Finding a Niche Agronomy Leader for a New Farm Venture in Spain
When a UK farm asset management company prepared to acquire their first pistachio farm in rural Spain, they faced a critical challenge. They needed an experienced agronomy leader who could establish operations from day one, with the rare combination of pistachio expertise, operational leadership, and bilingual capabilities to bridge their UK headquarters with Spanish farm operations. With the acquisition timeline already set, finding the right candidate quickly became essential to their success.
This hire wasn’t just about a Farm Manager. The goal was to find someone who could lead a new business from the ground up.
The Challenges
- A very narrow talent pool – candidates needed both technical and leadership experience
- A remote location – rural Spain limited local options
- Language needs – Spanish fluency was essential, and English was strongly preferred
The Search Strategy
With no time to waste, our research team began an in-depth talent mapping project across Spain and neighbouring markets. Using both our existing network and new outreach strategies, we identified professionals working with pistachios, almonds, and other tree crops in similar climates.
Each potential candidate went through a competency interview in Spanish to assess both their agronomic knowledge and leadership capabilities.
Despite the complexity of the brief, we maintained consistent communication with both the client and the candidates throughout the process.
The Result
- 45 candidates identified and approached
- 57% response rate
- 7 interviewed by LCR
- 3 shortlisted for client interviews
- 1 successfully offered and placed
We successfully placed a highly experienced pistachio farm manager, with the exact agronomic expertise and leadership qualities the client needed. They accepted the offer and joined the business as operations began.
Why It Worked
- We understood the unique blend of agronomy and leadership the client needed
- We knew how to reach and engage a rare profile, despite the location and language needs
- Our specialist knowledge and ability to interview in Spanish gave the client full confidence
Client Feedback
“Lucy and her team have proven to be very effective at sourcing excellent candidates to join our team. LCR worked to understand our requirements in detail, and great communication led to a smooth recruitment process. I look forward to working together again in the future.”
— Oliver Martin, Head of Farms
