Broadleaf has long been recognized as a premier provider of total talent and workforce management solutions. But who are the people behind the scenes that help make our success possible?

In this edition of our “In the Limelight” series, meet Judy Walcott—a Senior Client Delivery Director at Broadleaf. Judy leads a team of 42 recruiters and talent acquisition specialists while overseeing eight of Broadleaf’s RPO and MSP accounts. Her 25+ years of industry and management expertise have played a critical role in ensuring a positive client experience through account delivery and growth.

Introduction to the world of business
I grew up in southern Ohio and live in a little town called Vermilion—west of Cleveland. I attended Wittenberg University, where I earned my undergraduate degree in business. At the start of my professional career, I joined the British Petroleum Company (BP) and was placed in their marketing associate program. This opportunity allowed me to rotate between departments and learn the functions and roles each played within the organization and how they worked to support each other to achieve success.

A start in recruiting
A friend introduced me to MRI Network and the world of talent acquisition and recruiting. Luckily for me, I decided to give executive recruiting a shot, and I haven’t looked back since. After eleven years with MRI, I was ready for a new challenge and joined WorldBridge Partners—where I remained for nine years.

The road to Broadleaf
Jason Krumwiede was a partner that I worked with during my time at WorldBridge. He informed me of the open client delivery role at Broadleaf. What sold me on the position was the fact that Broadleaf has the resources and financial stability of a larger organization, but an entrepreneurial feel and culture. Employees are afforded the benefits and tools of a large organization but are known as individuals by the company’s leaders.

The Broadleaf difference
In 2017, I joined TalentRise—which was acquired by Broadleaf in 2019. In my role as Senior Director of Client Delivery, I manage eight RPO and MSP accounts and a team of 42 recruiters and talent acquisitions specialists. I am responsible for program deliverables, overseeing our clients’ account plan and resources management, and all performance indicators and metrics.

If I had to describe Broadleaf in one word, it would be collaborative! Each day I work collaboratively with an amazing group of people—my clients, team, and colleagues. I’m required to listen, problem-solve, and communicate in a methodical way to make the best decision possible for all stakeholders while ensuring the successful execution of all project deliverables. I consider my clients to be strategic partners. This gives me the ability to view their business holistically and look beyond what Broadleaf is contractually obligated to provide and help them achieve success in any way possible. I still have accounts that I launched when I started with Broadleaf in 2017 and it’s been fun and rewarding to watch my clients grow as I grew right along with them. I thrive on seeing candidates and clients advance in their careers and achieve success and love helping them every step along the way!

What excites me most about my job is that I never experience the same day twice. Recruiting is constantly changing and if that wasn’t the case, I feel I would get bored. I’m not a person that likes to be stagnant and I enjoy the fact that each day I’m challenged in my role. My team says I’m patient, levelheaded, and not easily flustered. In working with my clients—across multiple industries—I’m able to learn about the products and services they provide to their customers.

A look to the future
The pandemic changed the world of recruiting from both a client and candidate perspective and Broadleaf was required to adapt. The technologies around talent acquisition and recruiting continue to evolve and we are always striving to keep pace. Our suite of technology platforms—including AI and candidate messaging tools—give us the ability to offer a positive candidate experience in every step of the hiring process. As we look to the future, I believe there will be a continued focus on technology and its ability to provide process efficiencies. However—no matter how advanced technology becomes—recruiting will always require a human touch. Organizations that can effectively combine the two will emerge as industry leaders.

Out-of-office passions
Each day before work, I walk my two black labradors on the trails near my house or in my neighborhood. I have two college-aged daughters—one in Syracuse, NY, and the other in Lexington, KY. My husband and I are celebrating our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary this month. As an empty nester, I now have more time to devote to my clients’ needs but Broadleaf provides me with the flexibility to always put family first. When I’m not working, you will find me skiing in the winter and at the lake in the summer. If money or time off was no object, I would travel to Australia and New Zealand because both countries are close to the water.

To learn more about Judy, connect with her on LinkedIn.

Interested in reading more about our Broadleaf team? Check out our blog for more of our “In the Limelight” series features!