Spotlight on... Georgie Cash - Senior Consultant in Health and Beauty

Georgie Cash is a Senior Consultant who recruits for the consumer and retail market where she specialises in health, beauty and lifestyle brands across ANZ and Asia Pacific. Based on the Gold Coast, Georgie works mostly with mid to senior level and leadership roles across digital and e-commerce, marketing, sales and even new product development (NPD). Some of these roles vary depending on the level and the function, anything from Online Managers, Digital Marketing or Social Media Managers, CRM managers, (a role that has increased in demand most recently) NPD and Innovation Managers to Head of e-commerce, Global Head of Sales, Marketing Director and even CMO roles.

Georgie shares her insights into the Health, Beauty and Lifestyle market, her role and what it’s like to work for CSG Talent.

What makes the health and beauty industry such an exciting industry to be recruiting in?

The Health and Beauty sectors are very much at the forefront of innovation, there is a lot of research and science that goes on behind the scenes with these brands to get them to market. Some are innovators within their field and it is fascinating to be able to learn about this every day. I have a genuine interest and passion for beauty and wellness, being a consumer myself in the space makes it exciting to work within these industries.

This might sound cliché but it really is the people that make my role so interesting. Not only do I feel I can relate to them, I enjoy getting to know the people, they are all so talented and there is a real mix of personalities that just inspire me. I enjoy learning about what they do and everything that they want to achieve. Knowing that I can help them potentially change their lives with a new job is really fulfilling to me, a job is so much more than just money, it is their well-being, work-life balance, future opportunities and impacts their family’s lives too. It is nice to know you’re helping someone to achieve their dream life through the right role.

What challenges do businesses currently face within the health and beauty industry?

I’m seeing two key challenges facing most organisations around the size of the business and location. There are challenges in finding the right people who know how to operate within different business structures. Smaller SME brands need people who can work within an agile environment, people who are quite hands-on and are not shy to help the business across different areas, such as admin tasks, that they may not necessarily have had to do before. You’ll find a lot of people coming from larger organisations often have a big team around them and they aren’t used to wearing multiple hats or being as hands on because they have larger head counts. This works the other way round too where bigger global and national brands need someone who understands the processes within an organisation of that scale, so people coming from innovative, fast-growing brands may not necessarily have the experience of these principles or processes required to keep up with a lot of these bigger brands. However, businesses are becoming increasingly open minded and it is good to see them considering talent based on the candidate’s willingness to adapt.  

Considering location and work arrangements, I see a lot of candidates, coming off the back of COVID, being very set on working a certain number of days from home versus in the office. A lot of businesses in my industry are open to hybrid working and have always offered flexibility but generally they do want people in the office a bit more to encourage a social culture and it’s been a challenge to find that balance.

What are the main motivations for candidates within this space?

I’m seeing a lot of candidates getting to the point in their careers where they’re not being challenged anymore. They are wanting something that’s going to further develop them and continue their progression. I think in this market particularly there is so much innovation and so many new brands emerging that are making strong footsteps in the market, as an example I see a lot of candidates that are wanting to move away from established brands and take on the challenge of start-ups and being part of a new brand story.

Ultimately candidates are wanting to be challenged, which is quite good actually, they are very ambitious and don’t like getting too comfortable. They generally find that if they are just going through the motions or they’ve learnt all they can and there’s no further progression from there, they will look for new opportunities.

What roles are in demand within the industry currently?

Definitely digital roles around e-commerce, digital marketing, CRM and loyalty programs are in high demand at the moment. COVID caused the whole industry to rethink its approach to traditional retail marketing and sales initiatives which led to a huge shift to a more online focused retail approach. Businesses have needed to quickly grow their digital talent teams to keep up with demand and the changing needs in the market.

How does your approach to recruitment make you stand out from others operating within the health, beauty and lifestyle sector?

It’s a combination of my own interests and my professional experience. I have worked with global consumer brands in FMCG and in SME National consumer brands in both sales and marketing roles, so I have a real understanding of how these types of businesses operate at different scales and the teams needed within them. I’ve also had my own business so I have an understanding of the nature of start-ups and the entrepreneurial world, especially the strengths required to grow in these types of businesses.

With this experience I can relate to most businesses and what they need. I also spent several years in London recruiting across the UK, the US and now APAC and ANZ region so I’ve seen and worked with a diverse range of clients, candidates and cultures. This global knowledge and expertise have really shaped the way that I operate. I understand there is no one size fits all approach. I take on each assignment, each business and each person with an empathic, tailored approach.

One of my points of difference is that I create long lasting relationships with clients, I think it’s just a matter of showing them that you understand their needs and their business by asking the right questions and learning all the ins and outs of the business. I take the time to get to know the people, the culture and the company’s own plans including their short- and long-term goals. By doing this you feel you are a part of the business and are working with them rather than just for them.

What makes CSG Talent successful and stand out from other executive search firms?

CSG Talent are a global organisation and this gives us an advantage as we have worldwide coverage. We also cover every market possible with consultants who specialise within niche areas, we’re not generalists, we’re experts in our industries. We also have the flexibility to tailor our approach by understanding that there is no one size-fits-all and we have the ability to personalise services to suit the client and their needs.

I feel quite fortunate to have the flexibility to be based here and still look after my clients across ANZ and the wider APAC region. At CSG Talent we have a team of really talented individuals who are specialised in their areas, everyone is supportive and inclusive of each other. I think a lot of that stems from our leadership, in particular our Director Chris Newsham who is forward thinking and adaptable. Our business is agile and changes with the market. It just creates a culture that’s really enjoyable to work for and it also makes working remotely doable.

What does an average day/week look like for you?

I’m a working mum so day care drop off is the first thing I do to start my day and it’s great I have a job that doesn’t question that. Once the kids are all organised, I can tackle the day and no day is ever the same. Depending on what assignments I’m working on and how many I’ve got on at the time, it’s definitely a mix of client meetings, speaking to candidates across various roles, headhunting   through a number of search channels and speaking with counterparts within our team such as marketing and resourcers. My days are really diverse which I love as it keeps me on my toes.

How would you describe the culture at CSG Talent

From day one the culture has been super supportive. Everyone is friendly and fun, with a few comedians in the team, but also everyone is really hard working; everyone puts in the hard yards. Our team are all there to perform and help each other to do their best. It's really nice to be a part of and it's also very motivating.

To explore in more detail the areas of recruitment CSG Talent operate within;

- Health and Beauty: click here

- Retail: click here

- Consumer Packaged Goods: click here

Alternatively, if you're considering a new opportunity and have recruitment experience, please explore our careers page here.

To get in touch in with Georgie Cash, view her profile here or contact: georgie.cash@csgtalent.com.au