Livingston James Retained by Independent Living Fund Scotland to Appoint Director of Finance
Livingston James is delighted to be retained by Independent Living Fund to appoint a Director of Finance
Case Study...
Blackwood Homes and Care – Director of Finance and Business Services Appointment
CLIENT
INDUSTRY
Housing and Care
OUR ROLE
Livingston James partnered with Blackwood Homes and Care to support the recruitment of a Director of Finance and Business Services. This was a critical role in Blackwood’s ongoing evolution, focused on providing the strategic financial leadership to drive improved operational performance, commercial success and long-term sustainability.
Context
Blackwood Homes and Care (‘Blackwood’) is a leading provider of accessible housing and care across Scotland, dedicated to enabling people, particularly older individuals and those with disabilities, to live independently through high-quality, person-centred services.
At the time of this assignment, the organisation was undergoing significant change following a regulatory review, with a new Chief Executive and leadership team driving a programme of transformation to strengthen financial management, governance, and long-term sustainability.
The Director of Finance & Business Services was therefore a critical appointment, providing strategic financial leadership, strengthening governance, and supporting robust decision-making at Board and Executive level. The role required a commercially astute, values-driven leader able to combine technical expertise with strategic insight to drive performance and deliver sustainable, mission-aligned growth.
Our Impact
Working closely with Jason MacGilp, Chief Executive and Gillian Longmire, Head of HR & Communications, we scoped the role in detail, ensuring alignment with Blackwood’s strategic priorities and the outcomes set within the Business Plan (2025–2028).
We developed a comprehensive position profile that clearly articulated the organisation’s mission, context and transformation journey, alongside the key priorities and deliverables of the role. The profile also included a welcome video from Jason which was very well received based on candidate feedback provided.
The role profile also ensured the opportunity would resonate with high-calibre candidates motivated by both purpose and the opportunity to directly contribute to Blackwood’s ongoing development and future growth.
The Role
Our focus was on identifying and engaging finance professionals with the credibility, leadership capability, and financial expertise to operate effectively at Executive and Board level. We specifically targeted candidates with strong strategic financial management experience, including the use of financial metrics to inform decision-making, and the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for non-financial stakeholders. Previous experience of leading and managing functions beyond finance was desirable, but not essential.
Beyond technical skills, we prioritised forward-thinking leaders with commercial acumen, strong communication skills, and the ability to act as a trusted strategic partner, driving performance, governance, and long-term sustainability.
Talent Mapping
We built robust and diverse candidate pools through a combination of research-led executive search, targeted network outreach and promotion of the opportunity across social media.
Initially focusing on candidates across the housing and broader voluntary sectors, we also leveraged our extensive finance networks to engage with candidates from the private sector who we knew were actively seeking a new role or had expressed a preference to join a purpose led organisation.
Initial ASSESSMENT PROCESS
These activities resulted in a diverse, high-calibre longlist of 12 candidates, all formally assessed by Livingston James ahead of the shortlist discussion with Blackwood. Given the importance of strong leadership, alignment with Blackwood’s four core values, and the ability to communicate complex financial information to non-financial audiences, and recognising the value of face-to-face assessment, we utilised our standard, rigorous approach of evaluating all candidates against agreed technical and behavioural criteria, rather than relying solely on written applications. Whilst this approach is more time-intensive, we firmly believe it ensured a consistent and robust evaluation process, with only thoroughly assessed, high-quality candidates presented to Blackwood at shortlist stage.
Panel Assessment Process
To support Blackwood’s decision-making, we designed and facilitated a structured final assessment process, comprising a presentation followed by a competency- and values-based interview. We developed a suite of presentation topics and interview questions, enabling the panel to tailor the process while maintaining consistency and rigour.
Early in the campaign, Jason emphasised the importance of strong collaboration between the successful candidate, the Board, senior leadership, and wider teams to foster an inclusive culture. In response, we recommended that shortlisted candidates engage informally with members of the senior management team and their prospective direct reports as part of the process.
This approach added significant value by providing a more rounded and transparent assessment of each candidate evaluating not only technical capability, but also leadership style, cultural alignment, and long-term potential. It ensured the panel had a high level of confidence in the final decision.
The Outcome
Jenni Fairbairn (Director of Finance and Business Services) was successfully appointed and commenced with Blackwood Homes and Care in June 2026.
"
Livingston James was a trusted partner throughout the process, providing valuable insight, expert advice and a high-calibre candidate field. The strength of the shortlist gave us genuine choice and enabled us to make an outstanding appointment with confidence.
Jason MacGilp, Chief Executive
Get in touch
To find out more about this case study and our impact, please contact the following consultants.
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Livingston James Group comprises two bespoke sub brands: Livingston James – our executive search and leadership advisory practice, and Rutherford Cross – our specialist finance recruitment practice. This wider group structure complements our robust search and assessment process, allowing clients to access our deep-rooted network and expertise.
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