Executive Search Firm Grace Blue Partnership Launches ‘TRANSITION’, Pro-Bono Platform to Support Advertising, Marketing, & Media Talent Displaced by COVID-19

TRANSITION to serve as a resource for people in search of useful content and new roles for organizations looking for talent

Grace Blue Partnership, the global executive search firm, has launched TRANSITION, a complimentary online platform providing a place for displaced talent to find practical and inspirational content, a network of industry peers, and access potential job opportunities. The move comes as COVID-19 continues to create disruption globally within the advertising, media, and marketing industries, resulting in large numbers of layoffs and furloughs.

TRANSITION is supported by more than 30 global organizations, brands and trade associations including the 4A’s, Amazon, the Marketing Society, the Advertising Association, Headspace, D&AD, 3%, The Female Quotient, and NABS. Working together, partners will provide content and support for career development in response to the widespread impact COVID-19 is having on this community. In addition, partners will be able to list new job openings and search for talent on the platform at no cost.

“COVID-19 and the events of the past week in the US have completely upended our lives and how we do business. The significant budgets cuts have massively disrupted the industry, and companies now have to rethink everything including their approach to the future, to racial equity, and to caring for their talent,” said Jay Haines, Founder, Grace Blue Partnership. “We want to ensure the industry supports our exceptional talent during this time, and TRANSITION is designed with them in mind. The goal was to rally the industry, bring us together, and to create a platform that provides relevant content and opportunities by connecting out-of-work talent to agencies and brands directly.”

Marketing Technology News: Comcast, Charter and ViacomCBS Announce Blockgraph Partnership

TRANSITION was born out of the need to unite the talent pool across several industries – marketing, media, advertising – and to create a central hub to bring together critical resources.

“COVID-19 is widening pre-existing gender gaps — especially for women of color. We face the very real risk that gains made for women and girls in recent decades will be reversed. Leaders need to make conscious decisions to elevate their talent and ensure that women continue to have opportunities. That’s why initiatives like TRANSITION are so vital if we are to create a better normal coming out of the crisis.” Said Shelley Zalis, CEO, The Female Quotient.

“TRANSITION comes at a time when so many are worried about their future, and it is a resource that will bring inspiration and hope to a lot of people,” said Rich Pierson, Founder, Headspace. “As a company that has wellbeing at the center of our beliefs, we are proud to support it.”

Marketing Technology News: Pega Appoints Hayden Stafford as President of Global Client Engagement

“The everyday lives of those in our community have been turned upside down by Covid-19 and many around the world have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic,” said Peter Sherman, EVP, Omnicom Group. “This is a time when the industry has to come together, and I am very pleased to be a part of an initiative that is supporting the industry at such a difficult time.”

“We love leveraging Grace Blue’s services not only because they have a sixth sense for finding awesome talent suited to our needs, but they also take such great care with the talent themselves,” said Claudine Cheever, Global Chief Brand Officer, Amazon. “This humanity and emotional intelligence have never been on display more than now, with the launch of this platform which comes at a difficult time for many and we are proud to support it.”

Marketing Technology News: UTAG Offers a Few-Step Plan to Adopt a Rapid Digital Strategy and Survive the Pandemic