Case studies
A2Dominion
Roles
- Interim Project Accountant FTC
- Permanent Group Management Accountant
- Interim Accounts Payable Officer
- Assistant Management Accountant
- Income Officer
- Capital Projects Accountant
- Capital Accountant
- Head of Finance for Capital
- Payroll Manager
Client Profile
A2Dominion is one of the leading Housing Associations in the UK and prides itself on being a housing company with a social purpose. Based in London and Southern England, A2Dominion has been building and maintaining quality housing, and building communities for over 70 years. It is part of the G15, the largest group of charitable Housing Associations in London, housing 1 in 10 Londoners and building 1 in 4 new houses in the capital.
Assignment
Robertson Bell has worked with A2Dominion since 2013, placing a significant number of individuals in the business. Over that time, our consultants have built a solid working relationship with representatives across A2Dominion’s finance function and have a clear understanding of the calibre of candidate they are looking to employ.
Consideration and Challenges
- Some candidates have a perception that finance roles in the Housing Association sector are not as competitive as similar roles in commercial organisations. In some cases, renumeration in the sector can be lower than their commercial equivalents.
- Housing Associations are by nature large organisations and as such they need finance professionals with experience working for businesses with significant turnover – the type of people that won’t typically consider opportunities in housing.
Solution
Robertson Bell regularly meets with individuals within the business to understand the challenges they are facing and the skills they are likely to require in the future. Through this close working relationship, and the experience we have built up over seven years of working together, we know exactly what skills and experience candidates need to demonstrate in order to work at the organisation. Using our extensive network of high-quality candidates and expert head-hunting methods, we are routinely able to provide exceptional candidates for a wide variety of tough-to-fill roles.
While some with a commercial background may have historically dismissed the idea of working in a Housing Association, we have overcome these misconceptions, by creating a compelling employee value proposition. Through this, we highlight the benefits of working for A2Dominion, in particular the company’s strong social purpose, and the extensive scope for career development. As a result, candidates frequently change their perceptions, becoming excited about the opportunities and what the organisation can offer them.
Outcome
The Housing Association recruitment market is extremely competitive, and frequently Robertson Bell competes against a number of agencies for each advertised role. Despite the competition, we have been approached by A2 Dominion for consistent and regular finance recruitment support over the last seven years. Throughout this time, Robertson Bell has achieved a high fill rate and an excellent reputation with line managers at A2Dominion for both service delivery and providing high-calibre candidates across all levels, on both an interim and permanent basis.