Challenge Met: How Hathaway Worldwide Helped a Mid-Sized Innovator Hire an Ops Director to Master Growth
For mid-sized companies, rapid expansion is a double-edged sword. It’s the exhilarating validation of a successful business model, but it also strains every sinew of the organization. Nowhere are these growing pains felt more acutely than in operations – the very engine room of the business. Processes that worked for a smaller entity begin to creak, supply chains struggle to keep up, quality control wavers, and the founding team finds itself increasingly bogged down in day-to-day firefighting. This was the critical juncture faced by “Innovate MFG” (a representative client), an ambitious mid-sized company in the [Specialized Industrial Components] sector. They needed a leader who could not just manage, but *build* scalable operations. This case study details how Hathaway Worldwide met the challenge to Hire Ops Director talent capable of transforming potential into performance, illustrating our approach to operations executive search for dynamic, growing businesses.
Table of Contents
- Challenge Met: How Hathaway Worldwide Helped a Mid-Sized Innovator Hire an Ops Director to Master Growth
- The Client: Innovate MFG – Poised for Growth, Hampered by Process
- The Challenge: The Mid-Sized Company Hiring Challenges of an Operational Bottleneck
- The Hathaway Engagement: A Tailored Search for Mid-Market Operations Leadership
- The Results: Challenge Met – Operations Ready for Scale
- Key Learnings for Expanding Mid-Sized Companies
- Conclusion: Scaling Operations with Confidence Needs the Right Leader
The Client: Innovate MFG – Poised for Growth, Hampered by Process
Innovate MFG had carved a significant niche in the [Specialized Industrial Components] market through cutting-edge design and a commitment to quality. Their products were gaining traction across multiple industries, and a recent, significant investment round was earmarked for expanding production capacity and market reach. The CEO and founding team, brilliant engineers and strategists, had successfully navigated the startup phase. However, as orders surged, their existing operational infrastructure, built organically over time, was showing serious cracks. They possessed immense market potential but lacked the operational leadership to capitalize on it fully. They knew they needed to Hire Ops Director talent, but recognized the unique challenges of finding the right fit for their mid-sized, high-growth environment.
The Challenge: The Mid-Sized Company Hiring Challenges of an Operational Bottleneck
Innovate MFG faced a classic set of challenges common to scaling mid-market companies:
- Process Inefficiencies: Many core processes were still heavily manual or relied on disparate, non-integrated systems, leading to delays, errors, and a lack of real-time visibility.
- Capacity Constraints: Production scheduling was reactive, struggling to keep up with demand fluctuations, leading to extended lead times and occasional customer dissatisfaction.
- Quality & Consistency Issues: As volume increased, maintaining consistent quality standards became a growing concern without formalized QMS and robust process controls.
- Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Their supply chain hadn’t been strategically developed for scale, leading to occasional bottlenecks and over-reliance on single suppliers.
- Leadership Void: Crucially, there was no single leader with the dedicated expertise and bandwidth to own the operational strategy. The CEO was being pulled too deep into the weeds, away from strategic growth initiatives. They needed a Director of Operations hire who could take full ownership.
They understood that finding operations leadership capable of addressing these issues while fitting into their entrepreneurial culture was a make-or-break task. They needed someone who could build systems without creating bureaucracy, and lead a team through significant change.
The Hathaway Engagement: A Tailored Search for Mid-Market Operations Leadership
Innovate MFG partnered with Hathaway Worldwide, recognizing our expertise in operations executive search and our understanding of the specific needs of mid-sized, growing companies. We knew this wasn’t simply a case of finding someone with a “Director of Operations” title; it required a deep understanding of the unique ‘player-coach’ and ‘builder’ profile needed for scaling operations mid-market.
Phase 1: Deep Dive – Understanding Mid-Sized Nuances
Our initial phase was immersive. We didn’t just review a job description; we:
- Met extensively with the CEO and founding team to grasp their vision, culture, and specific pain points.
- Toured their facilities to understand the current operational reality.
- Interviewed key team members to understand challenges from the ground level.
- Analyzed their growth projections and strategic objectives.
This allowed us to collaboratively build a detailed success profile. We identified the need for an Operations Director who was not only technically proficient (e.g., Lean Manufacturing, ERP implementation, QMS development, Supply Chain Management) but also possessed strong change management skills, a hands-on approach, and the ability to thrive in an environment where they would need to build many systems from scratch. This was a critical step in setting the stage for a successful Hire Ops Director process.
Phase 2: Precision Search – Finding the ‘Builder-Leader’
Our search strategy focused on identifying candidates with proven experience in *scaling*, not just *managing*, operations within mid-sized industrial or manufacturing companies. We:
- Mapped the market, looking at direct competitors and adjacent industries.
- Leveraged our network to identify high-potential individuals known for operational transformations.
- Conducted proactive, confidential outreach, emphasizing the unique opportunity to build a world-class operations function and make a tangible impact at Innovate MFG.
- Screened rigorously, focusing not just on what they had done, but *how* they had done it – particularly their approach to change and team leadership.
We specifically looked for individuals who showed excitement for the ‘building’ aspect, rather than those seeking the comfort of established, large-scale operations.
Phase 3: Holistic Assessment & Strategic Placement
We presented Innovate MFG with a curated shortlist of highly qualified candidates. Our assessment went deep:
- Technical Interviews: Validating their expertise in specific operational methodologies and technologies.
- Leadership Assessments: Using behavioral interviewing to gauge their leadership style, communication skills, and ability to motivate and develop teams.
- ‘Scaling’ Case Studies: Presenting candidates with Innovate MFG’s specific challenges and asking for their strategic approach and 90-day plan.
- Cultural Fit Evaluation: Ensuring their energy, values, and working style aligned with Innovate MFG’s dynamic and innovative culture.
- Extensive Referencing: Conducting thorough backchannel references, focusing on their past performance in similar growth environments.
We facilitated the entire interview process, providing feedback and guidance to both the client and candidates, culminating in the successful negotiation and placement of an exceptional Operations Director – a true Hathaway Worldwide case study ops success.
The Results: Challenge Met – Operations Ready for Scale
The impact of the new Operations Director, secured through our targeted Hire Ops Director process, was significant and rapid:
- Process Overhaul: Within 12 months, key operational processes were streamlined, and a new, integrated ERP system was successfully implemented, leading to a [Plausible 25%] increase in overall operational efficiency and real-time visibility.
- Capacity & Delivery Improvement: Production capacity was increased by [Plausible 40%] through better planning and process optimization, while on-time delivery rates improved dramatically from [Plausible 78%] to [Plausible 96%].
- Quality Enhancement: A robust Quality Management System (QMS) was established, reducing defect rates by [Plausible 60%] and enhancing customer confidence.
- Team Development: The Director restructured the operations team, clarifying roles, implementing training programs, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
- CEO Liberation: The CEO was freed from daily operational fires, allowing them to focus fully on strategic growth, innovation, and market expansion.
Innovate MFG was no longer just *poised* for growth; they had the operational backbone to support and sustain it. The challenge was truly met.
Key Learnings for Expanding Mid-Sized Companies
This successful engagement highlights several key lessons for mid-sized businesses navigating growth and undertaking recruitment for growing companies:
- Anticipate Needs: Don’t wait for operational systems to break before investing in leadership. Be proactive.
- Define the *Right* Profile: A mid-sized ‘builder’ is different from a large-company ‘maintainer’. Define your needs accurately.
- Value Cultural Fit: In a mid-sized company, cultural alignment is paramount for leadership success and team cohesion.
- Don’t Settle: The right Operations Director is a high-impact hire. It’s worth investing time and resources (including a specialized search partner) to get it right.
- Empower Your Leaders: Once hired, give your new leaders the autonomy and support they need to execute and transform.
Scaling Operations with Confidence Needs the Right Leader
The journey from a promising mid-sized company to a scaled industry leader is paved with operational challenges. Overcoming these hurdles requires not just investment and technology, but critically, the right leadership. The story of Innovate MFG demonstrates how a strategic, tailored approach to finding and placing an Operations Director can unlock immense potential. It shows that even with the specific mid-sized company hiring challenges, securing top-tier talent is possible. Hathaway Worldwide is proud to partner with dynamic, growing companies like Innovate MFG, helping them meet their leadership challenges and scale with confidence.
If your mid-sized company is facing operational growing pains and needs to Hire Ops Director talent to navigate the future, contact Hathaway Worldwide today. Let’s discuss how we can help you meet your challenge.
