Ford & Stanley Executive Looking for General Manager at West Midlands Full Time

Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Specialists in Executive Interim and Permanent appointments to the UK & European Rail Industry, have been retained on the search for a General Manager on behalf of our client based in the West Midlands.

Client Opportunity Statement:

“We have a brand-new site, full backing and investment from group, unique products/services, pipeline of projects and great people – The infrastructure is there, and opportunity is primed for an experienced director and leader to take us from good to great”

Candidate Essentials:

• Railway Infrastructure and Construction or manufacturing experience
• A strong commercial savvy individual with the ability to set and deliver a strategy for growth to the wider business and clients, full backing and resources available from the group to support this.
• Engineering background preferred
• Ability to influence, improve, drive change and delivery organisational plans and strategies with the ability to demonstrate previous experience of this.
• Strong Leadership & Management experience essential ability to manage cross functional teams.
• Proven track record of business change and working in a turnaround business environment.

Good to know…

• Currently a £3m business with ambition to achieve £8m within the next 5 years. The business has a circa of 70 employees. This role has 25 direct reports with a solid line into all functions within the business.
• Role is based in the west midlands, likely 4 days a week on site and 1 days on the road, client side – this role is heavily client facing/focussed as much as it is operationally present.
• Occasional International travel is required as part of this role.
• There is no better time for the right candidate to be joining the business considering where the business is on their journey – it has all the infrastructure, products, services, people, backing and autonomy to succeed yet enough of a challenge, problems and growth pains to make it attractive and interesting.  
• 2 stage interview process. 1st stage Face to Face on site with Head of HR, Site Plant Manager and Manufacturing Director. Final Stage face to face/ teams with Head of HR and Managing Director.
• This role is responsible for leading the development and performance of all activities within the organisation with a core focus of growth.
• The business has relocated to a neighbouring city within the last 6 months. This has forced some change and the impact has resulted in a deeper retention issue than initially planned but being addressed. The business view this as an opportunity to bring about positive change / new beginnings.
• Role has been retained indefinitely with Ford & Stanley Executive Search who will be managing all direct and indirect interest.

Budget:

• Low £85k, Mid £90k, High £95k
• Car Allowance Grade 1 (£6,980 p.a)
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Private Healthcare
• 25 days Holiday + 8 Statutory
• Sick Pay
• Annual Salary Reviews
• Non-contracted bonus

Search Director Summary Statement

A recently acquired organisation part of  a larger group that are taking a fresh interest in the development and growth of the organisation, my team and I sat and scoped the requirement with stakeholders from both the business and the ownership group.

I was impressed with the passion conveyed but also the honesty and recognition of where they are at as an organisation / the challenges that need to be addressed and the gaps in the business, they had clearly taken time prior to the meeting to consider and gather their thoughts on the business need.

The opportunity would suit those with experience of leading an SME through change and growth.

This is ‘the big job’ it is essentially an ‘MD’ of a 70 strong SME with loads of potential but lacking direction, strategy and common challenges expected of a business that has experienced a lot of change in a short period of time.

A rare opportunity for the right leader to thrive and make a massive impact.

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Specialist Head-hunters to the UK & European Rail Industries.

At Ford & Stanley Executive Search we go beyond a recruiting transaction with our core mission being that of every interaction we have with clients and candidates is best in class. We are select in the opportunities we represent, as such, work under strict exclusivity or retained agreements with forward thinking and proactive Rail companies that place their trust in our ability to deliver a winning shortlist at the first time of asking.

Our Search Directors (who are themselves members of the F&S Group Board) invest time at the front end of process with our client’s leadership team or stakeholders to consult, understand the opportunity inherent within the role, business need, map and agree timescales with supporting delivery plan well in advance of conducting the search.

All candidates both active and passive (head-hunted) can expect full and professional engagement from the Executive Search team in addition a timely, thorough and engaging recruitment process from a committed employer that seeks to secure ‘cream of the crop’ from a busy and noisy UK Rail candidate market.

Ford & Stanley Group Ltd is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers and approach all opportunity with a mindset of who is right for the job irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination.