Outsourced Talent Solutions, National Retail Chain

At a Glance

• Sector – Retail
• Location – National (NSW HQ, 120 stores)
• Scope – 450 seasonal hires
• Service – Talent & In-House Recruitment Advisory (RPO)
• Engagement – Diagnostic Sprint + Project Engagement

The Challenge

A national retail chain needed to hire an estimated 450 seasonal staff across 120 stores ahead of its peak trading period, having previously relied on a mix of store-manager-led hiring and multiple regional agency relationships that produced inconsistent candidate quality and blew out agency costs every year.

Our Approach

Civitas began with a four-week Diagnostic Sprint benchmarking the client’s hiring maturity against retail peers, then scaled into a Project Engagement for the peak window, consolidating sourcing and screening into one process across all 120 stores rather than 120 separate local efforts.

The Solution

The program delivered 430 of the 450 targeted seasonal hires ahead of peak trading, with an average time-to-hire under 10 days per role, against a single consistent screening process.

Measured Impact

• 430 of 450 targeted seasonal roles filled ahead of peak trading
• Average time-to-hire reduced to under 10 days across the program
• Agency spend reduced by an estimated 50% compared to the prior year’s approach
• Consistent candidate screening applied across all 120 stores for the first time

Client Reflection

We went into peak trading fully staffed for the first time in years, without the usual agency bill shock. 

Why This Matters

Retail seasonal hiring rewards a program built around the trading calendar itself, not a scramble that starts too late, this engagement shows what happens when the diagnostic and scaling phases are planned in ahead of the peak rather than reacting to it.

Related Civitas Service

Talent & In-House Recruitment Advisory