How to Sell a Non-Market Vacancy: Closing a Production Financial Controller Position

A Russian household appliance manufacturing company in Saint Petersburg was looking for a senior production financial control specialist. The company was restructuring its finance department: it split controlling into two areas — production and commercial. The vacancy was a priority; they needed to quickly "fill the gap" in the new structure.

We joined the project promptly. The goal was not just "to find a person" but to bring in a candidate who could handle both the difficult conditions and the high bar for competencies.

Project challenges

At the outset, we faced several "negatives" from a market perspective:

• Salary — below market by 50,000–70,000 rubles.
  That is, a good candidate initially cost more than the client was willing to pay.

• Location — the production site is far away.
  For candidates, this meant a long commute and extra hours away from home.

• Hybrid format — 3 days per week at the production site.
  Meanwhile, most candidates wanted either a fully remote format or an office closer to home.

• Strict requirements — fluent English and understanding of international standards (IFRS/US GAAP), plus specific experience in production controlling.

• High competition for candidates — other agencies were simultaneously working on this role, and the client was also conducting their own independent search.

In effect, we had to sell the candidate on the "distant production site," the "hybrid with three days at the factory," and the "below-market fixed pay" all at once.

Solution

We focused on "packaging" the vacancy for candidates:

• Developed an honest but attractive pitch for the role.
  Emphasis on the role's impact on the business, proximity to production, the ability to influence the plant's financial results, and career growth within the new controlling unit.

• Selected and presented 5 relevant candidates to the client.
  All with experience in production controlling, knowledge of English and international standards.

• Organized initial meetings and helped both parties set expectations correctly: regarding tasks, scope of responsibility, and development horizon.

The client chose a candidate who was an ideal fit in terms of experience and potential, but her salary expectations were higher than the proposed range. Additionally, she lived far from the production site, and the commute would take a significant amount of time.

Then the most difficult stage began — negotiations.

Negotiations

The negotiation process stretched from March to August. During this time, we:

• Gently but clearly communicated to the client the real market situation regarding compensation levels for this profile.

• Helped the candidate see not just the money but also the long-term advantages: the seniority of the role, the scale of the company, the new controlling unit, and the impact on processes.

• Worked through several offer configurations: fixed pay, bonus, possible indexation, hybrid format, and promotion prospects.

Result

• The candidate accepted an offer for a role higher than the one initially advertised.

• Received a fixed salary that fully matched her expectations.

• Agreed on a more comfortable hybrid schedule — one less "factory" day.

• The client filled a critically important vacancy in the new finance department structure without compromising on quality and strengthened the team with a stronger specialist than originally planned.

This case demonstrates how a "non-market" vacancy can be closed if you deeply understand the market, work honestly with the expectations of both parties, and are prepared for long, meticulous negotiation efforts.