The Organisation
HCUC (Harrow College and Uxbridge College) is one of London’s leading multi-site colleges and includes the West London IoT. As a highly successful college group with a turnover of circa £50m, an Ofsted judgement of ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ Quality of Education, a financial health rating of ‘Outstanding,’ and the West London Institute of Technology, the college’s strategy is focused on high performance, excellent education, and expertly meeting the needs of the communities of West London.
HCUC was formed in 2018 through the merger of Harrow and Uxbridge colleges, and when the Corporation commissioned FE Associates, the college was in advanced merger discussions with Richmond upon Thames College.
The Brief
HCUC has benefitted from very stable leadership over a significant time period. The outgoing CEO, Dr. Darrell DeSouza, had worked at Uxbridge College since 2002 and during this time, held the posts of Director of Curriculum, Vice Principal, and CEO/Group Principal. Given the position of the Group, the strengths in quality and finance, the planned merger, and the strategic challenges facing the college sector, the Corporation was clear about the need to secure high-calibre candidates who could not only maintain the position of the Group but also develop a clear strategy for future success.
FE Associates were engaged to provide our Full Service package to lead the search, attraction, and selection process for the Group.
The Candidate Base
Prior to receiving applications and developing a longlist of candidates, all individuals interested in the role were given the opportunity to meet informally with the Chair of Governors and FEA’s lead consultant. Following an intensive process of search activity, the Corporation was presented with a longlist of six candidates to consider. The candidate base was made up of serving college Principals and CEOs, a Deputy Principal from a large college group, a Chief Finance Officer, and a senior civil servant with a background in further education strategy and policy. All longlisted candidates were given the opportunity to meet informally with the Chair of Governors and the lead consultant from FE Associates.
The Selection Process
FE Associates worked with the Corporation to design a selection process that would assess the skills, competencies, and behaviours of shortlisted candidates from a range of perspectives. On day 1, shortlisted candidates met with the governor selection panel, their independent advisor, and the lead consultant from FE Associates, where they delivered a strategic presentation and took part in an initial interview. Governors then determined which candidates they wished to take forward to day 2 of the process. On day 2, candidates were interviewed by external stakeholders, took part in a student-led interview, delivered a presentation to staff, and completed a written technical exercise. This was then followed by a final interview with the governor panel.
The Outcome
Keith Smith, Director of Further Education Strategy with the Department for Education, was successful and took up the role of CEO of HCUC in October 2022.
- Placing
- Recruiting
- Developing
- Advising
- Training
- Placing
- Recruiting
- Developing
- Advising
- Training