For us, partnership is about people working effectively together - a simple principle easily forgotten.
Through true collaboration and genuine openness, we are able to create and deliver the most appropriate solution to your situation. We focus on the 'situation' - because no matter how long we might have been working with a client or candidate, their needs develop and market conditions change.
Positive interrogation is at the heart of our service offering, encouraging a fresh perspective by asking challenging questions. We are thorough in our approach without being intrusive. We do demand access to the key decision makers and we will ask questions that others may shy away from. But this is what makes us different. This is what helps us deliver better results every time.
Steve knows the UK Talent Pool, like no other. He engaged with us quickly, showed us an energy and agility to make things happen at pace – all of which we needed to create an entire team from scratch. Steve is refreshingly different to his counterparts within the recruitment community. He is not afraid to challenge preconceptions...
Steve and the team at The Simmance Partnership have been a great partner to us in our resourcing needs. They bring a high level of market knowledge, a passion for helping finding exactly the right candidate for the brief and are always reliable, professional and focussed in the service they offer
In my capacity as Chairman in the start-up venture of Cannaray it was apparent our growth model was going to need exceptional people to support the launch and rapid expansion of the business. I turned to the team at The Simmance Partnership who I have known, and worked with, on several occasions over the past 20 years. Led by Steve, the team always bring tried and tested methods, creative thinking, and a seamless execution to complement our needs around attracting and securing truly brilliant people. Steve is a fixer; give him a people challenge, and he’ll present the right solution. He will deliver time and again at pace. I have always enjoyed the result of his thorough work, but also Steve’s profound knowledge of the FMCG marketplace. He especially knows where to find the best people, to woo and wow them to our doorstep. There are many enthusiastic amateurs in recruitment, only a few are experts like The Simmance Partnership. The team always delight me with their results.
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It’s been great working with Steve and the team at The Simmance Partnership to help secure my new role. Their service has been fantastic and I would highly recommend working with them if you get the chance. Steve invested the time to understand what I was really looking for in my next position, and from these initial conversations, we actually decided the role I’d first applied for wouldn’t deliver for me. However, he didn’t just leave it there, he followed up quickly with some more relevant opportunities. From all of my contact throughout this process it’s clear that Steve and the team care about their candidates and clients, have a great industry knowledge and want to do the right thing. Thanks again.
A.Wilson
I have worked with Steve in both trying to recruit sales professionals and also more recently in securing a new role. These assignments whilst years apart Steve reached out knowing the experience fit would be good. I have always found the Simmance team thorough, precise and incredibly knowledgeable, and up-to-date about their clients and the industry in general. In my years of dealing with the partnership there are a few things that stand out. Firstly, they really understand the dynamics of the industry and so with a very robust "interrogation" at the start of any project, they shortlist appropriate candidates. They are not afraid to "showcase" a selection of appropriate options to really challenge your thinking. Likewise, as a prospective employee, Steve is not afraid to put you forward and negotiate on your behalf if he thinks the fit for both employee and employer is strong. Secondly, their experience shines through when things need to be pushed along. They are not a dormant partner; they truly work for both parties to get the right result even if this includes difficult discussions.
R.Traylor
Over my career spanning over 25 years, I have had the opportunity to speak with several recruiters, but Steve stands out as one of the top people I have had the chance to work with. That is because he is more of a friend in his approach – which is a breath of fresh air in a very transactional industry. From his first phone call, he created a comfortable and safe space to discuss my aspirations, then helped me to create the right presentation, and found my current role in a business that suited my style. Attention to detail, patience, a creative approach, and not to forget a small but amazing team – I would be very happy to recommend Steve Simmance as a valuable recruitment partner.
A. Mathur
I was fortunate to work with Steve at The Simmance Partnership as a candidate recently. From the outset, it was a pleasure to deal with Steve and the team. The detailed knowledge and insight they had of the role itself were impressive, clearly showing they had a deep understanding of their client’s business model and direction for growth. This enabled Steve to answer my initial questions immediately at the same time as expertly assessing my credentials & suitability for the role. Throughout the interview and subsequent discussions, Steve was there for me every step of the way offering tailored expert advice, making sure I was prepared, and giving me the opportunity to make sure the career move was the right step for me. The Simmance Partnership is not just another recruitment firm, it really is a personal, professional service and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to both clients and candidates alike, both would be lucky to have Steve and the team involved in their next recruitment.
H. Cherry
I felt that I was kept informed, and my expectations were managed with clear and concise information. I also valued that both of you took the time to provide me with feedback afterwards. It's unfortunate that other recruitment companies within our industry do not feel the need to offer this same level of engagement, but I would look upon this as an opportunity for Simmance. Thank you for restoring my confidence that there are still companies that take the time to speak to potential candidates and see if they are a match for the recruitment brief, instead of relying on the computer to make the match.
L. Martin
I thoroughly enjoyed working with Steve and the team at The Simmance Partnership during my recent recruitment process. Steve has enormous experience and a deep understanding of his clients. He’s a straight talker and a great coach. Overall, I found his support invaluable. Highly recommended! Thanks so much to you both for all your support!!
L.Hill
My experience with Steve and the team at The Simmance Partnership has been exceptional and I can not speak highly of the business and everyone involved in helping build my career, Steve and his colleagues are relentless in helping find opportunities for growth and development. For them, it is not about finding lots of opportunities but the right opportunities and Steve helps coach and guide you in achieving success with each and every application. Their knowledge of the businesses they work with and the FMCG industry is superb and gives you confidence in the opportunities that are presented. The advice and support provided is second to none and the determination to land the right role for career development shows that they were you to succeed in business. When I have not been successful in some applications, the feedback has been detailed and there are opportunities for further coaching to be successful in the next application. By trusting The Simmance Partnership I knew it wouldn't be long before I found the right role for my needs and my career progression, and I couldn't be happier with the result.
N.Metcalfe
I would like to thank you all for such a positive and smooth process this has been. I am very excited to be joining Tims Dairy in this capacity.
G.Burkohl
The process of changing roles could have been stressful and unnerving. Working with Steve helped to remove this. I found him genuine and easy to talk to, and he helped me feel prepared and informed at each stage of the process. This made making my final decision significantly easier and focused on the elements that mattered for my future.
M. Wickham
It was a pleasure to work with Steve and team. From the point they made contact with me until I accepted the role, they were extremely professional, helpful and informative. I think it is refreshing that they genuinely had all parties best interests at heart and it was straightforward and transparent for all.
S.Dick
Steve and the team and Simmance were brilliant from start to finish. Regular communication and honest feedback made Simmance stand out compared with other agencies I had worked with. In today’s more competitive environment, any constructive feedback is essential when looking for the perfect role and whether it’s the right fit for you. Thanks again and will use you again and recommend you to colleagues.
P. Davies
Steve is not only a highly efficient connector but a savvy adviser for clients and candidates. Thorough in his evaluation process and transparent in his communication, you can count on him to close the deal.
C.Naumann
As a candidate, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Steve and the team at Simmance! I felt incredibly supported and heard throughout the process, and was kept in the loop at every stage, always knowing where I stood. As well as this, I felt Steve took the time to understand me as a candidate and made sure the role and company were right for me, and vice versa. Could not recommend more!
J. Toohey
Steve Simmance is not a typical recruiter. Steve takes a really considered approach to find the right match for his client and also for the candidate, not just assessing the CV but really seeing the individual - I felt in safe hands. The process has been efficient with great communication from Steve and also the wider team. I would not hesitate to recommend The Simmance Partnership.
A.Difonzo-Geake
Steve Simmance and his team have been great to work with. I felt well-represented throughout the interview process and would highly recommend working with Steve and his team.
V.Taylor
I have been fortunate enough to work with The Simmance Partnership as a candidate on two occasions and I can’t recommend Steve, and his team, highly enough! Steve’s knowledge, guidance and professional integrity is unparalleled. As a candidate, you receive an individual service that makes you feel like you’re part of a collaborative and high-performing team. There is constant communication, prompt follow-ups, the sharing of industry knowledge and insight, and support throughout the entire recruitment process. On a personal note, it is clear that The Simmance Partnership is built on human connection. Steve, Catherine and Debbie are an absolute pleasure to work with and orchestrated a smooth and enjoyable recruitment experience in both instances. A refreshing and liberating recruitment experience!
D.M.Carr
Steve is THE man when it comes to a human approach to recruiting in the FMCG world. He seems to have the trust & the ear of recruiters in the most prestigious companies and knows about so many relevant Sr. Management roles that suited my interests. I think it comes from the fact that he cares & has a genuine interest in people's careers and understand companies’ true expectations. Thus, I strongly recommend him to candidates, employers and future employees.
A. Domange
I’m delighted to recommend Steve and The Simmance Partnership. Absolutely trustworthy, reliable and responsive, I’ve found the team a pleasure to deal with. Steve’s expert advice has been invaluable in guiding the recent part of my career, counselling me through difficult decisions, whilst also offering honest and pragmatic support.
J. Mulvey
Steve is excellent at securing opportunities and connecting people to the right team. I was impressed that Steve made the effort to understand the needs properly and then very quickly had some great proposals on the table. I find him and his team very professional and highly efficient.
TT. He
It was an absolute pleasure working with Steve. Throughout my recruitment process he was helpful and honest and the role was a perfect fit. Highly recommend!
J. Enright
I’d highly recommend The Simmance Partnership. Steve and his team are highly personable and incredibly professional. Steve took the time to understand me as an individual. He quickly ascertained what my key skills were, my ambitions and what work environment I would thrive in. He made useful suggestions with regard to my CV. I felt suitably prepared and ready and excited for my first interview. Post-interview I felt well looked after, I was provided with helpful feedback and felt supported throughout the entire process. I was really nervous about reaching out to a ‘recruiter’ but The Simmance Partnership is more than that. By having honest conversations I actually learnt a lot about myself throughout the process.
D. McDonald
It was an absolute pleasure working with Steve and his team. He's professional and charming, quick to respond, extremely thorough and focused on the task in hand. I'm very happy in the role he approached me for and am very grateful for the support.
A Ferrer
Fast result is the phrase that comes to mind with Steve. In less than 2 months from my first call with Steve & The Simmance Partnership, we had secured a role, in line with my career path in a new industry and country. Steve takes his time to understand his clients' current and future career and/or hiring requirements while sharing concrete industry knowledge and advice. He looks for a win-win position between prospective employees and employers and stays in touch with clients even after services are rendered to ensure they are happy with their choices. It was a pleasure working with Steve and The Simmance Partnership, and I would highly recommend for recruitment needs.
B. Akintewe
I had the pleasure of dealing with Steve & The Simmance Partnership recently to secure me a new role. Steve is very experienced so understood the next role and company I was looking for from the start . We had numerous conversations and face to face meetings to be able to connect on a personal level. Steve knows his clients business in depth and is in direct contact with the hiring manager and HR so is able to get to timely decisions during interview and contract negotiations. Connecting on a personal level in terms of being realistic, programmatic, straight talking and letting me make the decisions on next steps made the whole process of finding a new role seamless and actually quite enjoyable. Thanks Steve and the team.
R. Green
Steve and his team are excellent to work with. We have worked on several projects together and each time it was approached with great professionalism, drive and detail. Steve has great industry knowledge, boundless energy, sound integrity and an engaging style. He has a real skill for putting round pegs in round.
A. Dixon
Steve Simmance and The Simmance Partnership worked tirelessly to help me get my career going in the right direction. Recognising the skills and abilities that I had gained from outside the Food and Drink Industry, Steve and the team were able to recommend me and coach me for the right job and guided me diligently.
N. Metcalfe
I have known Steve for over 15 years and his knowledge, pragmatism and honesty have supported me to make several career changing moves. His communication, follow up and advice as both a candidate and a client have been invaluable.
J. Burbage
Highly professional and really efficient! Thanks Steve- would definitely recommend!
C. Collingwood
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For many years, the UK subsidiary of the global dairy business has been hard at work to maintain growth and be a credible voice in the yogurt and RTD coffee categories, with famous names such as Onken and Café Latte. Our first encounter with the MD led to the trial recruitment of a NAM. Success bred success and since that appointment almost 10 years ago, we have become the voice and authority in recruitment for roles on the SLT, appointing the Heads of Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain. Our track record of success led to a few more marketing appointments, naturally giving rise to a much-valued, mutual partnership as client and recruiter in the search for talent. Today we work with Emmi UK on both senior and middle management vacancies. A truly interdependent relationship continues.
Steve and team are my go-to recruitment company when it comes to finding Leadership talent on either a permanent or interim basis. He understands the purpose of our business and our core values which makes the selection process so much more effective. I have always been impressed with the candidates he has presented to us and am pleased to have them on my team and on our journey to create the best dairy moments for generations to come.
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For the best part of 12 years, we have enjoyed a close working relationship with the Amar business and family members of the Board. The mutual respect brings us to the sensation of being an extension of that family. In turn, the intimacy attracts a dedication and commitment by us to always deliver against every brief, ensuring we are adding to the gene pool of great people in the company today. To date, we have successfully appointed commercial Board members, and handfuls of talented Sales & Marketing Management, at varying levels in the hierarchy. There is every likelihood we will continue our much-prized relationship as the company grows in financial strength year after year. Success breeds success.
We have worked with The Simmance Partnership for three years on a number of assignments across a range of functions, and different levels of seniority. Steve has taken the time to understand our business and each specific brief to provide a good selection of candidates through his extensive network and industry knowledge, with many of these successful hires still part of our team.
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Our first dialogue in 2019 led to an initial mission to find a talented Brand Manager. Mizkan Euro had appointed a Head of Marketing with plans to increase headcount and upskill the existing marketing team. The success of our first assignment led to a further eight appointments, ranging in a variety of roles such as Brand Manager, Senior Brand Manager, Marketing Manager, Digital Community Manager, and NPD. We were then introduced to the sales function and, in a similar fashion, successfully fulfilled a healthy handful of NAM roles across various routes to market, culminating in the recent appointment of a Sales Director. The relationship is one built on true mutual respect for one another’s business, their trust in our ability to attract and appoint real talent and remain consistent in our services and commitment since the beginning, over the last four years now. The relationship grows from strength to strength.
The Simmance Partnership have been fantastic partners in helping to build our Commercial talent. They spent time to really understand our vision, needs and culture, which helped pull together a strong candidate list, meant the process was really efficient, and ultimately brought in the right talent. We look forward to continuing our partnership, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to others.
Bryan Carroll, Sales & Marketing Director
Steve and his team at The Simmance Partnership have helped me enormously in several recruitment projects, whilst building my team across different profiles and seniority levels. Their knowledge of UK Talent is strong across all marketing structure grades. Steve comprehensively and clearly understood the challenge and the candidate profiles I needed to recruit around me. His approach was very thorough from the initial screening to presentation of strong candidates for every role. This made the overall process very efficient.
Vanni Cataldi, Marketing Director
So, you can be sure that we will delve deeper than most, get to know you better, ask searching questions and challenge the status quo. But crucially, our approach will never hold things up. We know that recruitment can sometimes be one of the most frustrating experiences for a business and sometimes one of the most painful.
We always act quickly, we always strive to make the experience enjoyable and we always deliver results.
Above all, we are proud of what we do.
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The revolution of a new category in CBD-based health & beauty products led to the arrival of a start-up in the UK. Backed by an exceptional Board of Directors, the mission was to build an entire commercial team across sales, marketing, and supply chain functions. This included both retail and pharmaceutical divisions, two entirely separate subsidiaries. We were appointed by the Chairman to advise on the design of a structure and begin the recruitment of a Commercial Director (now MD) in tandem with the team beneath. More than a dozen appointments were made, culminating in a stellar collective of classically trained commercial specialists, all of whom found a compelling reason to join a new brand, new category, and a start-up venture. The epitome of a partnership ensues.
In my capacity as Chairman in the start-up venture of Cannaray it was apparent our growth model was going to need exceptional people to support the launch and rapid expansion of the business. I turned to the team at The Simmance Partnership who I have known, and worked with, on several occasions over the past 20 years. Led by Steve, the team always bring tried and tested methods, creative thinking, and seamless execution to complement our needs around attracting and securing truly brilliant people.
Steve is a fixer; give him a people challenge, and he’ll present the right solution. He will deliver time and again at pace. I have always enjoyed the result of his thorough work, but also Steve’s profound knowledge of the FMCG marketplace. He especially knows where to find the best people, to woo and wow them to our doorstep.
There are many enthusiastic amateurs in recruitment, only a few are experts like The Simmance Partnership. The team always delight me with their results.
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Having dealt with Steve and the team for over 30 years as both candidate and client I now exclusively turn to The Simmance Partnership for all my sales and marketing recruitment. Their knowledge of the European FMCG market is 2nd to none, Steve and the team have always listened to my needs and continued to deliver accurately against our briefs. Over the years their headhunting has been 2nd to none and their quality of candidates has allowed me to build several successful businesses.
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The Simmance Partnership have become our go-to recruitment partner for all commercial hires. Steve is great at taking the time to really understand what we are looking for and not afraid to challenge our thinking to help make sure we get the right person. Steve appears to have a great candidate base and I particularly like the way he narrows down the shortlist and uses an online video tool to help ensure we only bring genuine contenders in for interview thus bringing pace and purpose to the process. As an SME with a relatively small commercial population it is crucial we get things right and we keep going back to Steve because he has consistently helped us hire well both in terms of raw talent and cultural fit.
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The Simmance Partnership has guided us through recruitment projects offering a cocktail of insight, inspiration and motivation. Steve is, of course, successful in managing the fundamentals of recruitment and when that is combined with his wide knowledge of our world and his great contacts, it gives him an edge
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Working with The Simmance Partnership is a pleasure. Their understanding of the FMCG market is outstanding meaning time and again they have found us strong senior talent for challenging international briefs. We expect high standards; they have presented exceptional shortlists and delivered and executed with 100% success. I would not hesitate to recommend Steve and his team.
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It was clear from my first interaction with Steve and his team that we had chosen the right partner for our recruitment needs. Their rigorous approach and responsiveness to our feedback allowed us to accelerate with pace through the recruitment process. Steve’s brings a wealth of valuable experience to the table and helped greatly in screening and selecting suitable candidates for interview stage. This was evidenced by the time he took to understand our business, category and job spec. We look forward to working with The Simmance Partnership for our future Sales and Marketing needs.
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The Simmance Partnership has become a valued and long term recruitment partner to Freixenet UK. They consistently provide candidates who are the right fit. Steve and his team are able to achieve this through their understanding of our business and people combined with their own recruitment intuition.
The Simmance Partnership don’t just take a brief, they are able and willing to challenge our thinking with the intention of ensuring we get what we really want. Everyone who has joined Freixenet via The Simmance Partnership has both performed and integrated well.
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We acquired SlimFast from Unilever without any human capital. We quickly needed to engage the services of a reputable UK FMCG Executive recruitment organisation and during our search The Simmance Partnership was the name repeatedly recommended to us.
No sooner had we met Steve we realised we were in capable and experienced hands. From the very outset, Steve demonstrated he knows the UK Talent Pool, like no other. He engaged with us quickly, showed us an energy and agility to make things happen at pace – all of which we needed to create an entire team from scratch. Steve is refreshingly different to his counterparts within the recruitment community. He is not afraid to challenge preconceptions, and we have been singularly impressed by his profound knowledge as he has pioneered our recruitment journey and attracted and landed a top Executive Leadership Team and their reports, those who may not have ordinarily considered our start up opportunity in the UK as a leading US Private Equity enterprise.
Thanks to Steve and his team, their profound knowledge of the FMCG market, and a relentless determination to succeed as a ‘Founding Partner’ we have been up and running in record time.
Thank you Steve and your team . . . a great job, perfectly executed!
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The Simmance Partnership and I have worked together on and off for over 20 years and I will always have them on my preferred supplier list no matter which company I am working for.
The fact that they are small means that you basically get Steve running every search himself and that’s great as Steve is a fantastic recruiter. Over the years Steve has recruited roles for me in various functions and sectors and always delivers.
Important for me is that Steve and the team are always fun to work with and I treat them as part of my extended HR team.
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Steve and the team at The Simmance Partnership have been a great partner to us in our resourcing needs. They bring a high level of market knowledge, a passion for helping finding exactly the right candidate for the brief and are always reliable, professional and focussed in the service they offer.
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I work with private equity backed businesses as Non Executive Chairman. It is often part of my remit to strengthen the Sales and Marketing teams at which point I turn to Steve (The Simmance Partnership) for advice on the best structure, whether to look to full time employees or professional interim support, and then proceed to recruitment ... usually under time pressure. Steve has consistently delivered for me.
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I have appointed The Simmance Partnership as my ‘go to’ recruitment partner over many years, in both the context of Executive Selection and as business adviser. The thoroughness of their research methods combined with a close attention to detail on all candidate matters has enabled excellent briefs to be put together, which in turn has led to great people appointments for my businesses. My recommendation for them is unconditional
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Steve and his team are incredibly thorough, rigorous and precise in all they do, ensuring that the candidate brief is accurate and detailed. This ensures that at all stages the recruitment process is methodical and efficient for both client and candidate as ultimately his reputation is at stake at all times.
From the detail and accuracy in the reports he produces on the candidates, through to the feedback that is provided, Steve and his team ensure that we will find the right candidate each time and not have to make compromises or second guess suitability for the role.
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Steve and the team at The Simmance Partnership have a deep and detailed knowledge of the drinks industry in the UK and this provided us with a significant advantage in finding the right candidates. From the very first moment we started the search process to completing and agreeing for the new person to join - Steve and his team were always offering value and insight that helped us make the correct decisions.
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For me it's about the lifetime of experience and relationship building combined with Steve's long term approach to recruitment that counts.
We’ve known each other and worked together for over 20 years and every time recruitment is mentioned Steve is top of mind as one of the UK’s prominent FMCG recruiters and trusted advisors when it comes to judging people. He is very well networked with the best candidates and his business is without doubt a serious player in recruitment.
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I work with private equity backed businesses as Non Executive Chairman. It is often part of my remit to strengthen the Sales and Marketing teams at which point I turn to Steve (The Simmance Partnership) for advice on the best structure, whether to look to full time employees or professional interim support, and then proceed to recruitment ... usually under time pressure. Steve has consistently delivered for me.
Guided by the candid approach of Steve Simmance, who has been an FMCG recruiter for over 25 years, we provide a true counterbalance to the norm, encouraging transparency and reality, factors so often missing in our industry today.
