Filling a Senior-Level Role: Head of Sales in Just 1.5 Months
44
days to hire
20
candidates delivered
FinTech
Genome is a neobank with Ukrainian and Lithuanian roots headquartered in Vilnius. It serves clients all around Europe (B2B/B2C segments) and enables its users to open and manage accounts, make payments, and exchange currencies 100% remotely.
In June 2022, Genome reached out to THE GRAVITY AGENCY for help finding a Head of Sales. They needed this hire to drive their B2B sales. The perfect candidate needed at least 5 years of relevant experience, a background in fintech, and 2 years of sales team management. Since the company didn't have a commercial department yet, the new top manager would face the exciting challenge of building one from the ground up.
Sourcing Strategy
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We prepared a competitor analysis of Lithuanian fintech to detect companies developing products similar to Genome (for instance, we used the register of licensed financial companies created by the National Bank of Lithuania).
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The key channel was a direct search via LinkedIn using a potential donors list.
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As a supportive channel, we posted our job ads on LinkedIn, Lithuanian job boards such as CVbankas, CVonline, and Genome’s career page.
Results
95
longlist
candidates
20
candidates
delivered
15
candidates
interviewed
44 days
time to close
Key to Success
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Do not expect relevant inbound applications - leadership vacancies require an active headhunting approach.
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To hire a C-level sales professional, it's essential to have a clear profile of your ideal candidate. Focus on the industries they’ve worked in, the types of clients they’ve managed (SMB or enterprise), their geographical experience, acquisition channels, average deal size, and deal cycles. This approach helps your recruiters target companies with the expertise most relevant to your needs.
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Develop your employer value proposition. When presenting your vacancy to a candidate, highlight the success and stability of your business. Mention your KPIs, share the information about your license and investment sources, and think about the remuneration structure (a base range, bonuses, and conditions of their earning). Moreover, you should define the tasks expecting your new manager in the first 3 months / half a year / 1 year of cooperation, and the criteria for their performance evaluation.