Recruiting a Commercial Advisor for Container Exchange

Gerard Kerr

About The Economic Development Queensland (EDQ)


Established in 2018, Container Exchange (COEX) is a not-for-profit organisation running Queensland’s Containers for Change Scheme, ensuring that over 3 billion drink bottles don't end up as landfill. 

 

The Containers for Change Scheme allows people to return eligible drink containers for a 10 cent refund at over 270 sites across Queensland, reducing container litter and encouraging enterprises to raise funds from donations of container refunds.  

 

In addition to the Containers for Change Scheme, COEX promotes recycling and helps the local community from donations to charities, community and sports groups, as well as not-for-profit organisations registered with the scheme.  


Recruiting a Chief Human Resources Officer for the Department of Housing and Public Works Queensland Government
Matching a high-performing talent with a high-performing organisation

Container Exchange is an incredibly high-performing organisation, packed full of first-class professionals, each one dedicated to making a real difference in the world. 


The Commercial Advisor role is quite a unique role because of the context and structure of the business. This role needed someone who could do a bit of everything. And do it very well. 

The Hiring Requirement


COEX tasked Kingston Human Capital with recruiting a new Commercial Advisor to replace the promoted incumbent.

Role We Hired

Commercial Advisor

Channels We Used

Facebook, LinkedIn, Seek, Kingston Human Capital Database, Search Algorithms, AIPM, PMI, IACCM, CIPSA. 

The Challenge

Three different skills for one role, with just 2 weeks to fill the position.


Container Exchange needed someone who could fill this role with experience and skills across all three aspects, this is quite hard to find in the talent market. We had to find the best three worlds as well as ensure our candidates had an alignment with the high performing culture and its strategic direction that Container Exchange had built. The successful candidate also needed to be adaptable, flexible, willing to learn, and grow with the business. 

 

Kingston Human Capital had two weeks to search for this role. It was a short time frame, however, we worked hard and fast to turn it around. 


Container Exchange is very strategic when it comes to finding new talent. Kingston Human Capital has worked closely with COEX on an exclusive basis. This allowed our search team to dedicate 100% of our time, energy, resources, and expertise toward finding the perfect person for the job.

Our Objective

Kingston Human Capital was engaged to identify and recommend an executive procurement leader who could thrive within the department's operating environment and provide leadership across strategic procurement, stakeholder engagement and organisational change.


The objective extended beyond generating applications. The department required a robust executive search process capable of reaching passive talent markets, providing market intelligence and delivering a defensible recommendation to the selection panel.


In addition to technical expertise, the successful candidate needed to be a strong cultural fit and capable of building effective relationships with all stakeholders associated with infrastructure projects.


Our Strategy

Different crossover skills needed extensive interviewing to get the balance right

Because of the three crossovers skill sets, the Kingston Human Capital recruiting team were looking for a candidate who was a niche within a niche within a niche. We were looking for someone with experience in a role that traditionally doesn't exist in organisational structures. 

 

It required the specialist strateigc HR and talent search team at Kingston Human Capital to perform comprehensive interviews to unearth skill sets beyond what a traditional CV would portray. 

 

We investigated the candidates extensively by asking them a broad variety of evaluation questions, which were designed to surface their skill sets. 


We also focused on understanding the individual's drivers, emotional intelligence and soft skills that they would bring to the role and their alignment to the strategic growth and direction of the organisation. 



How Kingston Human Capital Helped Container Exchange Find the Right Candidate


  • We did a deep dive analysis to understand the challenges facing the role and the outcomes the perfect candidate would need to produce.
  • We developed a specialised search strategy and developed a multi-channel attraction strategy that would appeal to passive and active talent.
  • We utilised our expertise in sourcing, networking, and activating candidates in the passive talent market to develop a strong shortlist.
  • We provided our advice in candidate evaluation and behavioural interviews alongside designing a high-impact interview format. We acted as a concierge for three rounds of interviews.
  • Supported the client by facilitating the discussion as to who was the most value-adding candidate. We supported COEX in extending the offer to the successful candidate.
  • We liaise with internal HR to ensure a smooth onboarding process.



Key Results Achieved

Total candidates in the pool

Total candidates shortlisted

Total candidates interviewed

Total candidates screened

321

11

3

49

The Appointment

A High Quality Field of Talent Identified That Resulted in a Second Position Being Created.


Container Exchange was impressed with the shortlist and extremely happy with the quality of the applicants. Kingston Human Capital met the challenging turnaround times as well as providing excellent candidates.


After the first stage interview, Container Exchange was already very impressed with all candidates. Due to the quality of our shortlist, they found it challenging to decide who was the best candidate and moved to the second stage interviews.


After the second stage interviews, COEX decided to hire one candidate and create a new position for another candidate. Effectively making two hires out of one recruitment project.


Container Exchange has a reputation for hiring the best of the best. They are forward-thinking and highly strategic when it comes to talent acquisition and we're proud to partner with them.



What the client valued most?

"A first class service, very impressed with the quality of the candidates and the recruiting process."


There were 10 business days to deliver on a shortlist. This was a tight timeline, because of the nature of the complexity of this role. We were also working with passive candidates in the mix, it made the timelines tighter.


Great recruitment is all about executing a diligent and thorough process, managing timelines, and keeping our clients and our candidates well informed. We always move quickly, but never at the cost of quality.


We work with organisations that change the world. Container Exchange is not only delivering incredible outcomes for the environment, they are an employer of choice as well.



Impact Delivered

✅ Infrastructure Planning Finance Officer successfully appointed

✅ Shortlist to commencement completed within 15 days

✅ Candidate commenced with one day's notice

✅ Specialist infrastructure and accounting capability secured

✅ Strong cultural fit achieved

✅ Quality shortlist delivered within public sector recruitment requirements

✅ End-to-end recruitment support provided throughout the hiring process

Ready to Appoint Your Next Executive Leader?

Gerard Kerr, Co Founder and General Manager of Search and Selection at Kingston Human Capital, Queensland Government Executive Recruitment Services

Meet Gerard Kerr

Gerard Kerr is Co-Founder and General Manager of Search and Selection at Kingston Human Capital.


With more than 20 years’ experience in recruitment, Gerard has deep networks and extensive expertise managing complex search and selection projects across a range of sectors including local state and federal government, statutory authorities, government-owned corporations and ASX-listed companies.

We work as an agile team across retained recruitment projects, ensuring we can commit the time and effort of our entire search team. This allows us to reach further into the market, which means we get to evaluate more candidates and get high-quality results.

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