Specialist recruitment firm Identify has opened a new practice in Edinburgh under former senior civil servant Roz Britton after securing access to a major UK Government contract.
Britton has been appointed head of communications and policy practice, leading a new team sourcing external affairs and policy professionals. Identify already has HR and finance, and software development divisions.
Britton moves from PR firm 3x1 where she was director of public and corporate affairs.Previously, she worked in the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office Communications Directorate, where she was responsible for recruiting specialist staff for Government campaigns. She is also a former head of media for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Identify’s new Communications and Policy division has been set up after the firm won a place on the UK Government’s Digital Outcomes and Specialists Framework (DOS4) to provide digital and communications contractors for the public sector. The Crown Commercial Service estimates the total value of the contract, which will be shared across suppliers, at £1.57 billion.
Britton said: “Scotland is fast becoming a major hub for the UK’s external affairs, digital, PR and policy professionals. And this is a trend that looks set to continue. However, while London offers many specialist recruitment services, north of the border there was no dedicated service to help support the people and organisations working in this space.
“Having worked both as a senior communications practitioner and recruiter for international organisations such as NATO, within the UK and Scottish governments, and for some of Europe’s biggest communications consultancies, I believe that I have a unique understanding of this sector and look forward to helping businesses find the staff that will transform their organisations.”
Identify was founded in April by chief executive Denise Baxter. She was joined this summer by chief commercial officer Kenny McAllister, a specialist software recruiter who was responsible for the successful DOS4 tender. Identify now has offices in Edinburgh, Mull and Kent.
Baxter said: “I am very excited about the growth of Identify and our position within the marketplace. Being appointed to support the Government in building its digital infrastructure is a huge achievement, particularly for a firm that was only established a few months ago.
“I believe our success is down to the fact that we hire specialists in our areas: Kenny McAllister our CCO, is an experienced business manager and director with a demonstrable history of success working in the recruitment industry and software consulting sector; I am a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and currently support high tech companies, Chromacity Lasers and Ceres Holographics with their HR needs to support their growth strategy.
“Roz will soon establish herself as the go-to person for communications and policy recruitment within Scotland.”
