After joining Greene King through our support and contacts, Vicki Jackson already had a good impression of what we could do. Simon, our regional management expert, was an important resource for her new role in charge of over 60 Farmhouse Inn sites, and she soon moved from candidate to client. Here’s her story…
I’d been aware of Simon at his previous business, before SPE Resourcing was founded. My previous responsibilities in HR saw us mix in the same circles. Even back then I thought he was really on the ball.
So when Daniel, his partner, guided me to the Greene King position, I had an idea who could assist my regional strategy for our Farmhouse Inn venues. Simon knows what ‘good’ looks like and how different people can shape an organisation.
It was critical that each site retained its own personality and team spirit. The brand had also doubled in size over less than two years, and we sought managers with a similar ambition. Simon can find management professionals who not only have a grasp of the industry itself, but bring an entrepreneurial perspective too – a trait that’s essential to empower our staff.
On our first assignment together (and those that followed) he did a deep dive into the candidate list. We both agreed that the right individuals needed to be adaptable, quick off the mark, and able to lead large groups. They couldn’t go further in the recruitment process unless they could prove this. And they did, with real aplomb.
Simon has been invaluable. For example, he found two senior managers in just a matter of days to replace a pair that were leaving us. Such speed helps us stay agile when certain people move on. Thanks to Simon, new recruits are always full of tenacity; they’re aware that it’s often better to listen than to stick to assumptions, which means they do well when starting at a quick pace – a perfect fit in a company such as ours.
These days, I see Simon as a natural extension of my own role at Greene King. He maintains a strong sense of strategy – especially when it comes to finding someone from the same region as their potential work site. Currently, we’re waiting to see what becomes of a candidate based in Covent Garden, but one that could be a future star for our Northampton venue – giving us a local POV that customers will respond to.
Simon never takes the easy route. He spends time digging around what a brand really represents, before sourcing those who fulfil it, without compromising on quality. Trust is a rare thing. But trust me when I say that he’s earned it.