BT: Cyber Security Expertise

BT Sourced is a standalone procurement company within the BT Group, established to transform procurement processes by simplifying, innovating, and digitizing operations through technologies like blockchain, AI, robotics, and machine learning.

The Problem

BT Sourced, the procurement arm of BT Group, has been building a high-performing procurement function in Dublin since 2021. As their Cyber Security capability scaled, they identified the need to bring specialist Cyber Security procurement expertise in-house to manage increasingly complex and high-value contracts.

The challenge was twofold. The Dublin procurement market is relatively small, and professionals with genuine Cyber Security procurement experience are rarer still. This was not a role that could be filled through generic advertising alone — it required detailed knowledge of the local market and direct access to experienced specialists already operating within it.

The Solution

We partnered closely with the hiring manager to define the scope of the role, the maturity of the Cyber Security function and the types of organisations where relevant experience was most likely to sit. From there, we built a targeted search strategy focused on mapping the Dublin Cyber Security procurement market in detail.

Alongside selective advertising and LinkedIn outreach, we used AI-supported market mapping and direct headhunting to identify, approach and engage candidates with the right technical exposure and commercial mindset. Crucially, this allowed us to have informed conversations about the opportunity and position BT Sourced accurately against competing employers in the market.

The Results

• 2 placements made
• Average time to offer – 3 weeks

Within seven days of taking the initial briefing, we identified and submitted the successful candidate. While the interview process extended slightly due to the holiday period, all parties were kept aligned and engaged throughout.

BT Sourced ultimately secured a specialist Cyber Security Procurement Manager who has since been described by the Head of Practice as “the right-hand person I was missing” — a critical hire supporting the continued growth and development of their Cyber Security function.