Elevating Leadership Acquisition: How North Search’s Consultative and Proactive Approach Secured a Senior Vice President for Hydrostor’s Australian Expansion (76% Engagement Rate with Target Candidates)

Strategy

Hydrostor is a leading global developer and operator of compressed air-based long-duration energy storage projects. With operations in Canada, North America, Australia, and Europe, it is at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions.

Hydrostor approached North Search to secure a Vice President of Project Execution for its Australian operations. This role was later upgraded to Senior Vice President.

While Hydrostor boasted a strong global presence and the backing of Goldman Sachs, they were a new entrant to the Australian market and in the critical set-up phase. This presented a unique challenge: attracting top-tier talent to a company while still establishing its local footprint.

The role of Vice President of Project Execution was crucial for driving the success of Hydrostor projects in Australia. The ideal candidate needed a blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and the ability to navigate the complexities of a new market entry. Hydrostor required a talent partner who could identify qualified candidates and provide valuable insights into the Australian talent market. As a new entrant, they were open to refining the role based on the calibre of candidates available.

As a company in startup mode, Hydrostor had a significant workload across multiple key roles. They needed a trusted and reliable partner to handle this critical senior role, freeing up their internal team to focus on other essential priorities.

As a new entrant, Hydrostor was particularly concerned with the need to secure the right candidate quickly and efficiently. They needed a talent partner who could mitigate the risks associated with a new market entry and ensure the successful establishment of their Australian operations.

Hydrostor selected North Search based on our proven track record of successfully placing senior executives in the energy sector, as well as our deep understanding of the Australian market.

North Search’s consultative approach and ability to act as a true partner were also key factors in the decision. North Search demonstrated a clear understanding of the specific challenges Hydrostor faced and presented a tailored solution to address those challenges. North Search’s willingness to adopt a flexible and consultative approach, rather than a rigid, pre-defined process, further solidified Hydrostor’s confidence in the partnership.

North Search Solution

North Search leverages a powerful combination of personal connection and cutting-edge technology to deliver exceptional results. This includes advanced search methodologies to identify and engage with top talent, strong advocacy and connection to effectively communicate the client’s value proposition, and data-driven candidate assessment, employing industry experience, market insights, and AI-powered assessment tools.

North Search’s approach went beyond traditional recruitment methods. Recognising the need to attract top talent to a company in set-up mode, North Search initially focused on crafting a compelling narrative around Hydrostor and the opportunity.

This involved:

In-depth Client Understanding: North Search invested significant time in understanding Hydrostor’s vision, values, and strategic goals, engaging closely with both the executive team in North America and the local Head of Talent.

Development of a Detailed Candidate Pack: North Search created a comprehensive candidate pack that went beyond a standard job description. This pack highlighted the unique opportunity to shape the future of energy storage in Australia, the potential for career growth, and the chance to work for a dynamic and innovative company.

Iterative and Consultative Candidate Presentation: Recognising Hydrostor’s need to understand the Australian market, North Search moved away from a traditional shortlist approach and instead, implemented an iterative process in which candidates were presented to Hydrostor as they were identified. This allowed for ongoing feedback and facilitated a deeper understanding of the available talent pool.

Proactive Pipeline Management: North Search identified a strong candidate early in the process. However, recognising that this candidate had interest from elsewhere, North Search proactively maintained a robust candidate pipeline. This ensured that Hydrostor would have a strong field of candidates even if their initial favourite chose another opportunity.

Strategic Candidate Engagement: North Search proactively targeted and engaged high-calibre candidates in the market, acting as a strong advocate for Hydrostor and effectively communicating the company’s value proposition.

Trusted Partnership and Reliability: North Search provides consistent communication, manages the search process efficiently, and delivers on commitments. This allowed Hydrostor to free up their time and resources to focus on other key business priorities.

Advanced Search and Assessment Capabilities: North Search leverages a powerful combination of personal connection and cutting-edge technology to deliver exceptional results.

This includes:

• Advanced Search Methodologies: We utilise innovative search techniques to identify and engage with top talent that others may miss.
  
• Strong Advocacy and Connection: We excel at building strong relationships with candidates, effectively communicating the client’s value proposition and fostering genuine interest in the opportunity.
  
• Data-Driven Candidate Assessment: We employ a combination of industry experience, market insights, and AI-powered assessment tools to evaluate candidates comprehensively and ensure a strong fit with the client’s needs.
  

Results

North Search demonstrated a highly effective search process, achieving significant engagement with target candidates: 74 potential targets identified, 56 candidates personally connected with (a 76% engagement rate), 17 candidates interviewed, and 8 candidates long-listed and presented to the client. The client shortlisted all 8 candidates for interview, highlighting the exceptional quality of the candidates presented.

North Search successfully placed a highly qualified candidate, and through the iterative process, North Search was able to guide the client to upgrade the position from a Vice President of Project Execution to a Senior Vice President, looking after a larger scope of work. This ensured that Hydrostor secured an even stronger leader to spearhead its Australian operations. The candidate started in just under 6 months from search initiation.

North Search’s proactive pipeline management proved crucial when the initially preferred candidate accepted a role elsewhere. Because of North Search’s diligence and thoroughness, Hydrostor secured an even more suitable candidate from the pipeline developed.

North Search’s trusted partnership and efficient handling of the search process provided Hydrostor with significant time savings, allowing their team to concentrate on other critical aspects of establishing their Australian operations. This was particularly valuable given Hydrostor’s startup position in Australia and the need to manage multiple priorities.

Reasons for Success

• Proactive advocacy and compelling narrative development to attract top-tier talent.
• Deep understanding of the client’s business, culture, and specific needs for the Australian market.
• Adaptable and consultative approach, providing valuable market insights and refining the role to secure an exceptional candidate.
• Diligent pipeline management and risk mitigation, ensuring a successful placement even when faced with candidate attrition.
• Trusted partnership approach, providing reliability and freeing up the client to focus on other key business priorities.
• Strategic use of technology and personal connection to enhance search, advocacy, and assessment, providing a distinct advantage over competitors.

North Search’s ability to combine a highly personal and consultative approach with advanced technology allowed us to identify, attract, and secure a top-tier candidate for Hydrostor efficiently and effectively. This resulted in a successful placement and a satisfied client.

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