Strategic Human Resources Leader for Durable Medical Equipment Solutions Provider

The Role

Sr. Human Resources Manager

The Challenge

Struggling to Find a Strategic HR Leader? You’re Not Alone.

For six long months, the Director of HR, Americas, searched for a Senior Human Resources Manager who could elevate the function into a true business partner. But interviews were disappointing—candidates lacked either the strategic mindset or leadership experience to drive meaningful change.

Despite time and effort, the talent pool felt shallow, and progress stalled. The internal team grew frustrated, and confidence in the process declined. The company needed more than a hire—they needed a transformation.

The mandate was clear: find an HR leader who could collaborate with senior leadership, upskill the team, and align people strategy with business goals. But the hybrid requirement in a mid-sized coastal city made the search even tougher, narrowing the candidate pool to local talent or those willing to relocate—something the previous firm couldn’t overcome.

That’s when the client turned to Summit Search Consultants.

Our Approach

SSC deployed a targeted approach to identify strategic HR leaders local to the area. To thoroughly explore qualified candidates in the market, the geographical scope was simultaneously widened to include top-tier talent residing in the entire state and greater region. 

While it was not mandatory criteria, SSC placed a strong emphasis on candidates who had previously supported business functions similar to those they would inherit in the position. SSC also prioritized candidates with experience at best-in-class organizations. This dual approach was to ensure that the selected candidate would be well-positioned to drive strategic impact from day one. Because of a prior successful search engagement, SSC was very familiar with the key nuances of the organization, like the current business challenges and the culture. 

SSC identified and approached 287 candidates, 53 of which were hyper-local. Through the rigorous screening process, including multiple phone and video interviews, SSC narrowed it down to a shortlist of 4 candidates (2 hyper-local).

The Results

In contrast to the Director of HR’s previous experiences, SSC secured a signed offer in only 52 calendar days (37 business days). This was done by closely collaborating with the client to only present the highest-quality candidates based on learnings from the search prior to SSC’s engagement, and the needs of the business. 

The selected candidate comes from a long, successful history as an HR leader in an industry adjacent to the client’s. They demonstrate an excellent ability to collaborate closely with senior leadership to drive measurable business outcomes. 

Summit Search Consultants is honored to have been the go-to choice as a partner for this role. We take a consultative approach to each engagement, developing a deep understanding of each organization’s unique business needs.

“37 days is an excellent turnaround given the importance of this role, and the history of it being open for a little while. I would certainly recommend you all to other people internally for other roles of this nature that come up. I would not hesitate for you all to be our number one go-to!”

— Director of HR, Americas