CASE_STUDY:
Unity Trust Bank

Unity Trust Bank

COMPANY:

Unity Trust Bank

SECTOR:

Technology & Digital

SPECIALISM:

Banking & Financial Services, Permanent Staffing, SMEโ€™s, Technology & Digital

About

Unity Trust Bank is a financial services organisation providing regulated banking services to the Charity, Not-for-Profit, and Third Sectors. Based in Birmingham, they have a UK-wide reach and are a growing organisation that puts their people at the heart of their strategy.

The Challenge

Unity Trust Bank was in the process of modernising their technology landscape, moving away from legacy infrastructure and towards a cloud-first model. Vivo were brought in to recruit a Head of IT Operations to help lead this change and drive the project forward.

This role was key in helping the bank operate in a more modern way โ€” using technology to improve the customer experience and maintain their position as the top bank in their sector. Previous digital transformation projects had fallen short, mainly because they hadnโ€™t focused enough on the core infrastructure.

Our Results

Vivo delivered a shortlist of five candidates. All five were taken to first stage interviews giving Unity the ability to assess several candidates. Three candidates progressed to second stage, and two were taken through to final stage. Vivo supported the successful candidate through their notice period negotiations, which resulted in them starting within just four weeks โ€” despite having a six-month notice period.

  • All candidates interviewed well and an extra interview stage was added to make the final decision
  • The business gave excellent feedback on the quality of the hire

The Head of IT Operations making a real difference – building a team from scratch, leading the cloud-first transition and helping the bank implement new technology at pace. This has strengthened their position in the market and helped them onboard new customers more effectively.

Vivo delivered a shortlist of five candidates. All five were taken to first stage interviews giving Unity the ability to assess several candidates. Three candidates progressed to second stage, and two were taken through to final stage. Vivo supported the successful candidate through their notice period negotiations, which resulted in them starting within just four weeks โ€” despite having a six-month notice period.

Our Approach

We partnered with the bankโ€™s IT Director to find a candidate who was both a strategic and hands-on leader. The ideal person needed experience with managed service providers (MSPs) and a strong understanding of regulated sectors. We began with a targeted, high-touch recruitment campaign, which included:

  • Market insights on talent availability and salary benchmarking
  • Targeted headhunting through local networks, market mapping, and Vivoโ€™s Database.
  • A focus on finding a strong cultural fit who could also manage remote teams.

We provided a clear, structured recruitment plan and worked quickly, delivering a shortlist of candidates within a week and aiming to have an offer out within four weeks.

Why It Matters

This project highlights our understanding of the tech hiring landscape - knowing where to find the right people, how to engage them and how to deliver quickly when time really matters. It also shows the value of getting the brief right and providing a clear, thorough recruitment process. It wasnโ€™t just about filling a role - it was about helping Unity Trust Bank make real progress with their tech strategy. Since then, weโ€™ve supported other tech-driven businesses with similar challenges, helping them scale their teams with the right people.

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