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​First Quench Retailing , a private equity backed, UK wide multi-site retail group, operating from 2,000 shops, employed over 10,000 people across the UK. Brands included: Threshers, Wine Rack, Victoria Wine, Bottoms Up, Haddows, Huttons, The Local and Drinks Cabin.

Finance & Accounting team relocation, team building & recruitment and onboarding 

The group had several regional centres and decentralised finance & operations functions throughout the UK, which it sought to migrate and relocate into a new HQ in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Harcourt Matthews Co-Sourcing (RPO) Recruitment Solutions was engaged to supplement the recruitment of 80 people, in particular, project managing the recruitment activities for the shared service centre (Accounting transactions) and commercial finance & accounting departments. Our specialist team recruited approximately 80 senior accounting & finance professionals and clerical accounting staff.

Our key objectives included:

  • Definition of business needs, understanding of company culture & individuals and identifying expectations of the finance community to ensure successful recruitment of individuals for both the Financial Reporting and Commercial Finance departments.

  • In-depth consultation and attendance of internal courses to aid facilitation of the recruitment processes supporting a group wide behavioural change programme

  • The recruitment campaign was divided between:

      • Middle and senior management finance recruitment – 25 roles

      • Clerical

        Accounting transactions

        recruitment – 55 roles

In conjunction with senior First Quench & Retail Brand Managers, we agreed a tailored solution combining:

  •       Job Profiling

  •       Candidate Sourcing and Co-sourcing Solutions – working with other agencies as a Managed Service Agent (MSA)

  •       CV selection and interviewing

  •       Response management (pre & post interview review)

  •       Search and Selection

  •       Compliance and Onboarding

The project resulted in the successful recruitment of over 80 people within a six month timeline, which led to Harcourt Matthews Co-sourcing Solutions augmenting recruitment activity on an ongoing basis and being retained as a key service provider.