With its swift rise in students, MVA faced a pressing need to scale its HQ operations effectively to support demand, especially for specialised roles that align with its educational mission. They had gone through a recruitment process internally as well as with an external agent but a suitable candidate who blended with their vision and culture was not found.

Solution
While exploring contacts in the EdTech world ISL Talent, were introduced to MVA's challenge to fill an LMS Coordinator role. Recognising their needs to have a trusted talent partner who could find a candidate with the right skills and experience in a timely manner, we proposed the Base_Down (retained) model. The model is designed to ensure transparent fees, efficient timelines, and a candidate-centric approach. Within five weeks, we secured an ideal candidate, meeting MVA’s expectations in quality and timing.

To strengthen our relationship further, we invited Hugh, MVA’s CEO, to our EdTech Business Leaders Lunch in London. This event enabled him to connect with other industry leaders, discuss shared challenges, and build valuable partnerships. At this gathering, we discussed an upcoming need for a Finance Manager position at MVA. Given our recent success, we used the Base_Down model again, filling this essential role within three weeks.

Agreeing a retained model allowed ISL Talent to launch co-branded advertising and draw in a candidate pool who truly believed in MVA’s mission to provide alternative and accessible education. Through extensive review and qualification, we were able to ensure the two candidates placed had a deep understanding of the importance of the mission and are personally invested in the success and growth of the company.