Sourcing high-calibre technology leaders in a competitive market for the public sector

Sourcing high-calibre technology leaders in a competitive market for the public sector

How Morgan Law provided flexible resourcing solutions to The University of Sussex

With the increased adoption of hybrid working practices, The University of Sussex recently launched new technology-driven initiatives to help streamline their operations in a digital age. Now focusing on the digitally-enhanced continuity of education for their students and staff alike, the University created three new IT leadership positions to play a key role in delivering their plans.

Requiring the highest calibre of IT professional to successfully deliver their institutional goals and aim to become one of the most sustainable universities in the world (they currently rank in the top 4%), they needed a recruitment partner they could trust. The University of Sussex chose Morgan Law due to our:

Existing consultative<br />
relationships

Existing consultative
relationships

Strong network<br />
of IT leaders

Strong network
of IT leaders

Extensive experience<br />
in the public sector

Extensive experience
in the public sector

Experienced IT<br />
recruitment team

Experienced IT
recruitment team

Effective candidate<br />
management strategy

Effective candidate
management strategy

Commitment to<br />
diversity

Commitment to
diversity

The Challenge

The Challenge

The main challenge for these technical leadership roles was a highly-competitive jobs market. Not only were skills scare, but the University was battling against London private and public sector organisations who were fishing from the same talent pool.

Set salary bandings also presented a barrier to securing the high-calibre IT professionals needed to drive operational change. The University had to rethink how they were going to stand out and get noticed by top candidates when competing with inflated London salaries that were beyond their financial range.

The Solution

The first role Morgan Law worked on for the University of Sussex was an Assistant Director of IT Operations position. After working closely with the CIO to boost their employer brand and help elevate their offering to stand out from the competition, we suggested focusing on promoting their attractive workplace benefits, such as:

  • Their stunning location
  • An effective hybrid working model
  • Ambitious IT strategy
  • Dynamic executive team

As for the seniority of the position, the scarcity of skills, and the competitive nature of the market, we recommended a targeted advertised search campaign method which involved the following:

  • Targeting specific candidates working at key organisations who were looking for a path to CTO
  • Leveraging our database of relevant candidates for referrals
  • Running a targeted advert on relevant online platforms
  • Utilising our own tools to identify and approach additional candidates
  • Creating a recruitment microsite to give the candidate an all-round view of the roles, the organisation, and the challenge

The Outcome

To support their hybrid working approach, we interviewed an agreed shortlist of candidates virtually. Upon completion, we had a meeting with the CIO to discuss the applicants and their suitability before agreeing on a final shortlist and in turn, appointing the successful candidate.

Due to the sheer success of the targeted advertised search campaign method, we recommended using it again for the next two roles: Assistant Director of IT Infrastructure and Head of Software Development. During the campaign, we had a total of 67 enquiries and one of the shortlisted candidates was so impressive they offered him an additional contract role to supplement the permanent Assistant Director role.

"It's been a pleasure working with Morgan Law on recent recruitment campaigns, where they have found us three stand-out candidates for different roles, two of whom have now joined and are already succeeding and delivering in our organisation. The team listens carefully to feedback and is pro-active in seeking to understand the priorities, organisational context and culture of their clients."

Assistant Director of IT, University of Sussex
How Morgan Law can help find the IT talent you need

How Morgan Law can help find the IT talent you need

Adopting a consultative approach, we take the time to listen to our clients and offer tailored solutions to meet the unique resourcing challenges of hiring in the public and not-for-profit sectors. With a very strong database of IT leaders built over the last 8 years by our successful IT recruitment team, we connect outstanding organisations with talented professionals.