Client backgroundStandard Life is part of Phoenix Group which is listed in the FTSE 100. Phoenix is the largest long-term savings and retirement business in the UK with £283bn assets under administration, 12 million customers, and 7,800 employees. In partnership with Pensions Management Institute (PMI), Standard Life launched the Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP), a fully-funded 2-year training programme for aspirants from underrepresented groups looking to become qualified trustees. The briefKnowing about our access to a diverse leadership talent pool and the DE&I solutions we offer clients as an executive search partner, Phoenix’s Group Head of Talent Acquisition reached out to us to lead an inclusive recruitment process for TAP. Skip to our search methodology to find out how we sourced candidates, assessed them, and delivered this assignment.The results TestimonialsDesigning and launching a pioneering training programme to help people from diverse backgrounds to become trustee ready was the easy part; attracting and selecting diverse candidates would prove more challenging! That was until we worked with Page Executive. Their professional and collaborative approach helped ensure we jointly agreed this unique brief and they were able to support a targeted selection exercise through their executive leadership networks. Their help, support and guidance, as well as enthusiasm, was exceptional all the way through and I am delighted with the six people we have joining our programme through Page Executive. Thank you to the team for making this such a supported and enjoyable experience. Donna Walsh Head of Master Trust, Standard LifeBecoming a NED has been a career objective for a long time but the process of getting the right information and support has been challenging especially for someone without any NED experience. Page Executive’s ENABL programme is the perfect programme providing support through presentations and meetings which give useful information to help in the process of becoming a NED. Being part of ENABL led me to apply for Standard Life’s Trustee Accelerator Programme, a fantastic opportunity to gain training and formal qualification which will prove useful in obtaining a NED role. I am extremely grateful for the support that I have received from Page Executive and highly recommend that ethnic minorities with NED aspirations join ENABL. Isaac Davies Managing Director, European Treasurer, Barclays Get in touchFill out the form below and one of our specialist recruitment consultants will get back to you to discuss your hiring needs.IMPORTANT: By submitting your email address you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions. Your details will be processed in accordance with the Privacy Policy. Michael Page International terms and conditions apply. Please click here to view our Complaints Procedure.Search methodologyEngagementHaving decided to appoint 12 candidates for TAP, the Phoenix Talent Acquisition team led the process for 6 internal candidates, Page Executive was mandated to lead a thorough process to appoint 6 external candidates, given our placement track record within and outside Financial Services, our DEI solutions, inhouse research capabilities, media outreach, client testimonials and our ENABL programme (Empowerment Network of Asian and Black Leaders).Partnering with Donna Walsh, Head of Master Trust and Founder of TAP, and Minesh Ghelani, Phoenix’s Group Head of Talent Acquisition and his team, we worked with a challenging 4-week turnaround time. SourcingHaving delved deep into Standard Life’s mission with the launch of TAP, we immediately saw it as an unparalleled platform to create a pipeline of diverse talent at Board level and for people with different lived experiences to share their insights and build expertise in pension Trusteeship.We developed a candidate pack to highlight the unique opportunity of the 2-year TAP programme which entailed shadow board meetings, mentorships and exams, enabling candidates to have the experience and qualifications to become professional trustees. Equipped with the candidate briefing pack, Page Executive’s UK team powered by our inhouse research team pitched the opportunity to their vast and ready networks of diverse executive and board level candidates, including members of ENABL.Additionally, our fully-accredited DE&I solutions team ran an inclusive search by tapping into our partnerships with 50+ associations/networks with reach within diverse communities across the UK. AssessmentOnce we identified our longlist, we ran a thorough pre-screening interview with each candidate to qualify them based on the agreed search criteria, assessed their interest in pensions as well as their motivations and commitment to partaking in Standard Life’s two-year long TAP programme. DeliveryWe delivered our shortlist of 20 top candidates to Standard Life and facilitated a smooth interview process between the hiring team and each candidate. Our stakeholders were impressed with the shortlist quality and turnaround time, and extended an offer to 6 candidates, all of whom accepted. In April 2024, Standard Life officially launched TAP announcing the intake of its first candidates.
