Attracting the right talent for what’s next; a recruitment process built on transparency and trust

Lee Clarke, Recruitment Lead at wienerberger UK & Ireland, shares insights on connecting people to opportunities across the business, from factory and field-based roles to office positions, and the practical support that ensures the right talent is matched to the right role.

For new colleagues joining our business, understanding how we recruit and support talent is an important part of the journey, because we are building teams that share our vision; people who can adapt, grow with the business, and deliver for our customers.

Behind the talent within our business are our Human Resource team, focused on creating opportunities, nurturing careers, and ensuring our employees have the right skills and mindset to deliver on building for what’s next. 

Lee Clarke, Recruitment Lead at wienerberger UK & Ireland, plays a key role in attracting the right people and supporting them through every stage of their career journey with us.

“My team and I recruit for a wide range of positions across the country. From roles in our factories, head office and field-based positions, we help to bring new talent into the business and support teams at every level.”

Speaking on the values and structure behind the recruitment process, Lee explains:

“The recruitment process at wienerberger is structured and transparent. We take a balanced and forward-looking approach, ensuring that when we advertise a vacancy, the job description clearly reflects the duties and essential skills needed to do it well. Candidates’ applications are usually reviewed against these skills before we invite them for further assessment, which may include interviews, presentations, or technical testing, depending on the role.

While technical capability is important, we also think beyond. We look for people with the right values, behaviours, and attitude; people who can grow with the business and take advantage of future opportunities as they arise. Our interviews are strongly focused on behaviours and values, helping us identify people who are right for the role today and for the future.” 

Opening opportunities to a wide range of careers and levels

“We’re always looking for new talent to join the business. That includes apprentices and early-career entrants, as well as experienced professionals across disciplines such as engineering, sales, marketing, finance, administration, and more. With opportunities available across the UK and Ireland, there’s a wide range of career paths within the business.”

Creating a workplace where people feel supported

Attracting the right talent goes hand-in-hand with supporting, retaining and rewarding them, and this means looking beyond the role itself, Lee comments.

“Across wienerberger UK & Ireland, we employ around 2,000 people. Supporting their development is a key focus for our HR and Learning & Development teams, including regular development reviews, personal development planning, and ongoing investment in training, from mentoring and on-the-job learning to more formal training programmes.”

“We also recognise that benefits play an important role in attracting and supporting our people. Employees have access to wellbeing and employee assistance programmes, including 24/7 GP access and mental health support. We also offer a range of discounts through our benefits platform, along with opportunities such as share incentive and profit participation schemes, so employees can share in the success of the business.” 

A journey shaped by opportunity

Lee’s personal journey reflects the opportunities the business creates, and the importance of finding the right environment to grow.

“My own journey with wienerberger started three years ago. I joined initially as a contractor before moving into my current role as Recruitment Lead. I was introduced to the business through my wife, who worked in HR at the time and spoke highly of the company. Having previously recruited within the manufacturing sector, it felt like a great opportunity to join wienerberger and contribute to an organisation that makes a real impact in the industry.” — Lee Clarke, Recruitment Lead, wienerberger UK & Ireland.

Lee’s story highlights how attracting and supporting the right people enables us to better serve our customers. As the business continues to evolve, we remain committed to creating opportunities, supporting careers, and ensuring our people have the expertise, guidance and confidence needed for building for what’s next.