Steve Webber, Managing Director and Maureen Jamieson, Finance Director
Smashing glass ceilings
The importance of getting the right people to lead in an employee-owned business is at the heart of J Gadd Associates’ executive resourcing service – and their deep understanding of the sector is already paying dividends at The Rooflight Company.
Steve Webber, Managing Director of rooflight design and manufacturer The Rooflight Company, shares his experience of using J Gadd Associates’ executive resourcing service - and how an Associate helped him to secure his own role and source a critical Finance Director.
The best version of me
“I joined The Rooflight Company in 1993 when it was a start-up because I knew the founders, Pete and Val King. I started part-time and the business just exploded, with double-digit year-on-year growth. Initially I was in production, then Workshop Manager, Operations Manager and Operations Director for 12 years. I was part of the leadership team supporting Pete and Val as they took the business into employee-ownership ahead of them leaving, but there were no succession plans in place – it just wasn’t a priority – and I could see the impact that was having on the business.”
“The sole decision-maker was leaving, we were now employee-owned and had to be transparent in our recruitment of a new Managing Director. Val wanted the best for me, but it wasn’t her decision anymore: we had a Board of Trustees. I needed support to be the best version of me for the interview process and Val introduced this approach at an employee-ownership conference after we met someone who was talking about internal candidates being supported into executive roles.”
Smashing glass ceilings
“I met Adrian Wheale, who has since joined J Gadd Associates, and the support I received from him was invaluable. It was both coaching and mentoring, and it suited my learning style. He asked open questions and challenged me, really making me think. He prepared me for the interview environment – I’d not had an interview since leaving school, so it was quite strange – and I was up against 320 JGA sourced candidates, but Adrian gave me the confidence to bring it on.”
“I knew the business and I knew employee-ownership and I backed myself. He gave me the confidence to be authentic and to be me. The whole process was a mountain from the first conversation with Adrian, but I knew I had people internally rooting for me.”
“If anyone believes that they do not have the opportunity to develop and grow within our business, I will invite them for a coffee and tell them what I can do to help them – because I am a living example of it. I will do all that I can to develop and allow them to grow and I will remove all glass ceilings for them.”
They’re the go-to people
“Some businesses going down the employee-ownership route run the risk that the business is not prepared for when the owners leave. Succession planning and growing your own talent to fill those roles is vital. You must nurture and support your people to ensure the right fit for the job. Because of Covid-19 the world has changed, and we attracted candidates who placed greater value and importance than before on our approach to a values led Company and that of having a real stake in the business.”
“There has got to be a better way and employee-ownership will become more mainstream – and J Gadd Associates is in the unique position to support businesses with both the transition and the resourcing.”
“Adrian has a wealth of experience and I now consider him a friend; Jeremy helps me to understand employee-ownership. The reason I entrusted J Gadd Associates with the Finance Director role was because I needed the value-added activities: knowing what I needed, knowledge of the market, understanding the business and the employee-ownership model.”
“Now I want to work with J Gadd Associates more – they’re my go-to people.”
“Now I want to work with J Gadd Associates more – they’re my go-to people.”
STEVE WEBBER
Care, attention and added value
“When it came to recruiting a Finance Director, I naturally turned to Adrian and J Gadd Associates. Adrian is a leading light in his field and when Jeremy Gadd speaks, I listen because he is an expert in employee-ownership.”
“J Gadd Associates added more value than any recruitment consultant because they helped to develop the role’s accountabilities for what the business needed, looking at the culture and values. They cost-effectively framed, drafted and focused the advertising and readied us for the recruitment process holding our hands throughout. Their knowledge of the role requirements, plus the respect for and the trust I have in Adrian, helped to fill the gaps in my knowledge.”
“They knew the candidates had to be a good cultural fit to ensure our strategic direction – plus I needed to have a good rapport with them. There was real care and attention in understanding the business needs and their expertise ensured we got the right person for the job”
“If anyone believes that they do not have the opportunity to develop and grow within our business, I will invite them for a coffee and tell them what I can do to help them – because I am a living example of it. I will fight to develop and allow them to grow and I will smash glass ceilings for them.”
STEVE WEBBER
Summary
J Gadd Associates (JGA) launched its executive resourcing service in response to frequent client requests for support with senior succession planning, a common challenge during transition to employee-ownership. It aims to create the right solution for employee-owned businesses, coupling both fitting the right person into the role with helping them to develop their own people to be the best. It offers an enhanced service that allows internal candidates to complete on an equal footing with external applicants.
About The Rooflight Company
The Rooflight Company was founded in 1993 by architect Peter King RIBA when he found many of his clients wanted to extend into their attics but were unable to install modern rooflights due to planning regulations. Thus, the Conservation Rooflight was born, a copy of the Victorian cast iron model which would meet modern standards.
Ever since, the company has been committed to designing and manufacturing high-quality rooflights, roof windows and skylights for the architectural building product market and providing the best possible service to all its customers.
The Rooflight Company is an Employee-Owned business. When Peter and Val King stepped down in 2019, they chose to entrust the company to its team to secure its future. Steve Webber became Managing Director in March 2020.
