Case Study: MSP Director of Technical Operations

Case Study

December 12th, 2023

Case Study: Director of Technical Operations for a Managed Services Provider

A Confidential Retained Engagement

In this confidential retained engagement case study, we partnered with a Managed Services Company in a strategic search for a Director of Technical Services. Our client, aiming to shape the future of technical operations and engineering projects, required a strategic leader to optimize service desk performance, lead special projects, and contribute to overall organizational growth. The initial title was elevated, and the candidate was offered a flexible 11% increase from the original budget, along with an expanded PTO policy.

Throughout the engagement, our time commitment included a comprehensive pitch (1 hour), a thorough discovery process (1.5 hours), weekly status meetings (1.5 hours), interviews with talent (8 hours), and the offer process with follow-through (1 hour).

The talent pool consisted of 184 target profiles, with engagement focusing on relevant career progression, leadership in service desk operations, and expertise in managed IT services. The asymmetric talent engagement reached 18% of the total qualified candidate pool, leading to 15 formal interviews and eventually resulting in a shortlist of 5 candidates. Final interviews were conducted with 3 candidates, ultimately culminating in the successful placement of one candidate.

Despite challenges, such as 10% of the qualified candidate pool expressing disinterest, we achieved a positive outcome with narrowing Qualified, Interested, and Assessed candidates representing 4% of overall talent pool, showcasing the success of our tailored approach. Email campaign performance demonstrated strong engagement, with open rates for those with either valid personal or work addresses averaging 62.5%, and overall response rates averaging over 8% for this niche skill set.

This case study highlights our dedication to understanding client needs, refining search criteria, and utilizing targeted engagement strategies, resulting in a successful placement that aligns with the client’s strategic objectives.

Client’s time commitment:

Our pitch: 1
The discovery process: 1.5
Weekly status meetings: 1.5
Interviews with talent: 8
The offer process and follow-through: 1

Search Initiative Overview

Client: Managed Services Company

Title: Director of Technical Services

Purpose: Shape the future of technical operations, engineering projects, and service offerings and fulfill a strategic leadership position in the organization.

The key focus points of this role were:

Optimize service desk performance
Lead special engineering projects
Contribute to strategic vision and growth as the 3^rd critical pillar of leadership

Geography Required: Local (mid-market)

Work Requirements: Onsite
Ideally, no relocation necessary and challenging with overall budget

Mandatory Qualifications (Summarized):

Relevant career progression from a technical hands-on role in support, administration, and engineering
Proven track record leading service desk operations or similar, preferably in a managed services environment
Strong understanding of managed IT services, including infrastructure management, cloud solutions, and network security

Primary Data used for Talent Mapping:
Geography, Titles, Certifications, Employer Past/Present, Company Size, Diversity

The Talent Pool: 184 Profiles

Valid Personal Info: 85
Valid work Info Only: 51
No Valid Info: 48

Reach: Asymmetric Talent Engaged with 18% of the total qualified candidate pool

Engagement:

Formal Interviews: 15 or 8% of total candidate pool
Profiles Considered for Shortlist: 7 candidates or 4% of the qualified candidate pool
The Shortlist: 5
Final Interviews: 3
Offer: 1

Talent Not Interested: 10% of the qualified candidate pool