“Wirral Methodist Housing Association recently used EMA to recruit for a new Chair of the Board. Ian Robertson and the team understood our requirements well and provided an excellent recruitment pack and advert. We were pleased that the recruitment attracted a high quality and relevant set of applications. With Ian’s support were able to bring together a shortlist for interview and have made a successful appointment. The sector knowledge and organisation demonstrated by EMA throughout the process has been excellent.”

“Leeds Federated recently engaged EMA Consultancy to assist with the recruitment of our Head of Housing and Head of Assets Management. Ian and his team expertly managed the entire process, from devising the advert and shortlisting candidates to coordinating a seamless interview schedule. EMA’s professionalism and extensive recruitment experience ensured that we attracted and secured high-calibre applicants for these pivotal roles. We highly recommend EMA Consultancy for their exceptional service and expertise in the recruitment field.”

“The whole experience of working with EMA is a delight as they combine their professional advice and support with the personal, human touch.  Recruiting the right person is critically important, no more so when we are looking for a new Chief Executive and EMA recognise the significance of finding a candidate with the right attitude and cultural fit as well as the experience, ability and skills. Recruiting our new Chief Executive was made an enjoyable experience, that was straightforward and most importantly, successful. We cannot thank and praise the EMA team enough”.

“The whole experience to date has been very positive, both from our point of view and that of the interviewed candidates; with a number of them commenting on how they have enjoyed the process, and the level of engagement and communications with Ian and the Team. The process has been very successful for LRHA; and I think a key part of this outcome has been Ian’s knowledge of LRHA; and the successful longlisting and shortlisting processes.”

“Southdown engaged EMA for two projects during 2021, a benchmarking exercise of pay and terms and conditions for Exec and Heads of Department and the recruitment of a new Director. For both pieces of work we were really impressed by the quality and individualised nature of the service received from EMA. In selecting a consultancy agency, we initially sought recommendations from across our sector to undertake the benchmarking exercise, with EMA, alongside a number of other smaller agencies receiving positive endorsements. We were keen to try out some different suppliers than the normal larger firms, looking for a more bespoke and tailored approach. The decision to go with EMA was based on their speed and of initial response, as well as their knowledge of the sector and existing database of comparable information. The subsequent service we received was of a high standard and delivered within a tight timescale set by ourselves. We particularly appreciated, as a supported housing and care and support specialist provider, that they were able to provide data for both the housing and charitable sectors.  Based on the success of the benchmarking exercise, we subsequently used EMA to oversee the recruitment process for a new Executive level role of Director of People and Culture. EMA undertook all stages of recruitment up to recommending the final candidates for interviews. Once again, we were impressed and reassured by the tailored and pragmatic approach that they undertook, Ian Robertson from EMA taking time to fully understand the specific vision we had for the new role and the type of individual who would be the best fit for Southdown. We did successfully appoint from a large pool of talented and skilled applicants, with candidates also feeding back on their positive experience of being supported by EMA.”

It’s been a pleasure working with Ian and the team at ema on our Independent Board Member recruitment. The process has been extremely efficient from start to finish. They’ve sourced some excellent candidates for us and I’m looking forward to working with them again in the future!

“The appointment of the Chief Executive is a challenge and an exacting process for any organisation. With the outstanding advice and support from Ian Robertson at ema we were able to conduct a flawless process of job evaluation and specification, interview panel preparation, the interview, the selection and then the appointment process. We were extremely pleased with the effective and efficient end to end care  and attention we received from ema”.

“ Following the appointment of EMA as our advisors in the recruitment of a new Chief Executive, we have appreciated the advice and experience provided by Ian Robertson in guiding us through this process. We would not hesitate to use Ian and EMA in any future recruitment “

“Anne and her team are true professionals.  I have worked with Anne for many years and she never fails to deliver.  I would definitely recommend EMA as a recruiter and as a consultant.  They are easy to work with, experts in their field and will tell you as it is !”

I have had the pleasure of working with EMA Consultancy on several occasions, including the recruitment of our new Chief Executive. 

EMA colleagues are extremely professional, approachable and they feel like part of the Team, ensuring they understand the organisation, plus respecting views of the people they are working with.

EMA colleagues are meticulous, with an eye for detail, hitting stringent deadlines to achieve the best result for the organisation and colleagues.

 I would unreservedly recommend EMA Consultancy who will provide a first-class service.

“Stafford and Rural Homes were recently assisted by EMA consult to recruit two essential posts in the new organisation It was important that we recruited the right balance of knowledge and experience against the need to have the right person to assist in cultural change within the organisation . People with the drive and ability to achieve right first time services and assist our drive towards excellence The team from EMA consult were marvellous. We were confident they were able to understand what we were looking for and deliver an exciting and challenging process that involved managers Board and customers in the selection A job very well done.”

“We worked with EMA leading up to and immediately following transfer of housing stock from Council to recruit to 8 key posts. EMA fielded a team of professional consultants who clearly understood our business and had direct relevant experience and knowledge which ensured that Cartrefi Conwy received appropriate timely services and advice. Anne Elliott and all of the EMA team including went out of their way to ensure that their service delivery helped alleviate some of the pressure for the executive team during a time when our resources were lean. They also went that extra mile further to deliver very personalised services, what they promised on time and to an exceptionally high standards.”

“Together Housing Group engaged EMA as our retained HR Consultant to provide an Executive recruitment service for the role of ‘Group Services Director’. EMA showed real flexibility during all stages of the process with candidates commenting that they really appreciated the psychometric testing feedback as an important part of their development. The psychometric testing methods were particularly valuable, by tapping into EMA’s expertise in this area and getting its guidance on choosing the right assessment tools, in conjunction with our process, we were in a strong position to identify the best candidate. All Board Members stated that they found the process a good one with excellent presentation of the results. A responsive and professional service which delivered a faultless process.”

“We have used EMA on a number of occasions for senior staff recruitment. I have found them to be professional, well connected in the market and thorough in supporting us through the recruitment process.”

“EMA provided excellent support and advice recently, when Muir Group, had the key task of recruiting a new Chief Executive. I am very grateful to Anne Elliott, Pauline Drissell and the EMA colleague’s for their help and would most certainly wish to involve them in any future key recruitment tasks”

“Ian Robertson has undertaken a number of high profile recruitments for Community Gateway Association and we have been impressed with the process and the outcomes.  In particular we have had good feedback from applicants with regard to the information made available to them, the candidate friendly approach and the detailed feedback.  The innovative use of different assessment methods has enabled those involved in the process to gain a clear picture of the interviewee and we have been able to involve tenants and Board members in our recruitment campaigns to great advantage.  The recruitment of our Director of Resources, was recognised by the Times 100 with an innovation in involvement special award.”

“Anne and the team at EMA provided fantastic professional advice, support and insight in our recruitment of a new Executive Team and Board Directors. Anne’s approach is always one of working in partnership. This ensured the appointment of excellent candidates to our Executive and Non-Executive roles.”

“To appoint one Director is hard enough. To appoint four at the same time and create a new Executive team is very tough. Thankfully, with excellent advice and support from EMA, utilising their many years of housing sector experience, we have been able to appoint a great set of Directors to help myself and our Board deliver our new corporate strategy. These are exciting times for Severn Vale Housing and EMA’s input has been a critical part in ensuring our future success.”

If there was one company I am happy to provide a reference for it is EMA. Anne worked very well with the Board and myself. The support from EMA was highly professional and extremely insightful enabling PCH to select the best Chief Executive candidate”

“Harrogate Housing Association is a very small association with just six staff. To recruit to any post is a challenge but to recruit only our second Chief Executive since our formation in the 70’s was incredibly daunting. That’s why we turned to Anne Elliott and EMA. I have worked with Anne for many years and have seen the results of her team’s efforts. We were very happy with the service we received and were able to appoint a great candidate from a very strong shortlist. Thank you”

“EMA assisted us with the successful recruitment of 2 Directors into our Executive Leadership Team structure. I found their experience and  knowledge invaluable to the selection process. They spent time getting to know and understand Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd and our ambitions and expectations. Congratulations on your success over the last 10 years and I wish Anne and the team all the very best for the future.”

“When our outgoing CEO of 27 years retired we had no hesitation in appointing EMA to manage the search and recruitment process. EMA have a genuinely collaborative approach and took the trouble to really understand the differing requirements of being the Chief Executive of a relatively small, rural, housing association such as ours.

From advertising to appointment, Pauline Drissell, as Lead Consultant, guided the Board through the process. As a result of the testing 2-stage process, which included invaluable personality profiling, we were confident about making a good appointment from the strong field of candidates. The support provided by EMA’s administrative team was also first-rate; we received complimentary feedback from the other final candidates about how well the process had been handled. All in all a job well done.

I would like to congratulate Anne and the team on their tenth anniversary and wish them well for the future. I would have no hesitation in recommending EMA for their professional, pragmatic and personable approach.”

“EMA recently assisted South Lakes Housing in our successful search for a new Chairman. Their sector knowledge was second to none and their work was professional, highly reliable and responsive to our needs. Ian Robertson developed a bespoke website for the recruitment and conducted personality questionnaires to assist with the selection. I would have no hesitation in recommending EMA and will definitely use their expertise again.”

“We invited EMA to assist us with the recruitment of our new CEO. EMA’s experience and useful advice assisted us through all of the key stages ensuring that we had a rigorous process resulting in a very satisfactory outcome.”

“We recently worked with EMA on the recruitment of two Executive Directors. They provided an excellent service that was both professional and responsive. I have no hesitation in recommending EMA to potential clients.”

“Bernicia recently launched its most ambitious strategy yet, the delivery of which relies on the skills, expertise and quality of staff we employ.  EMA have been a valuable partner in recruitment and resourcing activities in support of this; sourcing an excellent field of candidates for Executive Director roles, alongside sharing their industry insight to help develop our Employer Value Proposition, ensuring we offer a competitive and attractive reward package to retain and attract an expert talent pipeline.”

“With the retirement of the incumbent CEO, our challenge was to identity and appoint the right candidate with the skills and experience required to take Family Housing forward into its next stage of development.  EMA came highly recommended.  The complete process, starting with the initial scoping meeting, through to job advertisement, the short-listing of candidates, followed by first and final interview and appointment was completed in three months.  From start to finish Ian and his team delivered a high quality and professional service.  Ian, with his wealth of experience in HR and recruitment, provided invaluable support ensuring that we appointed the right person as our next”

“We have just recruited our Group Chair at Community Housing supported by EMA over a four-month period.  In 2020, we appointed our Group CEO following a recruitment campaign also led by EMA.  Recruiting to these two posts in 2020/2021 may have been challenging as it was during the Covid pandemic.  However, the assistance and support from Anne Elliott and her team enabled us to have a long list of very credible candidates on both occasions, from which we shortlisted. The process was timed in order that we had socially-distanced final interviews.

EMA has a considerable knowledge of the housing sector; their networking inside and outside the sector is impressive.  The microsite for the recruitment process, which they set up with our input, worked extremely well.  Their assistance with personality profiling and a bespoke financial assessment for both the CEO and Chair recruitment gave our Board confidence that we had a rigorous process. Anne kept in touch with us throughout.  She was available when we needed her and provided suggestions, advice and guidance to the Panel.  She also demonstrated a very professional interface with the candidates, something that I know was appreciated by them.  I would recommend EMA and Community Housing hope to have the opportunity to work with them again in the future.”

“The recruitment process for our Executive Director of Finance was swift, seamless and successful.  Key roles like this are never easy to recruit to but EMA made the process simple and straightforward with a successful outcome.”

“EMA have recently supported Thirteen with the recruitment of new members for three of our group committees.

Throughout the process EMA were professional, knowledgeable, accessible and helpful, providing a wide range of high quality candidates and effective support and guidance at each stage of the process, which has resulted in 5 excellent appointments to Thirteen’s governance structure.”

“Gentoo has been delighted to work with EMA on the recruitment for our new COO … we were clear we wanted a national search for talent and EMA fully met the brief ,made the whole process an easy one for our team and delivered on time and on budget! We are very pleased with the outcome and would be happy to highly recommend their services.”

“ema recently supported us in the successful recruitment of two Executive Team posts. Working with ema is always a pleasure; they are knowledgeable, efficient and offer great value for money, but more importantly they take the time to understand our specific requirements and work collaboratively with us to meet them.”

“Blueprint appointed ema to recruit a new Independent Chair to the Board of our public private joint venture. ema were quick to understand our brief and provided helpful direction to ensure the post was marketed appropriately to optimise the right skillsets and diversity of applicant that we wanted to attract. Ian Robertson, the Director that worked with us ensured a smooth, well managed process that led to an excellent shortlist from which we selected our Chair.”

“Ian Robertson from EMA has done a great piece of work for us on salary levels and structure. He very quickly established a great relationship with the staff and the Board and produced everything to time and budget. We would have no hesitation in recommending him.”