the existing teams and the increase in depth of capability & calibre of individuals within the organisation which has under gone rapid growth and business transformation
  • Identifying commercially and technically focused individuals to evolve best practice in Accounting & Finance, Procurement, HR and Contract Management specifically in planning & analysis, forecasting, reporting commercial financial control

Harcourt Matthews established several recruitment campaigns and a range of candidate sourcing processes to attract a wide range of candidate talent, encompassing:

  • Accessing our network & extensive CV database, existing contacts and gaining new referrals / recommendations
  • Accessing several jobsite CV databases covering the active UK candidate market
  • Advertising on several job boards
  • Using our internal resourcers and several 3rd party outsourced research businesses contracted to identify and to supply scarce candidate resource (passive & non active people)
  • Specific sector headhunting campaigns complementing the above approach
  • Direct mail-shot programmes to specific accounting & finance trained CIMA, ACCA and ACA individuals who fulfilled the accounting & finance job specification & brief

This has resulted in supporting the recruitment of qualified accountants & part qualified accountants and accounting staff for the UK business

Jobs recruited for include: Interim, temporary & permanent

Accountant
Accounts Assistant
Accounts Payable Assistant
AP Clerk
Assistant Accountant
Assistant Finance Manager
Assistant Treasurer
Asst Finance Manager
Bid Cost Analyst
Business Analyst
Commercial Management Accountant
Commercial Manager
Deal Leader Investment Finance
Divisional Finance Director
Divisional Financial Controller
Finance Manager
Financial Controller
Group Accountant
Group Accounts Assistant
Group Financial Accountant
Group Management Accountant
Group Management Accountant
Group Treasurer
Internal Auditor
Management Accountant
Management Accountant – Revenue / Projects
Part-Time Finance Manager
Portfolio Financial Controller
PQ Accountant
Project Accountant
Project FC
Property Accountant
Property Accountant
Snr Investment Accountant
Systems Accountant
Year End Accountant