Douglas Jackson Executive Search & Management Recruitment Consultancy

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Douglas Jackson Executive Search & Management Recruitment Consultancy

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Executive Search Recruitment Consultants for Chief Customer Officer, Chief Operating Officer and associated Director and subject matter expert appointments.

We help you hire more diverse, impactful leaders, who stay for longer and are more successful Douglas Jackson Executive Search, Recruitment Consultants. We help CEOs, COOs, HR Directors and business leaders of customer and people centric companies improve the success and retention of your new leadership hires. Helping your hire more Diverse, impactful leaders who stay for longer and are more successful. Leading the way in customer experience, operations and transformation executive search, professional search and recruitment solutions. C-Suite Board Appointments for Chief Customer, Chief Experience and Chief Operating Officer

Diverse leadership, committed to more balanced representation for your long and shortlists across Operations, Customer, CX, Transformation, Insight, Analytics and Resource Planning Directors and 'Head of' level appointments. Leadership and Subject Matter Experts to drive your customer experience, operation, insight, planning AI and transformations forwards

NED - Customer & Digital Advisory

Permanent appointments, Fractional and Interim Consulting

Our proven and detailed Impact 360 recruitment process, saves you time and money, reducing your commercial downtime and realising your goals and exit values. Markets include: Utilities, Financial Services, Banking, Insurance, Travel, Retail, Housing Assoications. BPO, Outsourcing, Professional Services, Software and SAAS.

28/10/2026

What does successful leadership look like today?

That was one of the themes explored by Michelle Ansell with Genevieve Kangurs, Customer Director at Vanquis, in the latest episode of The Impact Room.

As organisations navigate increasing complexity, many are placing greater value on leaders who can think across the enterprise, balance competing priorities, understand the commercial context and lead through ambiguity, rather than relying solely on deep functional expertise.

Genevieve shared her perspective on what she describes as the paradox of progression. We are often promoted because we are good at something, yet as we become more senior, success depends on moving beyond that expertise and operating in a very different way.

Particularly thought-provoking was her description of promotion as "an invitation to lead" and the discussion around what strategic leadership really looks like in practice.

One question from the conversation stands out:

"What is the work that only you can do?"

A thoughtful and timely discussion for anyone considering the capabilities current and future leaders will need to succeed.

https://buff.ly/Xo6jkz3

Thank you to Genevieve for sharing her insights and experiences in what was a fascinating conversation.

22/10/2026

What does your next career chapter look like?

Most careers don't follow a straight line.

Opportunities emerge, priorities shift, organisations change, and what once felt like the right path may no longer be the destination you're aiming for.

For many directors, senior leaders and executives, the challenge isn't simply finding another role. It's gaining clarity on what they want next and how to get there.

Join our free Executive Career Services webinar as we explore how to:
• Take stock of your achievements, experience and leadership strengths
• Identify the skills and capabilities needed for your next move
• Build a realistic career plan and turn it into action
• Navigate the executive job market more effectively
• Align your CV, personal brand and interview approach with your career goals

Whether you're actively considering a move, exploring internal progression or simply reflecting on your future direction, this session will provide practical insights and fresh perspective.

📅 Thursday 29 October 2026
🕜 1:30pm GMT

Register here: https://buff.ly/NKuXUgP

We look forward to welcoming you.

20/10/2026

Are organisations trying to solve the right problem before they start hiring?

One of the things we see time and again is businesses rushing to define a role before they have fully diagnosed the challenge they're trying to address.

Recently, we were asked to help appoint a senior operational leader. On paper, the brief looked clear. The organisation wanted someone with the right sector background, leadership experience and track record.

But as we spent time with the executive team, it became clear that different stakeholders were solving for different things. Some wanted operational improvement. Others wanted cultural change. Others were focused on commercial growth. A few wanted someone who could connect all three.

That's not unusual. Often there's enough agreement to write a job description and launch a search. The challenge comes later, when people start meeting candidates and realise they're assessing them against different expectations.

In this case, the search succeeded not because we found someone who perfectly matched the original brief, but because the organisation became clearer about what it actually needed. The conversations, questions and challenge at the outset helped create alignment.

It reminded me of a point Travis Kalanick once made about leadership capability. An organisation can have great governance, strong ex*****on and people delivering against a plan. But if it's solving the wrong problem, none of those things have the impact they should.

I sometimes wonder whether organisations spend too much time assessing candidates and not enough time diagnosing the challenge itself.

In our experience, when the problem is clear, the right hire usually becomes much clearer too.

Have you seen this happen in your own organisation or during a hiring process?

15/10/2026

Salary benchmarking is a useful starting point. But is it enough to secure the leader you really want?

A recent conversation with a COO highlighted a familiar challenge. The strongest candidates weren't aligned to the benchmark. They were already earning more or needed a stronger proposition to consider a move.

For senior and business critical hires, market averages only tell part of the story. Real-time talent intelligence can provide a much clearer view of what it actually takes to attract and secure exceptional leadership talent.

https://buff.ly/lCl45Et

14/10/2026

A testimonial like this makes our day. 💙

Thank you to Stephen, a Senior Operations Director/COO, for these kind words about Michelle Ansell:

"I would highly recommend Michelle to anyone looking for an experienced recruiter who takes the time to understand people and adds value throughout the process."

At Douglas Jackson, we believe recruitment is about building trusted relationships, sharing insight and creating meaningful connections.

08/10/2026

We often only notice security when something goes wrong.

Yet almost half a million licensed security professionals work across the UK, helping keep people, organisations and communities safe every day.

Michelle Ansell explored this and much more with Satia Rai, CEO of IPSA and Founder & CEO of WIPS, on The Impact Room.

From professionalism and career pathways to representation and leadership, Satia shared powerful insights from a career spanning nearly 30 years in the sector.

One quote that particularly resonated:

"It's important that we reflect the communities that we protect."

A fascinating conversation about safety, visibility, purpose and creating opportunities for others.

🎙️ Listen to the full episode here: https://buff.ly/kOZC2Ig

30/09/2026

Transformation is often viewed as a programme challenge.

But when organisations invest heavily in change and still struggle to realise the expected value, it raises a bigger question about leadership, alignment and accountability.

Successful transformation is rarely just about delivering projects. It's about creating the conditions that allow change to be adopted, sustained and translated into business outcomes.

Michelle Ansell explores why so much transformation is still being pushed by programmes instead of being pulled through by leadership in her latest Leadership Observation.

https://buff.ly/jFjVOLk

23/09/2026

Why do some highly capable leaders get overlooked?
It's a question we hear time and time again.

Often, it's not a lack of experience, achievement or leadership capability.

The challenge is helping employers, executive search firms and hiring teams quickly understand why your experience is relevant to their particular situation and what you could help them achieve.

At senior level, decisions are rarely based on who has done the most. They're often based on who can most clearly demonstrate relevance, impact and alignment with what the organisation needs next.

In our next Career Services webinar, we'll explore how senior professionals, Directors, C-suite leaders and aspiring executives can:
✅ Interpret what sits behind a job description or hiring brief
✅ Identify the experience that matters most
✅ Position their experience more effectively
✅ Tailor applications without constantly rewriting their CV
✅ Communicate clearly with the people involved in senior hiring decisions

Whether you're actively exploring opportunities or simply thinking about your future direction, we hope you'll find the discussion useful.

📅 Monday 28 September 2026
🕛 12:00pm BST
🎥 Live session + replay available

If you know someone who may benefit from the conversation, please feel free to share.

https://buff.ly/XSOhGnd

09/09/2026

A question that came up after a recent Future Customer Leader session:
Does the Chief Customer Officer role still have a long-term future?

Looking at the appointment data, I'd say yes.

In the first half of 2026 alone, we've seen 40 Chief Customer Officer appointments and 72 Customer Experience Director appointments.

So customer leadership isn't disappearing.

What is changing is the role itself.

More customer leaders are being appointed into positions that combine customer experience with commercial performance, growth, operations, digital, data, transformation and AI.

That reflects what I'm hearing in conversations with senior leaders across the market.

The expectation today is often less about owning customer experience as a standalone function and more about connecting customer insight with business performance and strategic decision-making.

Which raises an interesting question:
Will the future customer leader still have "Customer" in their title, or will the role become so embedded across organisations that the title becomes less important than the influence?

I'd be interested to hear what others are seeing in their organisations and sectors.

What's changed in customer leadership from your perspective?

02/09/2026

YOUR CAREER. YOUR BUSINESS.

What happens when your career is no longer defined by a single employer or job title?

For many experienced leaders, the next chapter may involve consulting, interim leadership, advisory work, contracting, Non-Executive Director appointments, or a combination of several through a portfolio career.

Making that move successfully requires more than experience alone. It requires clarity around your value, how you position yourself in the market, and how you create opportunities rather than wait for them.

Join our upcoming Boardroom Counsel session as we explore:
• Different routes into interim, consulting, contracting and NED work
• Choosing the model that best suits your goals
• Making the shift from employee to business mindset
• Defining and communicating your value proposition
• Optimising your CV and LinkedIn profile
• Finding and winning independent opportunities
• Building a personal brand that creates demand for your expertise

📅 7 September 2026
🕛 12:00pm BST

Whether you're already working independently, considering a portfolio career, or simply exploring future options, this practical session will provide valuable insights.

Register here: https://buff.ly/AjHeWE4

Can't join us live? Drop us an email and we'll be happy to share replay options.

Address

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:30
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:30
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:30
Thursday	09:00 - 17:30
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

0345 6209720

Website

http://www.douglas-jackson.com/

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