Testimonials
Our clients and candidates are at the heart of what we do as a company. On completion of every client search, we request 360 feedback from our clients, to learn and improve our processes and build a culture of accountability. Here are some recommendations from clients and candidates on our services.
What our Clients and Candidates say
My recent experience with Red Sea Search was excellent – the Director, Tim Wingrove, and his team, provided professional, high quality research and global outreach for a key leadership role for our organization, with a successful outcome while working with an ambitious time frame. At each step of the process they showed themselves to be responsive, supportive, proactive and professional, with strong understanding of the international humanitarian and development sector and the leadership competencies we were seeking.
I have used Red Sea Consultancy for a couple of key recruitments, and I must say it has been a great experience. The personalised attention provided with bespoke support service in helping find an excellent range of candidates in line with our organisation’s values and needs has been richly rewarding.
Gareth and Red Sea Search helped us find a number of excellent (and appointable!) candidates for a new senior position. I enjoyed working with Gareth; he quickly understood the brief and delivered on time and to a high standard. I would have no hesitation in working with Red Sea Search again and, on the basis of my experience, can highly recommend them.
Tim, I want to thank you for the extraordinary amount of personal effort and care that you put into the search for our new Africa Director. Its not often you feel such a kindred sense with your recruiting agency, and such personal commitment.
Case Studies
Bond – Chief Executive Officer
Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 425 civil society organisations and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality, and injustice.
By helping Members adapt to an ever-changing environment, they enable civil society to create a more just and sustainable world. They work to influence governments and policy- makers, develop the skills of people in the sector, build organisational capacity and share expertise. By strengthening and championing the sector, Bond aims to make international development more coordinated, efficient, and effective.
The new CEO of Bond needed to be a convincing and credible representative and support others to be the same. They had to have a strong commitment to Bond’s values and those of its Members and support and promote equality and diversity for all.
This position required strong judgement and an appreciation of balance, knowing when to collaborate, when to influence and when to challenge. Working with committed trustees, elected by the Members themselves, the person needed to know how to work in all Bond’s Members’ best interests, both in representation and in challenging the sector to raise its game. There was a need for a strong relationships’ skillset within the Membership and with partners and stakeholders, ensuring Bond has a compelling strategy and identity. There was also a need to ensure the internal operation and infrastructure is sustainable for future years to come.
Red Sea was awarded this search against national competition of agencies. We worked closely with the board on the brief, sitting with the board on final panel interviews. The result was the Board unanimously appointing Stephanie Draper from Forum for the Future, against a list of 6 final stage candidates.
Shelterbox – Chief Executive Officer
The new Chief Executive Officer needed strong leadership, financial management and administration skills whilst being an inspirational external ambassador for ShelterBox and its mission and overseeing the development and maintenance of strategic partnerships. The successful candidate would provide leadership to the management team and direction to all staff, whilst also building an effective working relationship with the chair of the trustee board.
The brief was to find a seasoned CEO or senior executive, with a demonstrable track record of developing strategy, building organisational capability, generating significant financial growth and delivering measurable results. They needed to possess strong people and inspirational leadership skills and will have an approach developed in competitive business environments requiring commercial and financial acumen.
They also needed the right personality: enabling, supportive, someone who leads by example and an accomplished and influential communicator. Humanitarian sector experience was essential, as was an understanding and awareness of contemporary sector trends.
Red Sea was awarded this search after the previous agency failed to find an appointable candidate. We had a challenging brief, to find a candidate with International experience, Humanitarian Experience and Global Management experience to relocate and lead the CEO post out of the South West of England, along with a need for diversity and a strong leader to drive the organisation forwards internationally.
Red Sea recruited first time; we worked with the Chair and Board of trustees throughout the process and on final panel interviews, presenting a shortlist of various appointable candidates. Sanj Srikanthan, formerly Vice President of Europe for the International Rescue Committee, was appointed to the position.
Oxfam International – Various
Our work with Oxfam stems from the Founder of Red Sea, Tim Wingrove, working on Regional Director hires and Country Director hires for the confederation across Africa, Asia and MENA. The CEO of Oxfam International, Winnie Byanyima, had a strong desire for regional representation and a mix of advocacy/ programme experience. Since then we have been a partner of Oxfam International for around 4 years.
Red Sea recruited the Vice President of Programmes for Oxfam America, placing Fatema Sumar in Boston. We recruited the Global Director of People from the African Development Bank, the Change Goal leads for Economic Justice and Climate at the Secretariat, the Head of Office in Russia, and over the past few years many other roles for Oxfam International at Director level, including Board level work on the research for the new Chair of Oxfam International.
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