Director of Strategy, Marketing, Public Relations Candidate Analysis

This report presents an analysis of three candidates for the Director of Strategy, Marketing, and Public Relations position at Bia Blasta Snacks. The company, facing fluctuating sales, aims to appoint a leader to drive strategic growth. The report outlines key selection criteria, including qualifications, leadership abilities, marketing knowledge, and risk tolerance. Each candidate—Arthur McLoughlin, Ciara Canavan, and Angela Redmond—is evaluated based on these criteria, with detailed scoring and justifications provided. The report also identifies elements not considered in the selection process, such as age and marital status. Ultimately, the report aims to identify the best-fit candidate to lead the company's strategic initiatives, marketing efforts, and public relations, offering insights into their strengths and weaknesses based on their experience and skills.

Leadership and Management

Cover content
• Executive summary
• Key criteria
• Elements not consider while selection
• Score of candidates
• Best fit candidate
• Vision, Mission and values of company
• Suggestion for development plan
• References

Executive summary
Bia Blasta Snacks is engaged in number of business activities such as;
manufacturing, marketing and distributing snacks foods in Ireland and UK as
well. But in coming time period, sales of an organization is fluctuating which
resultant into declining over past few years. Thus, company is getting
enforced to obtain new emerging markets for improving their conditions. As a
result, Board of Directors and CEO have created a new position of Director of
strategy, Marketing and Public relations.

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Therefore, company have identified three major candidates for this position by
analysing their leadership, managerial experience and strong credentials.
Although, all the three have gone through lengthy conversation with HR
director in September. Hence, main objective of this presentation is to identify
best fit individual for the position of Director of Strategy, Marketing and
Public relations by considering necessary elements. Mainly, whole
presentation will cover indispensable information about three of the
candidates by comparing them with each other in better manner.

Key criteria of selection
Leader of strategy designer, marketing and maintaining public relations must
have multiple talented by having sharp mind in order to make quick decision.
In fact, a person must have the quality of managing resources which is
available at workplace by satisfying the needs of customers as well as
employees too. It means, high range of experience is requisite for this position
due to availability of lots of responsibility which are not easy to handle or
manage.

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Therefore, some of the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes for Director
of Strategy, Marketing and Public relations are-
Key skills,
knowledge
and
attributes
Justification Rate
Must have
necessary
qualificatio
n and
experience.
If a person is not having qualification or experience then
he/she is not go for further procedure in selection criteria. It
means, eligibility of a candidate is foremost skill that is
required for this position.
15

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Capabili
ty of
acting as
a CEO
or
director
There are few people who is not having the way of director living,
way of talking and its overall personality for attracting others
towards their position. In fact, staff members respect the position
which is gain by an individual with their personality which is
required for candidate.
10
Must
have
knowled
ge and
understa
nding of
marketin
g and
retailing.
If a person is going to direct or lead the marketing team of an
organization than he/she must know the meaning of marketing for
making effective plan in order to attain certain objectives.
10

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Must aware
and
understandin
g about the
technique of
strategy
designing
Business activities are totally based on the strategy which is designed
by top leaders. Therefore, candidate must know the technique of
making strategy for assisting entire staff members towards specified
target.
10
Need to have
knowledge
about public
relations and
it’s significant
for
organization.
Customers play a major role in the success of an organization because
they are responsible for final consumption of product. Thus, it is
essential for organization to maintain positive relations with whole
society for improving their goodwill as well as enhance sale
performance by seeking attention of distinct clients.
10

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Requisite to
have
perfect
knowledge
about
company’s
market.
Before conducting any business activities or operations an
individual needs to learn about the company’s market for
designing their strategy as per current situations. In fact, this
will help in gaining competitive advantage at marketplace by
satisfying customer needs and demands.
10
Be a
pathfinder
by having a
clear vision.
Every director needs to have a clear vision for assisting their
subordinates towards set objectives. In fact, by having clear
vision leaders can easily attain set targets in a defined time
frame.
10

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Risk
toleran
t.
Business is all about uncertainty which is faced by company in
their current phase. As sales performance of an association is
totally getting decline. Therefore, if a person is having a capability
of tolerating risk then he/she can move forward in their life and
might solve the issues which are faced by company.
10
Ability
of
develop
ing new
market
s.
Bia Blasta Snacks is making plans for developing their markets in
order to move into new market for attaining their set objectives.
Therefore, candidate has to knowledge about the method of
enhancing new market for achieving their set sales targets.
5

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Be a leader instead of
micro manager.
Post of Strategy, Marketing
and Public relation director
is really a very tough job
because of lots of
responsibilities is attached
to this position. Therefore,
person must have a
leadership quality because
he/she have to deal with
large number of employees.
5

Elements not consider while
selection
Elements which is not consider during
selection
Justification/reason/why
Age Age is not the reason for rejection
because knowledge, skills and talent
comes from experience or studies
instead of age. In fact, if a person is
broad minded and curious to learn
number of things than he/she must
have capability of handling an
association

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Gender In this modern world, women’s and men’s are equally treated at workplace
and societal place because females are more talented than males. In fact,
there is no discrimination on the basis of gender because talent is a part of
a person which not comes on the basis of gender.
Marital
status
Marriage is not at all considered as a factor of rejection because it’s a
personal life of an individual which is totally different from a person
professional life.

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Having children or not Same as marriage, having children or not is also a part
of personal life which never being a part of
professional. Therefore, judgment on this base is
really ridiculous.
Background Talent of a person will use in the business instead of
their background. Therefore, this element is also not
going to use at all in the success of an organization.

Score of candidates
Arthur McLoughlin
Key
skills,
knowledg
e and
attributes
Rate
out
of
Rat
ings
Justification
Must have
necessary
qualificati
on and
experienc
e.
15 15 Arthur McLoughlin have worked with BBS Foods from
past five years and having a positive image for being a
very bright and successful first class honours in his
studies. Moreover, he have completed a primary a degree
in Marketing at University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
Along with this, he is having experience in various other
programme as a Brand Manager and gain number of
knowledge which is beneficial for him while performing
as Director of Strategy, Marketing and Public relations.

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Capability
of acting as
a CEO or
director
10 9 He have already worked as a head of various programmes
and acted as a top most leader due to which he is fully
aware about the capability of CEO.
Must have
knowledge
and
understandi
ng of
marketing
and
retailing.
10 8 He was worked in Marketing Institute of Ireland and also
represent Ireland on Board of European Federation of
Marketing associations which proves that he is having a
almost knowledge about marketing.

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Must aware
and
understanding
about the
technique of
strategy
designing
10 9 His performance and way of presenting various
business presentation shows that he is really having
knowledge about the technique of designing effective
strategy.
Need to have
knowledge about
public relations
and it’s
significant for
organization.
10 9 By working in large organization with maximum
number of staff members he also get aware about the
technique of cooperating with other individuals. In fact,
positive reviews of other staff members shows that he
know about the technique of marinating public relations
too.

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Requisite to have
perfect knowledge
about company’s
market.
15 14 His sharp minded answer and way of answering
things in presentation shows his overall knowledge
about markets.
Be a pathfinder by
having a clear
vision.
10 9 From the starting of his life he knows that he have
to involve in business and marketing by putting
100% efforts shows his clear vision.

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Ability of
developing
new markets.
10 9 By taking part of various projects, it has been
analysed that Arthur is having an ability of taking
risk.
Be a leader
instead of
micro
manager.
5 5 Lead several of large team which shows his
leadership quality.
Risk
tolerant.
5 4 He was already involved in number of successful
projects through which he have learnt numerous of
things.

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Ciara Canavan
Must have
necessary
qualification and
experience.
15 13 Worked in BBS food for 15 years and joined
the company after completing her MBA at
Harvard Business School. She worked as
Assistant Accounts Manager and finance
controller for continental European Division
of business, manager of research and
development.

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Capability of acting
as a CEO or director
10 9 Worked as a Assistant Accounts Manager, Financial
Controller for continental European Division of
business and Manager of research shows capability
of CEO.
Must have knowledge
and understanding of
marketing and
retailing.
10 6 She is a part of finance and worked as chartered
accountant due to which not having that much
knowledge about marketing and retailing.
Must aware and
understanding about
the technique of
strategy designing
10 7 Accountant manager are always deals in funds,
capital and assets. Thus, somehow they are aware
about the strategy but related marketing is little bit
different which create problem for her in making
plans for marketing.

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Need to have
knowledge
about public
relations and it’s
significant for
organization.
10 8 As an accountant manager, she is also having
knowledge about maintaining positive relations with
customers and employees too. As she get engaged in
several activities which is related with public
connectivity.
Requisite to
have perfect
knowledge
about
company’s
market.
15 14 By taking part in various activities and full knowledge
about the accountant process of an organization, she
also aware about the company information. In fact, if a
person is working in a finance department, she must
aware about the facts or figures of organization. For
example; liabilities, assets, funds, reserves, debentures,
bonds and so many things.
Be a pathfinder
by having a
clear vision.
10 8 Every leader have their vision and person being a
successful with their straight target only.

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Risk tolerant. 10 9 As a part of finance and research department she
is having an ability of taking long and short term
risk.
Ability of
developing new
markets.
5 3 She was gone for a maternity leave due to which
somehow her knowledge upon market get faded.
Be a leader
instead of micro
manager.
5 4 As a research head and accountant manager, she
knows the abilities of leader

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Angela Redmond
Must have
necessary
qualification and
experience.
15 15 CEO of small company named as choconoux
which engaged in selling luxurious goods.
Hence, if she works as CEO then must have all
the necessary qualification that is requisite for
the position of director
Capability of
acting as a CEO
or director
10 10 She has already worked as CEO which shows
that she has full knowledge about this criteria.

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Must have
knowledge and
understanding of
marketing and
retailing.
10 9 Angela worked with her partner as a sales
representative and maximizes their sales
performance up to 30%.
Must aware and
understanding about
the technique of
strategy designing
10 9 Already worked as business partners and deal in
several retails activities shows her knowledge
about strategy designing.
Need to have
knowledge about
public relations and
it’s significant for
organization.
10 10 Her success by working as a sales representative
shows the knowledge about public connectivity
and ability to deal with customers.

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Requisite to
have perfect
knowledge
about
company’s
market.
15 14 Dealing in various markets and company as well as works
as a partner of several retail company shows that she must
have knowledge about company’s market.
Be a
pathfinder by
having a clear
vision.
10 8 As a CEO she is having a clear vision for her life and
acting on it by involving in various projects.
Risk tolerant. 10 9 By getting involved in number of assignment shows that
she is now having an ability of taking risk.

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Ability of
developing new
markets.
5 3 She get succeeded in diversifying business
and distributed products shows her minor
knowledge about new markets.
Be a leader instead
of micro manager.
5 4 Acting as a CEO and sales representative is
major factor which proves her leadership
quality.

Best fit candidate
Arthur McLoughlin is a best fit person for the position of Director of
Marketing, strategy and public relations due to number of reasons which is
described as follows-
•Represented Ireland of Board of European Federation of Marketing
associations, shows her marketing ability and leadership.

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• Reviews from staff members and people of organization is major example
which proves her capability and way of maintaining public relations.
• Won an internal competition in almost 2016 for rebranding the company is
major factor for proving that he is best fit for the purpose because currently
company wanted to regain their competitive advantages.

Vision, Mission and values of
company
• Vision- Expand their business into Germany, Nordic countries and Austria
within coming two years.
• Mission - Further development in BBS range of snacks, developing range
of chocolate products and exploring healthier as well as sugar-free snacks.
• Values- Trying to acquire greater control in their marketing by portraying
new image at marketplace.

Suggestion for development plan
Throughout the analysis, it has been understood that leaders needs to consider
few other aspects also for enhancing their performance more and more
according to situation.
•Tolerating capability- First or foremost objective for director to must have
high range of patience level for dealing with various types of complex
situations.

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• High level of confidence- For developing the marketing of an
organization, Leaders must have high range of confidence for making
instant decisions by considering necessary facts or figures.
• Improve market knowledge- Arthur requires to gain some current
knowledge for making as per the current need or demand.

References
• Bolden, R., 2016. Leadership, management and organisational
development. In Gower handbook of leadership and management
development (pp. 143-158). Routledge.
• Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014. Quality management for
organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.

Thank You