Spotlight on Jayde Wilkinson, Senior Consultant at CSG Talent – Renewable Energy

Jayde is a highly experienced, senior member of the North American Renewable Energy team at CSG Talent, with a specific focus on Solar Energy where she works in partnership with Developers and Independent Power Producers. Jayde has a wealth of experience across the full recruitment cycle, her ability to build strong, long-standing relationships with both her clients and candidates results in continued success in placing senior level talent within the renewable energy space and significantly contributing to her client’s business growth.

What do you love most about your role at CSG?

I love speaking with my clients and candidates, often I meet them remotely however it’s great to meet in person when there’s the opportunity to do so! I’m naturally curious and inquisitive so I enjoy hearing from candidates to find out about their circumstances, role and find out what’s driving them and their career goals so I can effectively support candidates to achieve their ambitions. Supporting clients in sourcing and hiring the perfect talent to contribute to their organic growth and success is a huge passion for me, as is aligning candidates and clients who share the same values and vision! Organisations are experiencing significant challenges in the candidate driven market we are experiencing, so it’s important for me to successfully engage with candidates who not only have the right skill set and experience, but the right cultural fit too. I feel a great sense of satisfaction when I’m able to achieve this for the clients I work with.

Why Renewable Energy?

I have always been fascinated by renewable energy. It’s a sector which is ever expanding and continues to evolve with new and innovative energy sources.

We’re currently experiencing the ‘Renewable Transition’ from traditional sources to renewable energy sources, and many are keen to join this area of growth from a candidate, client, and organisational perspective. Working within a sector with so much opportunity and potential is exciting, and this is something that excites the candidates I support. Across the globe there is huge presence and awareness of renewable energy due to initiatives to address climate change and the impact renewable energy can have so it’s great to be able to work with clients who are trying to achieve goals that impact the environment, and the world. Governments are investing a lot of resource both physically and financially as a priority, with the US infrastructure bill soon to be signed off, I’m excited to witness the impact that this will have on business growth and recruitment within the sector.

What’s next for Solar energy?

Solar energy is currently experiencing a huge period of growth, there are many projects in development phase which, although are being impacted by both price and legislation changes, are expected to receive the green light as we move forward in 2022. It’s a fascinating sector continually experiencing growth and I am motivated by placing talent in a sector focused on driving sustainability and creating more environmentally friendly energy resources and energy storage. A big question circulating within the renewable sector is ‘How sustainable is renewable energy?’ Developers may soon have to declare their carbon footprint at the design stage to consider the impact on the environment. Energy firms and developers are not only having to be innovative with resources but consider renewable energy storage and how sustainable they are.

Can renewable energy power the world? 

Yes – absolutely!

There is so much scope for innovation within the renewable energy sector and what’s even more exciting is the worldwide impact renewable energy can have. Undoubtedly, we should have got to this point sooner and adopted renewable energy earlier than we have but it’s positive to see so much movement and development within this space now.

Why work in the renewable energy sector?

We find ourselves in a talent short market, not just in renewable energy but across most sectors. Those who have strong experience within the field have great opportunities to gain significant financial reward and benefits. The mid to senior level market is extremely busy with lots of movement at a VP, Director and Board level because of ‘The Great Resignation’.

As renewable energy is a growing sector, there are lots of new, start-up companies as well as the expansion of existing mid-large companies. There is huge investment and financial resource which brings with it great career potential for candidates looking to develop their career within renewable energy.

With the climate change crisis impacting the globe, there are many who are driven to contribute to the industry and invest in a more sustainable future. This certainly makes the renewable energy sector an attractive industry to work within, from an entry level through to senior and board level roles.

The industry is very male dominated, but organisations seem much more focused on creating more diverse workplaces moving forward. This is exciting for me as a female in the industry to help increase the number of senior level female candidates and leaders who will shape the renewable energy sector in the future.

What makes you stand apart from other Head-hunters

I pride myself in taking the time to invest in people, getting to know them from a personal and professional perspective, both being so heavily intertwined! For candidates I gain a deep level of understanding around their challenges, career development and goals, supporting them with the long-term picture for their career. For clients, I predominantly work on a retained basis, this allows me to build a solid knowledge of the business, structure, culture, and goals and allows me to be a more effective recruitment partner on a long-term basis.

Why is the CSG business model so successful?

Having worked across different industries and business models throughout my career, CSG’s model of having specialists in vertical markets stands out as enabling consultants to achieve the greatest success. It’s important for myself and all consultants at CSG to understand our markets extensively. By doing this, you’ll always be networking, staying up to date with movements, developments, and updates. Being an expert in the field, you become accustomed to industry specific terminology which really helps you recruit at a senior level and allows you to add value to both clients and candidates.

What makes CSG such a great place to work?

CSG is a great place to work! We have total autonomy with our roles which allows us to develop our specialist areas in the direction most suited to us and our personal interests and passion. Unlike other companies, CSG is driven by results, something our team successfully demonstrate. There isn’t pressure on KPIs and call numbers, we are allowed the flexibility and autonomy to be able to focus on building and developing longstanding relationships with clients and candidates, which in turn achieve strong results. We have a social culture, with activities to suit all interests from team building and events both in and out of the office. CSG have global offices we can visit or relocate to, as well as having the flexibility to work remotely anywhere in the world. This is a huge benefit for me as it allows me to balance my time between the UK and Portugal.

If you’re a Recruiter/Head-hunter seeking a new opportunity and want to hear more about Life At CSG, please check out our work for us page here.