Supporting a high-growth Partner on critical digital talent with the right cultural fit.
What They Needed...
“We believe we have a culture that differentiates us and we recruit with that in mind,” says Neil Tune, Chief People & Culture Officer at Transparity. “Everything we do as we grow is to try to evolve that approach.”
With the values of transformation, partnership and clarity front and foremost, Transparity delivers expert and transformational, managed IT, and consultancy services across Azure Infrastructure, Digital App + Innovation, Modern Workplace, Security and Azure Data + AI. Its mission is to be the most respected Microsoft partner in the UK.
Transparity has been working with Cloud Decisions for three and a half years. When Neil Tune joined the business in January 2020, he inherited the relationship. He says, “The people in the business Cloud Decisions had already placed were great people and a good fit, so it made sense to continue the great working relationship. Since then, the relationship has gone from strength to strength.” “Cloud Decisions has shown that its team understands our culture and can recruit with that in mind,” emphasises Neil Tune. “I know they will be open and honest with us.”
What We Did...
Over the period it has worked with Cloud Decisions, the Transparity team has scaled from 30 to over 200 people, benefitting from the advantage Microsoft’s UK Partner Talent Services offers through Cloud Decisions. Although it recruits direct and via an employee referral scheme, Transparity’s rapid growth means that it needs to recruit technical talent at a breadth and pace not possible to manage internally. Three quarters of people who join the business through a recruitment partner have been placed by Cloud Decisions.
“Cloud Decisions are by far and away our preferred supplier,” says Neil Tune. “They are like an extension of me and my team. I know they will be talking about Transparity to all potential talent just as someone in my team would be. The candidates they put forward are always well researched and well briefed and enthusiastic about who we are. I can always see why we’re talking to them.”
The Finished Result...
“Cloud Decisions presents a diverse balance of candidates and they work hard to give us the right balance of choice. With their help and our Winning from Anywhere® strategy for flexible working, we have significantly improved the diversity and gender balance of our team.”
Because Cloud Decisions is deeply embedded in the Microsoft partner ecosystem, Transparity has gained additional benefits, including meeting its Microsoft Partner Pledge.
Cloud Decisions’ deep understanding of all the Microsoft solution areas and great connections are also important to Transparity. It has helped Transparity to build out new practice areas, including in Microsoft Security, and Data + AI, as well as drive diversity through “Women in tech”. When Transparity launched a 24-hour security operations centre (SOC), Cloud Decisions supported the recruitment of the right global talent for the New Zealand location. “It was a completely new region for us and Cloud Decisions worked tirelessly with us,” recalls Neil Tune. “They found some brilliant talent and were a huge support.
“People in HR don’t always enjoy talking to recruiters,” admits Neil Tune, “But my team and I always look forward to our regular check-in with the team at Cloud Decisions. I’m happy for them to speak directly with my hiring managers because I know I can trust Cloud Decisions to stick to the brief and not step outside what’s needed. They are professional, informal, relatable, conscientious and they know their stuff – a bit like we are, really.”
Neil Tune cites the example of the Academy programme Transparity recently launched: “Cloud Decisions saw it was important to us and introduced us to Microsoft learning partners who could help,” he explains. Through judicious partnerships, including a business specialising in digital bootcamps, Transparity is attracting new early talent coming into the sector as well as returners. “I would – and do – recommend Cloud Decisions, They go above and beyond.” - Neil Tune
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