Client Background:
The client, one of the largest and most influential Oil & Gas companies in Saudi Arabia, is known for its extensive operations, high safety standards, and commitment to regulatory compliance. With a global workforce and projects spanning across multiple countries, the company sought a highly experienced HSE Director to oversee its health, safety, and environmental policies and ensure compliance with international standards.

Challenges Faced by the Client:

• The role of HSE Director is one of the most crucial and challenging positions to fill in the Oil & Gas sector due to the stringent regulatory environment and high-risk nature of operations.
• The talent pool for top management in HSE is extremely limited, especially for candidates holding multiple international certifications such as NEBOSH, CSP, ISO 45001, and OSHA.
• The client faced difficulty in sourcing candidates with extensive international experience within Saudi Arabia and struggled to attract qualified candidates from Western countries due to cultural and compensation differences.

Recruitment Strategy Used:
Given the complexity of the role, our strategy focused on identifying candidates who met the following criteria:

• Over 20 years of professional experience, with at least 10 years in HSE within the Oil & Gas industry.
• A minimum of five internationally recognized HSE certifications.
• Experience working in multicultural environments and the ability to adapt to Saudi Arabia’s regulatory and cultural landscape.

Our approach involved:
1. Market Research & Talent Mapping:

• Conducted in-depth research to identify senior HSE professionals within Saudi Arabia who met the certification and experience requirements.
• Since the client was open to hiring both local and international candidates, we conducted an extensive search targeting Western professionals already based in Saudi Arabia as well as those willing to relocate.

2. Candidate Sourcing & Outreach:

• Leveraged LinkedIn, Indeed, and other specialized Oil & Gas recruitment platforms to create a pipeline of potential candidates.
• Engaged directly with senior HSE professionals to gauge their interest and suitability for the role.

3. Screening & Shortlisting:

• After rigorous screening, we identified 10 highly qualified candidates from Western countries who were willing to relocate and 3 strong candidates already based in Saudi Arabia.
• Presented a total of 13 candidates to the client, of which 6 were shortlisted for interviews (4 international and 2 local candidates).

4. Interview & Selection Process:

• The client’s internal screening took approximately four weeks, followed by a structured interview process spanning another six weeks.
• While the client was highly impressed with a Western candidate, logistical challenges and visa processing time would have delayed onboarding by another two months.
• Ultimately, the client selected a highly qualified local candidate who met all their criteria and could join immediately.

Outcome:

• The role was successfully filled within three months.
• The entire process, from initial candidate search to final selection, was efficiently managed to align with the client’s hiring timeline.
• The client was highly satisfied with the quality of candidates presented and the speed at which the role was closed.

Conclusion:
This case study demonstrates the importance of a strategic, research-driven approach in recruiting for highly specialized leadership roles in the Oil & Gas sector. By leveraging deep market insights and targeted outreach, we successfully helped one of the world’s leading energy companies secure a top-tier HSE Director to enhance their safety and compliance operations.