Each week we interview one of our members to find out a bit more about them and their work in the Greater Manchester digital sphere. This week we're speaking with marketing, digital and techology recruiters, Forward Role.
What does your organisation do?
Forward Role is the North’s largest marketing and digital recruitment agency. We specialise in marketing, digital, technology, analytics, design and UX, from graduate level through to director opportunities.
But, we contribute far more to the Manchester digital scene than purely recruitment services. We’re well known for hosting and sponsoring numerous thought leadership and networking events, supporting local universities and colleges with employability and course advice, and giving back to the region through our charitable efforts in support of the likes of Forever Manchester.
What do you think is currently the biggest issue facing the digital and tech industry?
Both the digital and tech sectors are facing chronic skills shortages, which ironically fuels demand for the recruitment sector.
We’re talking to businesses every day for whom, being unable to make the right hires means unfulfilled demand or not being able to deliver a product or project.
That’s where we come in. To illustrate that point our biggest client in the tech space had ‘being unable to recruit key software development talent’ as their biggest risk to the success of the business in 2017. We hired 28 developers for them in 6 months which was critical to their success.
What is your organisation’s biggest achievement?
As Managing Director, growing a team of 35 passionate recruiters, with virtually zero staff attrition is something to be proud of in a sector renowned for high staff turnover. But I think the thing we’re most famous for is our work with some of the region’s biggest growth stories. We helped AO.com build their senior marketing and ecommerce teams pre IPO, and there was no-one happier than us to see them get such an astonishing valuation! Likewise with Boohoo.com.
What would you consider to be your organisations biggest challenge?
Recruitment is a sales driven industry with a large reputational problem, so standing out in the crowd by offering high levels of service and ethics has always been a daily challenge for the business. We have worked hard to create a great office space (complete with our own bar and break out areas), a wellbeing strategy involving mindfulness, fitness and yoga, and CSR programs to create well-rounded and engaged staff. We believe happy staff equals happy customers.
What do you think the future looks like for Manchester’s digital and tech sector?
The future of the Manchester digital and tech sector looks bright, with continued high levels of investment in the sectors and businesses flocking to the city. That’s only going to exacerbate the talent shortage unfortunately, but as we move towards a ‘gig economy’ where flexible working enabled by technology becomes more prevalent, I think we’re going to see more businesses taking advantage of an ‘on demand’ workforce, that gives both parties better flexibility and creates a less tradition employer / employee model.
Tell us something we might not know about your company?
We were the cover story of our biggest industry publication ‘The Recruiter’ this month, based on us giving away office space for free to help tech start-ups to incubate (Dr Fertility and Toot Toot). We also have a Marketing Lounge and meeting spaces which we allow small businesses and freelancers to use for free, as part of our strategy around giving back to the sectors that we recruit in.
If you would like to speak to Forward Role, you can contact them here. Would you like to see your business In The Spotlight, contact thom@manchesterdigital.com to make arrangements.
