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Communications Software Provider - Senior Human Resources Manager
A small to mid sized operation needed to take the step of replacing a temporary HR Consultant with a permanent HR Manager who could resolve a surmounting number of human resource issues.
The client was a specialized software provider for mobile phone communication with a strong customer base and considerable revenue generated in Japan. The Japanese operation was small in employee numbers and did not have a Human Resources Manager or structured HR operating functions. As a result, a considerable number of HR issues had amassed over the years and the client was also experiencing a lot of political problems at headquarters. The issues were now becoming critical and had to be resolved immediately if the company was to continue operations smoothly in Japan.
The Country Manager decided to deploy a two pronged strategy. He would first appoint a temporary HR consultant from a BPO [Business Process Outsourcing] company and then employ the services of several search firms to fill the permanent HR Manager position. The HR consultant was hired on a one day a week basis.
The client’s strategy seemed questionable, as they were now faced with the cost of employing the temporary HR consultant and the future cost of the executive search firm’s fee. Additionally, their commitment to the search was ambiguous, as they were going out of their way to find a temporary solution.
On the face, it seemed like a straightforward search, however after some time, it became apparent to the Optia Partners team that conflicts at the client’s headquarters and differences of opinion between Japan and corporate headquarters were hindering progress of the search.
The search was temporarily frozen and three months later the Japanese Country Manager was replaced. A new senior executive from corporate headquarters took control of Japan operations. The BPO consulting service was terminated and the search was initiated once again.
Despite the changes and uncertainty of the search, Optia persisted to service the client’s needs and eventually an experienced Sr. HR Manager was identified and hired for the role. He had relevant experience working at some small software companies which included development and implementation of new HR systems. Within 3 months of taking on the role, the candidate had made considerable headway in resolving many of the client’s HR problems.
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