5 minutes with… Jack Stapleton
Jack is a Partnerships Consultant at Northcoders and former recruitment consultant at Digital Gurus in Manchester, specialising in hiring for Delivery Manager roles and building long-term community relationships. He values building long term relationships in the community and understanding the nature of challenges organisations are looking to solve.
This article was originally posted on LinkedIn in June 2023 and Jack has kindly given permission for the content to be added here.
Why did you choose a career linked to delivery management?
There's a common industry phrase in recruitment that you 'fall' into, and I was no exception. One of my closest friends is a product manager who had a positive experience working with a colleague at Digital Gurus. I was sceptical, to be honest (I'm aware that recruitment doesn't always have the best reputation), but Digital Gurus changed my mindset. It is one of the few recruitment agencies that prioritise people, and it's very rewarding to help individuals and organisations grow and succeed. I chose to recruit for delivery managers because I felt their work in driving change in teams and organisations aligned with my own values, coming from a management background. Funnily enough, I have found many Delivery Managers often ‘fall into’ their roles too!
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Be honest and transparent in your communication at all levels. Building credibility and reputation is difficult but breaking it is easy, in my opinion. People are very welcoming and receptive when you show your authentic self.
How is the world of hiring and recruitment changing for delivery managers?
From my experience, organisations always face the same challenge when recruiting: determining what makes a good delivery manager. I've seen various metrics and benchmarks used to answer that question, and each organisation has its own methods and styles of interviewing. Working with a good recruitment agency can bridge that gap by providing a detailed solution to the problem and giving candidates a detailed insight of the prospect ahead.
What do you think are the most important skills for a delivery recruiter to have?
Recruiters need to be sociable and empathetic. It's important to show that side, be genuine, and offer support, guidance, and value where possible. Additionally, it's crucial to provide a comprehensive overview of the role/organisation and the requirements and challenges involved. I often joke, "The good, the bad, and the ugly," as delivery professionals will likely encounter specific challenges that need to be addressed, and it's important to have a clear understanding of that.
Personally, I enjoy connecting with networks and individuals through events and meetups. These platforms offer valuable perspectives on the role and various situations, allowing for collaboration within the community and the opportunity to enhance your own skillset. It's a way of immersing oneself and continuously learning while also contributing to the community's progress.
What do you think are the most important skills for a delivery manager to have from the point of view of a recruiter?
I love this question, and it can be hard to pinpoint exactly. Delivery is a subjective discipline. It's not necessarily a formula where X equals Y because the core of the role is interacting with people, and people are complex by nature. Additionally, there are ongoing debates about the value of agile and certifications to each specific organisation.
From a recruiter's perspective, things that stand out on a CV are highlighting achievements, the teams worked with, and project deliverables or team accomplishments. However, it's difficult to pinpoint specific skills as different organisations look for different profiles. It's my role to understand the problem at hand, determine who would succeed in that environment, and recognise the opportunity it presents for a delivery manager.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the delivery community/market today?
Market conditions and challenges are inherent to any industry or sector. Delivery has become an increasingly essential role for organisations, enabling value growth through empowering teams. However, in some organisations, delivery, scrum, or agile professionals are still seen as "nice to have" rather than essential, or their value and function may be misunderstood. This consistent challenge within the delivery community often leads to organisations losing this capability and later regretting that decision.
What projects would you have loved to have been involved in?
I think it would be interesting to work on emerging technologies that drive societal change, such as the use of data/AI to combat issues like world hunger and climate change. These types of projects would be at the top of my list. I would clarify that I am in a better position to recommend more skilled individuals for such projects than to be directly involved myself!
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👋🏼 A few words here from Jon.
When I was amending the standard questions I’ve been asking delivery managers and project managers, I wrote a different question and emailed it across to Jack for him to answer. It didn’t sit right and I regretted it. It was poorly thought out and unhelpful. I messaged Jack to apologise. When we met over a video call a few days later I apologised again and we talked about the question again. Jack said we should keep it in, so we have done and it’s below.
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Recruitment has a tough rep, what can be done to change things for the better?
This is a difficult question and I don’t think there is one answer; not only that I don’t think I am best placed to answer (still early in my career to many others). One common theme I know is a constant problem for people is ‘ghosting’ candidates after outcomes aren’t desirable, it’s important to build relationships so nobody feels undervalued/unappreciated. I think engaging with people in a positive light and trying to add value where possible is key, events are a great and progressive way of doing this.
This post is from the ‘5 minutes with’ series of articles from people in the delivery management and project management space.