Critical Leadership Hires in Supply Chain & Engineering

Post by:The Reserves Network

Key Metrics:

  • Time to shortlist: 1 week per role
  • Time to hire: 2 weeks
  • Finalists per role: 2 strong candidates each
  • Hires: Supply Chain Manager & Engineering Manager
  • Client feedback: Highly satisfied with speed, alignment, and candidate quality

The challenge

Kochek had recently brought in a new Plant Manager who stepped into an operation facing immediate leadership gaps. Supply Chain and Engineering were significantly understaffed and lacked the supervisory oversight needed to support production, shipping/receiving, and product development. The company required a Supply Chain Manager to oversee the full supply chain lifecycle—inventory, procurement, and shipping/receiving—as well as an Engineering Manager with strong technical knowledge and proven supervisory experience to rebuild, develop, and lead the engineering team.

The search was further challenged by a highly competitive market for mid-level manufacturing leadership talent and compensation packages below market norms due to the organization’s size and cost structure—making it difficult to attract qualified candidates without big-company pay scales. Despite these constraints, both roles were urgent and mission-critical for stabilizing operations and supporting growth.

The solution

TRN partnered directly with the Plant Manager to clarify position expectations, team gaps, and the leadership qualities needed for long-term success. We launched a highly targeted recruiting strategy focused on passive candidates with the right blend of hands-on experience and leadership capability. This included a detailed intake to prioritize must-have competencies, direct sourcing from similar manufacturing environments, and tight, continuous communication to maintain alignment and accelerate decision-making. We positioned the opportunity by emphasizing growth potential, leadership autonomy, and impact to counterbalance below-market compensation.

This strategy quickly surfaced high-caliber individuals motivated by culture, stability, and career path rather than compensation alone.

The result

TRN closed both searches in record time. For the Supply Chain Manager role, two qualified finalists were identified and interviewed, with one hired within two weeks. For the Engineering Manager, we identified, vetted, and placed a candidate in the same rapid timeframe. The Plant Manager expressed strong satisfaction with the quality and fit of the hires, noting the speed of delivery and TRN’s ability to overcome market and compensation challenges. Since joining, both leaders have helped stabilize operations, improve team structure, and support departmental growth—strengthening TRN’s partnership with Kochek and positioning us as a trusted resource for future leadership needs.