Background: Sudden Staff Absence Threatening Operational Continuity
A leading UK logistics company providing transport solutions and palletised freight distribution needed urgent support in its purchase ledger team to maintain continuity of supplier payments and day-to-day operations.
The Challenge
A key member of the Purchase Ledger team was on extended sick leave with no confirmed return date. Continuity of supplier payments and ledger management was under threat, creating a risk of operational disruption and reputational damage.
The business needed a fast turnaround solution within days, not weeks, to avoid gaps in critical financial processes. Flexibility was also essential – the interim cover had to adapt depending on the permanent employee’s eventual return.
How Headstar Stepped In
Headstar moved quickly, delivering a seamless, same-week solution to ensure the business didn’t face disruption:
- Took the client’s call on a Thursday afternoon, quickly assessing the impact of the absence and defining the candidate skills and experience needed.
- Drew on our established transactional finance network to identify candidates with proven purchase ledger experience who were immediately available.
- Identified the strongest candidate and arranged an interview for Friday morning, giving the client the ability to make a confident and fast decision.
- Managed the full end-to-end recruitment process from CV submission through to interview logistics, ensuring the candidate was fully prepared to begin work without delay.
The Impact
- 24-hour turnaround – The candidate was interviewed and offered within a single day of the initial call.
- Zero downtime – The new hire started on Monday, ensuring continuity of purchase ledger operations.
- Built-in flexibility – The client retained the option to extend or release the temp resource as needed.
- Uninterrupted operations – Supplier payments and day-to-day finance processes carried on smoothly throughout.
Reflections from the Headstar Team
“The client called us on Thursday, we had someone interviewed on Friday, and they started on Monday. Because we’re speaking to candidates in the market day-in-day-out, we knew exactly who could do the job. It was a quick, straightforward solution that kept their purchase ledger processes running without any issues.”
Matt Swift, Consultant, Headstar
Find Out More
To discover how Headstar’s interim and transactional finance recruitment solutions can help you maintain continuity and resilience in your finance function, get in touch with our team today.
