About Us
What's next?
Our Values
Join our Team

Simplifying the complex balance of customers, value and opportunity.

About Us

Optima Partners is an insight-led consultancy firm that helps large consumer businesses to unlock value in their customer bases. Optima delivers transformation towards customer-centricity by combining deep expertise in customer strategy, agile change, and design innovation. All this is underpinned by leading edge data science.

Leading consumer brands including OVO, Lloyds Banking Group, PayPal, BT, HMD Global and Biogen have achieved transformational change and delivered millions of pounds of incremental value thanks to advice and collaborative working with Optima. Unlike more generalist management consulting firms, Optima looks for opportunities to leverage existing technology investments and focuses on making clients self-sufficient in new ways of working and in embedding a culture of continuous improvement. Optima’s 100% client referenceability record is testament to this.

Optima continues to attract the best available talent to its ranks of employees and associates because of its dynamic growth, the interesting work, and the development potential.

Our Vision

A world where businesses create value with their customers and build enduring relationships

Our Mission

Enabling our clients to deliver customer-centric transformations

Our Values

What's next for Optima Partners?

Historically, Optima Partners has been a long-term partner of large, high-profile clients across a range of sectors. Through this, we have cultivated a strong reputation as customer-centric transformation specialists. As the world adapts to post-pandemic life, B2C businesses have realised the criticality of digital first operations and intelligent consumer value management across channels and business disciplines of Marketing, Sales and Service. This shift in attitudes has led to an increase in demand for the services that we offer.

In response to this and the growth we have achieved in recent years, we are committed to attracting and developing new talent with the goal of providing the best possible resource to meet our client’s expectations. In addition to this, we are making strides to be at the forefront of data sciences globally by employing industry leaders and collaborating closely with leading universities to again provide our clients with the latest and greatest in the world of data science.

Join our team

Optima Partners are currently undergoing a period of significant growth (50% YoY) and as a result of this we need to increase our market presence and optimise the way we work. In order to achieve this, OP have two key objectives.

1. Increase our client partners and better support existing client relationships

2. Increase and develop our talent pool to meet increasing demand

We would like our successful candidate to be both energetic and enthusiastic whilst possessing great interpersonal skills. Furthermore, the desired individual will be excellent verbal and written communicators, confidently able to work both independently and as part of a team and will be heavily involved in driving the next phase of Optima Partners growth.

Careers with Optima Partners
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Careers

We are looking for an exceptional candidate who is looking to join a dynamic company and has experienced exceptional personnel and revenue growth over the last few years.

With this growth we are looking for the right individual who will be able to add real structure to how we manage and develop our people, teams, and culture across the business.

Optima are constantly striving to develop a high-performance team of unique individuals able to work independently or in project squads. To achieve this, the business is looking for someone who can establish the right policies and procedures to complement the culture of a nimble and agile business that embraces a challenger mentality. 

You will be responsible for all HR aspects across the company, from recruitment to people management, L&D, supporting with any mental health and Employee Relations issues, all while ensuring that the company values are intrinsic to everyone and guide their behaviours. With this wide brief you will be comfortable managing through an exciting period of change as the business grows.

The role would be based in stunning central Edinburgh offices, with hybrid working an option. You would also be responsible for all HR issues in the other company locations, in London and Bristol.

There is significant potential for professional and personal growth and development – ambition and leadership are valued and encouraged.

Given the growth plans, we are looking for an ambitious candidate who will bring the hands on, sleeves rolled up mentality to make things happen but always with an eye on the wider business strategy and has the potential make the next step up to a Director level as the team/business grows.

On offer is an excellent reward package including generous bonus as well as investment in training and development to ensure all employees can enjoy real professional development. Other benefits which include “duvet days”, gifted Christmas days, the “better me” programme, private health care, plus share options for the senior team.

This is a fantastic role with real scope for the individual to develop as the business continues to grow.

Apply here

If you’d like more information about this opportunity with Optima Partners, please get in touch with Denholm Associates today.

stephh@denholmassociates.com

07539 694 053

STEPH HALLIDAY

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Andy Brady

HEAD OF HR

Andy Brady is a seasoned HR recruitment specialist, with over two decades of expertise in the field. With a foundation in Human Resource Management from the University of Derby, Andy swiftly transitioned into specialised HR recruitment. His diverse portfolio spans FMCG, Manufacturing & Engineering, Financial Services, the Third Sector, and Supply Chain, working at all levels from entry to executive positions.

Zoe Lumsden

Business Support & Employee Engagement Executive

Zoe joined Denholm in 2022 as Recruitment Administrator, after working in administration roles for nearly a decade. Most recently within the recruitment industry, she joins us with experience of supporting consultants, clients and candidates at all levels. Zoe has a passion for helping people and applies her positive attitude and approachable manner to support our team and deliver the best possible service to our clients and candidates at all times.

Callum Beveridge

SENIOR CONSULTANT - TECHNOLOGY, CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION

Callum has been working in recruitment since 2018 where he has solely focussed on the Technology, Change and Transformation market across the UK and ROI. He works closely with his clients and candidates to build long-lasting relationships across several industries, including Technology, Financial Services, Professional Services, Healthcare, Education, Public Sector and more. He specialises in engineering roles across Software, Infrastructure, Systems, DevOps and Cloud, along with Software Testing.

Michelle Weir

Senior Finance Executive

Michelle is enthusiastic, practical, and adaptable – with 15 years experience across Finance. She is known for being trustworthy, hardworking, and enjoying a challenge. Michelle excels, both independently and as part of a team, bringing a methodical approach to her work. Combining a friendly and professional demeanor, allows her to effectively engage with colleagues and clients at all levels. Client and candidate care is paramount to Michelle and to Denholm.

Alana Sim

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - CONSUMER

Alana has been working in recruitment since 2012, predominately within the FMCG & Consumer markets. Having recruited in both the UK & Asia Pacific markets, Alana has a sound knowledge of local & international recruitment. Partnering with brands to attract & hire the best sales talent in the market, Alana focuses on mid to senior level Sales appointments within the Consumer space. With a strong commercial & sales background, Alana identifies and engages the best commercially focused talent for our clients.

Scott Caithness

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP PARTNER

Scott started his career working for one of the leading Advertising & Comms agencies in Edinburgh where he spent 7 years before moving in to recruitment in 2011. As such, he is well-networked in the Marketing & Comms space across Scotland. With a friendly and consultative approach, Scott is genuinely passionate about providing a positive journey to both candidates and clients alike and believes communication plays a big part in this.  A “thinking-outside-the-box recruiter”, he is known for helping candidates portray the best version of themselves and helping clients find talent for those hard to fill roles.

Andy MacEwan

HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY, CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION

Andy has been recruiting in Technology, Change & Transformation since 2001. Delivering tailored resource solutions as trusted advisor to clients ranging from start-ups through to global blue-chip organisations across contract, permanent, fixed term, and managed service/statement of work solutions. He has experience providing candidates for Helpdesk through to CIO and takes great pride in providing excellent customer service and ensuring each candidate journey is a positive one. An expert in his market he can provide guidance across current market trends.

Our Community

As well as working in close collaboration with our clients, and the online marketplaces, we are active members of groups that have been established to combat illicit trade. These include the Scottish Anti-Illicit Trade Group, the European Intellectual Property Office, The Scottish Business Resilience Centre, the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, and the China Britain Business Council. Members of our senior management sit on the boards of ACID (Anti-Copying in Design), the Scottish Ministerial Trade Board, and the European Union Intellectual Property Office’s Observatory Panel for SMEs, amongst others.

Each team member nominates good causes or charities that are supported on both an individual and corporate basis. Wherever possible, we support the employee’s involvement whether through time or fundraising events.

Our Environment

We deliver purpose-driven work from an extremely welcoming environment near the City Centre. We actively encourage the responsible use of resources, from using public transport to reuse, recycling, and, of course, a minimal impact office environment. We have benefited from the advice of the Energy Saving Trust and Resource Efficient Scotland. Our waste contractor also provides us with a monthly report on volumes and types of material and the carbon emissions avoided through recycling.

Over 80% of our employees can walk or cycle to The Lair and, pre-pandemic, 10% were using public transport as their normal daily commuting mode. Without doubt, online meetings will replace considerable miles, going forward, saving resources, time and energy. Where possible, when possible, the train remains our preferred option. 

Our People

Our people are our most important asset, and their mental well-being and happiness are core to our success. We love our diverse workforce, actively embrace flexible working (even pre-pandemic!) and encourage a healthy work-life balance. We have been recognised as one of the most diverse SME workplaces in the UK and are holders of the Scottish Business Pledge which exists to promote a fairer Scotland. We have also just been included in the 2021 Culture Leaders Top 25 – an accolade of which we are very proud!

We are a fully inclusive and nurturing employer and, despite being in tech, the majority of our team are women, leading to accolades in the Computing Magazine Women in IT Awards and the Amazon Growing Business Awards. We currently represent 15 nationalities and speak 20 languages. Age is no barrier, and we recruit for attitude, providing and encouraging appropriate learning and training for each and every role.

We are also proud members of IP Inclusive, a network of professionals working to make the intellectual property industry more diverse.

Our Purpose

Our aim is to combat illicit online trade by identifying and removing counterfeits for sale. Counterfeits not only damage brands, their reputations, and revenues, but can cause significant harm to the end customer – whether as a fake toy or a fake medicine – and the consequences can be life threatening.

Counterfeiting is a significant economic and social issue.

The OECD reports that counterfeit and fake goods make up more than 3.3% of the world’s global trade. Those involved in the trade of counterfeits have been linked to people trafficking, prostitution, and drug dealing.

As such, reducing illicit trade is about much more than brand protection but also about human rights, safety, and social equity.

And this is what we do, every day.

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Communication Advisors

We’re a passionate and professional team who thrive in issue-rich environment and we’re looking for Senior Communication Advisors, Communications Advisors and Communications Executives to join their fast-growing team. 

You’ll have previous agency experience at Senior Account Manager or Account Manager level and be passionate about delivering excellent results for clients. You might be a specialist in PR and media relations who produces compelling editorial content across a range of topics and sectors or you might be a public affairs expert who understands the policy landscape and helps clients build influential relationships. Whatever your specialism, you’ll be an excellent writer, full of creative ideas, with proven client management experience and the ability to provide expert advice our clients.

Your key duties will include:

  • Supporting the key account lead with day-to-day client liaison, providing strategic counsel on day-to-day account matters when required
  • Active involvement in planning and delivering global PR, marketing and digital campaigns
  • Managing content programmes, including mapping out content themes, spotting industry trends and story angles, writing copy when required which may include opinion articles, web and social
  • Building strong media relationships, creating pitches based on your story ideas and delivering content in-to suit the client’s target media and securing opportunities
  • Planning and running client’s social media programmes, and management of their channels
  • Continuously identifying opportunities to grow brand awareness and profile our client’s businesses within their target sector through events, webinars, thought leadership
  • Producing comprehensive and timely reports on client activity 
  • Supporting in the development of client proposals to help grow or win parts of the business


In addition, to be considered for this role, you must be able to demonstrate:

  • Proven background in account handling and direct client liaison – 4 years’ minimum
  • Experience in an agency setting focusing on B2B communication or PR
  • Strong communications skills, verbal and written
  • A background in delivering creative, digitally led B2B communications such as LinkedIn campaigns
  • An innate understanding of earned media, with the ability to create stories and generate coverage across traditional media, digital and social
  • Experience working on content management programmes, with an awareness of the changing way business audiences consume information and an appreciation of search, paid and wider customer marketing activity, and how it all fits together
  • A history of working with clients in a variety of sectors is welcomed but experience in the tech and energy industries is advantageous.
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Communication Lead

We’re a passionate and professional team who thrive in issue-rich environment and we’re looking to add a Communication Lead to our fast-growing team. You’ll be a trusted advisor to clients across several sectors in all aspects of communication, external affairs, marketing and issues management. Coming from an agency or consultancy environment, at Account Director level or above, you’ll report directly to the Managing Director and be responsible for a small and busy multi-disciplinary team. You’ll have first-class project management skills, be solutions-driven and excellent commercial acumen too. Alongside the senior team, you’ll work to drive the strategic growth of Aspect.

Your core duties will include:

  • Working with the MD to develop and deliver growth strategies 
  • Attracting and retaining profitable clients across a range of sectors 
  • Leading the creation and execution of strategic communication programmes
  • Inspiring, leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams
  • Developing strong relationships with clients, colleagues and associates
  • Producing high quality pitches and proposals to secure new business 
  • Curating, nurturing and managing a team of talented associates.

You’ll be a skilled communicator, interested and knowledgeable about the key issues shaping the external environment. In addition, to be considered for this role, you must be able to demonstrate:

  • 7+ years of senior leadership experience within an agency or consultancy
  • Experience in Energy, Renewables, Financial Services or Life Sciences would be very desirable
  • Outstanding writing skills and the ability to engage and excite an audience
  • An impressive track record of client attraction, retention and growth 
  • The ability to thrive fast-paced environment managing multiple projects simultaneously
  • Strong influencing and leadership skills to motivate and inspire those around you
  • Excellent planning, evaluation and project management skills
  • To develop new processes, systems and ways of working to drive performance

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