Building an Operations Leadership Bench Across Six U.S. Locations

Guided Search Partners supported a global paper packaging manufacturer in building an operations leadership pipeline across six U.S. locations. Within 10 weeks, four Operations Managers were hired, one location confirmed an internal promotion, and one search was placed on hold. The client also completed the project ahead of schedule and saved more than $30,000 in recruiting fees through a retained search model.

Client Need -
The organization was managing retirements and promotions and needed a stronger bench of operational leaders who could be developed into Plant Managers. The goal was to place experienced leaders in six selected sites who could contribute immediately and be ready for promotion within 18 months.

Search Execution -
GSP deployed five full-desk recruiters and five sourcers to build a comprehensive candidate pool. The team used three sourcing tools and cross-checked findings against existing data. Over six weeks, 60 candidates were identified and 43 were interviewed.

Hiring Outcome -
Four Operations Manager hires were completed across the six locations. One location determined that promoting an internal employee was the best decision after evaluating external candidates. One location paused the search based on business needs.

Business Impact -
The client achieved its hiring objective ahead of the expected timeline while reducing recruiting costs. Six months later, the succession plan remained on track.