Delivering Recruitment Excellence – GCS Associates and Lords Group

Lords Group is a prominent supplier of building materials and DIY goods in the UK, operating across both the ‘light side’ (building materials and timber) and the ‘heavy side’ (civils and landscaping) of the market. With 32 locations nationwide and a thriving online platform, Lords Group is one of the fastest-growing merchant businesses in the UK.

Recruiting for a diverse organisation like Lords Group is no small task, particularly for niche and senior roles. Heather McMeckan, Recruitment Manager at Lords Group, has been pivotal in bringing recruitment in-house. However, for specialist and hard-to-fill roles, she recognises the value of agency support – and GCS Associates proved to be the ideal partner.

The Challenge

Heather shared the unique recruitment challenges faced by Lords Group:

• Transitioning to In-House Recruitment: Lords Group historically relied heavily on agencies – Heather’s role was to change that, focusing on organic recruitment for most roles while using agencies selectively for specialist positions.
• Filling a Senior Health & Safety Role: One particular vacancy proved challenging. Despite efforts to advertise the role organically, suitable candidates were scarce. Time was running out, and the role required a candidate with highly specific skills within a strict salary band.

Heather explained, “Like many organisations, our policy is to try recruiting organically first, but for specialist roles like this, sometimes you need that extra network and GCS proved themselves as true specialist recruiters in our industry.”

The Solution

Having previously worked with Lords Group, Michael Parry, Managing Director at GCS Associates, was approached by Heather for support. Leveraging GCS Associates’ extensive network, Michael promised to deliver high-quality candidates that matched the specific requirements of the role.

Heather remarked, “Mike really impressed us with his knowledge of the sector and the effort he put into finding the right candidates. His background in recruiting for merchants gave him a clear advantage. We chose GCS over a dedicated HSE recruitment consultancy due to their specialist sector expertise.”

Despite tight constraints on the salary and a demanding brief, GCS Associates left no stone unturned. Michael and his team conducted a thorough search, contacting hundreds of potential candidates and presenting a strong shortlist.

“GCS really went above and beyond,” Heather added. “The candidates they presented were not only highly qualified but also a perfect cultural fit for our organisation.” Thanks to GCS Associates, Lords Group successfully hired a highly qualified candidate who fit the brief perfectly. Heather was particularly impressed by the professionalism, efficiency, and dedication shown by Michael and his team.

“We had very specific requirements for this role, and Mike delivered,” Heather said. “It’s clear that he knows this sector inside out, and his network is exceptional. I would 100% recommend GCS Associates.”

Additionally, Heather acknowledged that the process highlighted the importance of partnership and collaboration in recruitment. “This experience reaffirmed how effective the right recruitment agency can be when they truly understand the needs of the business,” she noted.

Michael Parry, Managing Director of GCS Associates, reflected on the partnership:

“Working with Heather and Lords Group has been (and always is) a fantastic experience – they have a great employer brand within the sector. Their openness to collaboration and their clear understanding of what they needed made it much easier for us to deliver results. Lords Group is such a dynamic organisation, and we’re thrilled to have played a part in their ongoing success.”

Michael also noted that the success of this recruitment demonstrated the effectiveness of industry-focused agencies. “It’s about being proactive and knowing where to look. We’re proud to have supported Lords Group in securing the best talent for their business.”

What we do
GCS Associates are specialist consultancy providing talent acquisition and staffing solutions to the building materials, construction, technical & engineering sectors.

With over 15 years’ experience partnering with a wide range of businesses from FTSE 100s to SME’s & smaller independent businesses – we simply provide the right talent to the best organisations.