The Hills Group
The hire behind Wiltshire’s first MBT plant
In 2012 The Hills Group were building the first MBT plant in Wiltshire and needed someone to take it through commissioning and beyond. The plant was a major investment, so the appointment was critical.
WasteRecruit’s process allowed us to feel like no stone had been left un-turned. It was well designed and made us ask the right questions regarding the role and directed us to focus effectively on the candidates. The work was undertaken professionally and to a high standard and positively challenged everyone involved. Ultimately, having as much good quality information as possible can only be a good thing when making critical decisions with so many potential variables.
Ed Dodd — Divisional Director, Waste Solutions, The Hills Group
The Hills Group are one of the largest family-owned waste companies in the UK, offering practical and sustainable options for managing waste. In 2012 they were in the process of building the first MBT plant in Wiltshire and required an individual to manage the plant through the commissioning process and beyond. The plant represented a significant investment for The Hills Group, therefore success with the MBT plant and this recruit was imperative.
WasteRecruit proposed a bespoke assessment process to ensure accurate profiling of the role and person specification against which to assess the candidates. The job analysis identified the complexity of the role in terms of the broad responsibilities and the importance of each element to the overall success of the plant. This included operational and cost effectiveness, people management skills, in terms of leading and developing, and the ability to manage broad stakeholder groups.
Alignment with the role and company culture was assessed using a bespoke competency based telephone interview, personality measure and ability tests. WasteRecruit managed the entire assessment process, ensuring candidates understood what was expected of them prior to completing assessments and telephone interviews.
Candidate reports provided a synopsis of interview examples, identifying relevant evidence as well as specific gaps. Personality profiles were analysed, showing where candidate interests, talents and behavioural preferences aligned with the role and company culture. Together with natural ability, the reports provided a clear indication of candidate strengths as well as possible risks that might need to be managed or addressed. Further areas for assessment in the face-to-face interview were also provided.
WasteRecruit attended face-to-face interviews to facilitate and provide relevant analysis and insight. Candidate backgrounds varied widely, with some having previous MBT experience and some not. The process demonstrated that previous experience within a role is not necessarily a good predictor of success.
The process significantly increased the accuracy of information and evidence and led to the most informed decision possible. Overall, the outcome has been a positive one, with the MBT plant processing 60,000 tonnes of Wiltshire’s household waste to create SRF for use in renewable energy plants.
As a result of the success, The Hills Group have made use of WasteRecruit’s bespoke design solutions on a further four key roles.
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