How we helped a global company leader in BPO, hire the Right HR Manager, and ensured long-term HR Success*
* Client name withheld due to strict confidentiality requirements.
From diagnosing what was broken to hiring the HR Manager who could make a difference.
Client Snapshot
Global leader in customer experience services
Profile
Industry: Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
HQ: California, USA
Global Presence: Multi-country operations
Employees: 100,000+ worldwide
Impacted location
Office: Sofia, Bulgaria
Employees: Planned reduction from ~1,200 to ~400
FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION
Our mission: an end-to-end hiring partner for a mission-critical role
Following our initial HR diagnostic in Bulgaria, the client’s Global HR and Regional leadership gained full clarity on what was broken in HR operations and what needed to change.
One conclusion stood out clearly: “No transformation would succeed without the right HR Manager in place.”
The existing HR structure required not just a replacement, but a strategic rethink of the HR Manager role itself.
Therefore, they extended our partnership, marking the second milestone: end-to-end advisory support to hire, onboard, and enable the HR Manager who would carry the transformation forward.
The Challenge
Client was not simply looking to “fill a vacancy.” They needed an HR Manager who could:
- Stabilize a stressed HR function
- Bring a strategic mindset while operating hands-on in a complex, compliance-heavy environment
- Lead and execute a multi-phase HR transformation roadmap
- Rebuild trust with employees and business leaders
The Risk
Hiring the wrong person at this stage would have:
- Reinforced existing problems
- Delayed transformation by months
- Increased compliance and employee relations risk
- Forced leadership back into reactive mode
This was a mission-critical leadership hire with zero margin for error.
What We Did and Why It Worked
1. Redefined the HR Manager role
Based on the diagnostic insights, we challenged the original job description and designed an HR Manager profile that is:
- Strategic enough to partner with leadership
- Operational enough to fix what was broken
- Strong people leader, capable of rebuilding morale and credibility
- Experienced in:
-
- Fast-pacing environments
- Discipline and outlier managements
- Compliance-heavy jurisdiction
The result: alignment between business reality and leadership expectations, not legacy expectations.
-
2. Repositioned the role in the market
We rewrote the job advertisement to:
- Reflect the true scope and impact of the role
- Clearly articulate the mission, not just the tasks
- Attract candidates motivated by ownership and impact
- Filter out profiles seeking only stability or routine
The result: Fewer, but significantly stronger candidates.
3. Enabled the Talent Acquisition Team
We partnered closely with the Client’s TA team to ensure precision in execution.
- Translate business needs into clear screening criteria
- Detailed briefing on:
- What to look for and what to avoid
- Critical red flags based on past HR challenges
- Supported TA in shortlisting candidates who could succeed in this specific context
The result: Reduced wasted interviews and accelerated decision-making.
4. Participated in Leadership Interviews
We joined interviews alongside Global HR Leadership and Regional Management.
Our contribution:
- Scenario-based questioning grounded in real challenges
- Objective assessment against the transformation roadmap
- Clear, unbiased input to support leadership decisions
5. Advised Leadership end-to-end
Throughout the process, we acted as a trusted advisor, helping leadership:
- Candidate comparison grounded in risk and capability
- Decision-making clarity during trade-offs
- Confidence that the final choice was fit for the mission ahead
- Balance urgency with quality
The Result: The Right Leader, Properly Enabled
A high-impact HR Manager hired with the right mindset and capability.
Strong alignment across Global, Regional, and Local leadership.
Immediate credibility with the HR team and business stakeholders.
Partnership Expansion
Leadership understood something critical: Hiring is only half the risk. Onboarding determines success.
To protect momentum and reduce transition risk, Client extended our engagement.
Our role as Fractional HR:
Supported the HR Manager onboarding.
Acted as a continuity bridge between Global HR, Regional leadership, Local HR team.
Led execution of the HR transformation roadmap.
Ensured knowledge transfer and context continuity.
Gradually stepped back as ownership fully transitioned.
Looking to Fix or Transform Your HR Function?
If your leadership team lacks clarity, confidence, or control over HR operations, especially during growth or change, our People Impact Assessment is the fastest way to regain it.
Let us be part of your success story
We invite you to get in touch with us and let us be your partners in achieving your business goals. Your success story is waiting to be written, and we’re here to help you craft it.
From our knowledge hub
What Is Fractional HR, And When Does a Business Need It?
What Is Fractional HR, And When Does a Business Need It?
Getting Started with Fractional HR: The Comprehensive Guide for CEO
This guide addresses common concerns, outlines benefits, and walks you through how to get started.
Bulgarian Employment Guide
The employment legislation is closely linked to the labor laws of the European Union but still has some specifics. We have summarised the answers to the most common questions you may have.