When SightCare's outgoing CEO decided to retire, they knew they needed more than just a job advert and a shortlist. They needed a recruitment partner who understood the charity sector, who would take the time to really get under the skin of the organisation, and who could find not just a capable leader, but the right one. That is where Charisma came in.

The brief

SightCare approached Charisma specifically because they wanted to work with a charity recruitment specialist. This was not a role to hand to a generalist agency. SightCare supports independent optical practices across the UK, and the complexities of leading a membership organisation require a very particular kind of chief executive: someone who can balance strategic leadership with the nuanced demands of serving a membership base.

After an initial conversation, Charisma was invited to submit a full proposal for the board's consideration. Once approved, our consultant sat down with the outgoing CEO for a thorough briefing. This covered the job description and person specification, of course, but it went much further than that. We explored team dynamics, management style, organisational culture and the subtleties of what makes a membership organisation tick. The more we understand about a client, the better placed we are to find someone who will genuinely thrive in the role, not just fulfil it.

Building the candidate pack

With a thorough brief in hand, Charisma worked closely with SightCare to prepare the candidate pack and advertising copy, and agreed a clear timeline for the campaign to begin. Getting this groundwork right matters. A well-crafted candidate pack does not just describe a role; it speaks directly to the kind of person you want to attract and gives candidates a real sense of the organisation they would be joining.

The search

Once the campaign launched, the response was, in a word, excellent. Charisma ran a full search and headhunting campaign alongside advertising through our website and the usual charity sector channels. The combination worked brilliantly, generating a strong field of candidates who all looked genuinely promising on paper.

But volume is never the goal. Quality is. So our consultant got to work, conducting initial discussions and vetting interviews to assess not just experience and credentials, but fit. Leadership capability, management style, values, cultural alignment: all of it matters when you are appointing someone who will shape the future of an organisation.

From longlist to appointment

After thorough vetting, Charisma presented SightCare with a longlist of ten candidates, all of whom matched the brief. Our consultant and the outgoing CEO reviewed the longlist together, and the client selected six candidates to take forward to interview.

Charisma arranged the interviews and the process moved at a good pace. Four candidates impressed at first interview and were invited back for a second round. From that final four, SightCare made their decision and extended an offer to their new chief executive.

Why it worked

What made this search a success was not luck or a single standout CV landing at the right moment. It was the result of a structured, thorough and genuinely collaborative process. Charisma took the time to understand SightCare properly before a single candidate was approached. The headhunting campaign reached professionals who would not necessarily have responded to an advert. And the vetting process ensured that by the time candidates reached interview, the client's time was well spent.

SightCare's retiring CEO wanted a specialist. The board wanted confidence in the process. And the organisation needed a leader capable of taking them forward. Charisma delivered on all three.

Ready to find your next leader?

If you are facing a senior appointment and want a recruitment partner who will take the time to understand your organisation properly, we would love to hear from you.

Get in touch with the Charisma team