Opportunity Brief:  General Manager

Ford & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Group) are a leading Executive search firm to the UK, North American and European Engineering, Technology, Sustainability & Heavy Manufacturing industries.

Our search directors, search consultants and research teams specialise in all horizontal functions of our clients organisation with expertise spanning engineering, commercial, procurement, HR, IT, finance, HSQE, sales, projects, operations and c-suite.

We are trusted by over 100 leading organisations when they seek to make a leadership appointment, be that a permanent appointment or an interim solution.

Below you will find an ‘opportunity brief’ developed from notes taken during the scoping meeting (Situational Discovery) held between the Business Manager of F&S Executive Search, Director of F&S Executive Search & the Group Chief Executive Officer of the business. This brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity inherent within the role, the challenges the role presents and provide access to the detail that sits behind the job specification.

Client Opportunity Statements:

“We are a small, rapidly growing rail solutions business. Paramount to the continued growth and development of the business is the hiring of a charismatic and inspirational General Manager. Someone who will be able to take full advantage of the new opportunity we have, along with the strategy and drive it through to operational delivery.”

“This role will require a focus on the capability of the teams within the business. We need a firm focus on how we as a senior leadership team best utilise the recently acquired assets. Ensuring we get the best out of all available resources within the business and provide us the best opportunity to ensure this business maximises its potential!”

“Ultimately, we are looking for a hands-on General Manager ideally with experience within leasing, who wants to ‘get into the thick of it’, and develop a thorough understanding of the business, industry, and its people. You will use this knowledge in tandem with a winning strategy to drive growth.”

The Opportunity

Challenges expected within the first 12 months include:

• Managing the warranty interface during the first two years of service.
• Optimising the maintenance strategy in an effective and cost-competitive way
• Managing your time effectively between running the day-to-day operations whilst working on the strategy to build a business for the future.  

Key deliverables within the first 12 months include:

• Successfully establish the processes, procedures, and workforce needed to operate the business effectively.
• Complete the introduction of the newly acquired assets.  
• Begin setting the strategy to expand business operations into other areas.

Working Arrangements & Location:

It is expected that you will spend 1/2 days in the office in Derby and the remaining 3/4 days out visiting prospect clients or utilising time from alternative workspaces.

Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)

§  A strong understanding of rolling stock either from an engineering perspective or through exposure in the industry.

§  Exposure to leasing operations

§  Ability to think commercially and understand how to pitch and close business.    

§  Proven ability of managing and growing teams.

§  A thorough understanding of the rail industry, it’s main players and how it works.

 Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)

§  A creative thinker with an ability to think “outside the box”.

§  A proactive and pragmatic character who gets things done.

§  Engaging and inspirational personality able to bring teams along a journey.

§  A positive “can do” attitude, who is focused on solutions not problems.

§  Commercially astute complete with a ‘business head’.

Ford & Stanley Interview Process:

• 1st Stage – Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational, and consultative discussion where interested candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the above and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations, and personal circumstances.
• 2nd Stage – The ‘shortlist’: Candidates are asked to reflect on the candidate discovery discussion, take time to reflect on the opportunity, and undertake subsequent research on the client business reporting back on their thoughts, questions, and providing additional specific information on their suitability (if applicable). Final checks of role, package, and logistical alignments made.

Client Interview Process:

• 1st Stage – Interview to be held via teams with Group CEO and Interim MD
• 2nd Stage – Interview will be on site with CEO, and a member of the owning groups board

Business Manager of Executive Search (Tom Norton) and Director of Executive Search (Dan Taylor) side notes:

• The role will report directly into the CEO
• The new General Manager will have ultimate responsibility for a business unit within the organisation.  
• It is expected that the new General Manager will have full autonomous control over the business unit and be able to contribute to strategy and the direction of the business.
• The division is currently made up of a mixture of ‘white collar’ and ‘blue collar’ heads with skillsets across fleet engineering, technicians, commercial, document control, and procurement.
• Notably, the business has just completed the purchase of new assets
• Important to note that the entirety of the group of businesses has been built from the ground up and as such, the team has been hand-picked.
• They are proud of the strong, passionate, and collaborative culture that they have fostered within the business. Very family-centric / orientated.
• There is an excellent mix of exceptionally knowledgeable and capable ‘old guard’ within the business and new ‘up and coming’ talent.
• It’s expected that for the right individual, the role will evolve into an MD’s position within 2/3 years.
• The expectation is that this individual will be in Derby HQ at least 1-2 days per week with additional time client-facing as needed.

• There is an experienced interim MD in situ and the successful candidate can utilise/pool on this experienced person as required.
  
  

Salary Banding/Parameters to work within:

Low £85,000/ Mid £100,000/ Top end £110,000

Supporting benefits

• Car Allowance of £7,500 P.A
• Annual discretionary bonus under review likely to be based on the performance of the business unit growth, this is yet to be designed and will not be included in the contract or offer of employment.

Likely Job Titles:

Head of Sales, Head of Business Development, Head of Client Development, Sales Director, Account Director, Business Development Director

F&S Executive Search – Delivery Team:

• Tom Norton – Business Manager (Offer Negotiations, Networking, Headhunting, Networking, Research, Search, Shortlisting, Longlisting, Interviews, Data & Market Intel)
• Dan Taylor – Director, Executive Search (Client Recommendations/Advisory, Offer Negotiations, Interviews, Networking, Shortlisting)
• Ralitsa Kuzeva – Executive Assistant (Diary Management, Coordination, Candidate Experience)

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search:

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 exclusive and retained search assignments with forward-thinking and proactive global companies that place their trust in our ability to deliver a winning shortlist at the first time of asking.

Our Search Directors & Search Consultants underpinned by our in-house research team 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 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.