Harrier aiming for capital gain

A management buy-out of a slice of executive search firm Gerard Daniels in 2007 led to the creation of recruitment consultant Harrier Human Capital.

Within seven years, the privately owned firm became Australia’s second largest recruitment process-outsourcing provider, after winning work with Coles and Chevron, among others.

That was not an easy process, however, with a strategic review in 2011 leading a structural change and new leadership being installed.

Kelly Quirk (a Business News 40u40 winner in 2015) then came from the UK to take the helm, with a mandate to instil cultural change and stabilise the business.

The company has since experienced a 36 per cent increase in turnover, while the number of staff has doubled.

A large part of that growth has been thanks to the contract win with Coles last year, which led to a dramatic increase in employees.

Harrier now operates in five cities across Australia, with additional operations in Manila.

“Our deep industry knowledge and expertise has enabled us to build a comprehensive understanding of our market,” the company said.

“Over the past five years, we have delivered in excess of 45 consulting, resourcing and managed services solutions to clients with capital works projects in excess of $70 billion.”

Harrier said its formula was the partnership approach it took with clients to design and provide flexible and bespoke recruitment solutions, with the understanding that bespoke worked better because all clients had unique circumstances.

The company has an ambitious growth plan, targeting 10 per cent expansion year on year with a 30 per cent stretch target.

“In 2015, Harrier is preparing for growth with a specific focus on people and culture initiatives,” the company said.

“These include defining the behaviours and competences that underpin our values, and reviewing how we recruit, onboard, develop and manage performance in line with these values.”

The company has also prepared for the mining slowdown.

“In 2012, Harrier anticipated that the resources boom would end,” the company said.

“As a result, we built diversification into our strategy as a contingency and we are now realising the benefits of that.

“We are right-sizing our solution at Chevron, streamlining our organisation, and working with more clients across multiple industries to adapt to the current market.”

Harrier said growth needed to be properly managed.

“Growth does drive value creation as long as cost is managed and an organisation is strongly led on strategy, structure, process, people and technology,” it said.

 “Otherwise, growth can cripple a business.”