Craig joined the team in 2019 as Director of Executive Search.
Why did you choose procurement recruitment as a career?
When I left the military, I leveraged my network extensively and reached out to a connection in the industry for assistance finding a new career.
He turned the tables and asked me to be a Recruitment Consultant, as he thought I had all the personal attributes to be successful.
We struck a deal, I could use it as an opportunity to springboard into a civilian job and if I didn’t like it after six months I could leave with his blessing, and he’d support me in finding another opportunity.
That was nearly 20 years ago!
What sort of procurement roles do you recruit and where?
Typically, I work on Executive and senior procurement and supply chain appointments, primarily across our Industrial and Consumer practices.
Especially where making the right appointment is critical to the success of the organisation.
What qualities do you believe are integral to being a successful procurement recruiter?
You must be inquisitive.
Inquisitive about the brief the client gives you, their company and especially about candidates.
And you must be brave enough to respectfully challenge both clients and candidates.
What do Procurement Heads’ values mean to you?
They are the heartbeat of the company.
They are what makes us tick as a values-led organisation and are at the centre of our decision-making from hiring to investment.
They shape the way work with both clients and candidates and build a level of expectation we need to uphold.
And our purpose is to deliver recruitment as a professional service, what does that mean to you?
Delivering recruitment as a professional service means our clients and candidates get the same level of expertise, insights and professionalism as the very best solicitors, accountants or management consultancies, and, having worked in the industry for as long as I have, that is rare.
How has procurement changed during your time recruiting into the sector?
Procurement and supply chain is much more visible than when I started.
Macroeconomics, Brexit, the pandemic and geopolitical issues have meant that the boards and C-suite know just how important supply chains are to both revenue and profitability.
What inspires you?
We genuinely get the opportunity to make a difference every day.
Appointing the very best talent for our clients means we can help make their organisations better and more successful while getting candidates the right role can help catapult their careers.
What 3 words would you use to describe your professional self?
Inquisitive, knowledgeable and tenacious.
What do you enjoy most about procurement recruitment?
Getting to interview some of the best, most brilliant minds in the world of procurement and supply chain.
There are some truly inspirational leaders creating and implementing ground-breaking solutions to supply chain challenges that are revolutionising industries and I get to hear first-hand how they did it.
What are some of the biggest highlights since you joined Procurement Heads?
By far the biggest highlight is seeing the people grow.
Yes, we’ve hit financial milestones and broken records etc but having seen Recruitment Associates develop into Recruitment Consultants and Senior Recruitment Consultants.
Managers becoming Heads of Practice and Directors has been incredibly rewarding.
Plus, we’ve had a few fantastic days out celebrating.
The trip to the Wave for our surf lesson was a particular favourite.
