Red Snapper Recruitment (RSR), part of Red Snapper Group (RSG), delivered its inaugural candidate assessment centre on behalf of Tower Hamlets London Borough Council (THLBC).
Working in partnership with THLBC, RSR designed a bespoke recruitment assessment centre and facilitated this over the course of two days. THLBC successfully appointed all 12 of their Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officer (THEO) vacancies.
THLBC required and agency with extensive experience working with local authority enforcement and community safety teams. The Red Snapper Group has a track record of having successfully delivered recruitment, process outsource and training services to criminal justice sector. THLBC also required an agency with suitable facilities. Due to Red Snapper Group frequently delivering on-site training courses through the Red Snapper Learning (RSL) brand; this meant that RSR were expertly placed to host the assessment centre.
The Assessment Centre Process
RSR created a bespoke assessment programme that involved three main stages:
Stage one – A technical test.
This assessed the applicants competencies and the ability to draft written statement. This involved watching a short video clip and drafting a statement using ADVOKATE guidance.
This would test the applicants observation skills, spelling and grammar alongside overall presentation and structure of a written statement; all key skills for an THEO.
Stage Two – Partnership working.
RSR designed an interview matrix around the key responsibilities and requirements outlined by THLBC and their partners.
The matrix was a range of questions focused on the applicants understanding of the responsibilities across THLBC partners. This included their Rough Sleeping Coordinator, Safer Neighbourhoods Chair, Internal stakeholders and Police; as well assessing the applicants wider understanding of powers and impacts.
Stage Three – Short List
The 18 applicants who had best demonstrated their suitability and experience for the role were shortlisted for the final stage of the assessment centre process; a Competency Based Interview. Upon completion the assessors from THLBC selected the 12 successful candidates they wished to fill the roles.
Outcomes
Throughout the two days, the RSR team managed the scheduling and logistics of the assessment centre, ensuring it ran smoothly and to schedule.
Calvin McLean Head of Safer Neighbourhood Operations at Tower Hamlets had this to say about the process:
“I was incredibly pleased with how it all went, it’s exactly what I had hoped for and I am confident we’ve now got the best candidates for the role. I can recommend RSG to you.”
The success of this assessment centre is another example of how Red Snapper Group continues to diversify its portfolio of services, which can be fully adapted to the clients’ local or operational needs.