Client: De Ruijter
Family-run business De Ruijter International is a leading global specialist in high-quality rubber compounds for applications in the automotive and tire industries.
Discipline: Technical Management
De Ruijter asked FITz to find them a Technical Manager Rubber Compounds. The candidate had to be a technically skilled conceptual thinker with a strong and unique vision on product development. This was a key position given the final responsibility over R&D, Laboratory, Production, Quality and Technical Services. De Ruijter therefore asked FITz to find them someone with strong leadership skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. They must have strong communications skills when interacting with both stakeholders and clients, a willingness to brainstorm with the clients on location and advise them in the application of compounds manufactured by De Ruijter. This requires the ability to create new recipes, develop new compounds and manage and improve the production processes.
Solution:
Given the strong focus on product development in this position, the ideal candidate must have experience in the rubber compound industry. This was challenging because the top innovators in this high-end market were located all over the world. FITz therefore opted for a direct search strategy, focusing on competitors and companies that process rubber compounds. This provided us with several talents in the EMEA region. We chose a technical specialist from Romania able to provide the best match between client specifications and development, production and quality management at De Ruijter.
Success factor
Discretion was key in this silent search. It was important for us to determine the level of transparency towards candidates and to manage their expectations. Given that this was a long-term position, our client attached great importance to the optimal integration of the Romanian candidate within the organization. For this reason, we introduced the candidate and the client to one of our partners who specializes in taxes, relocation and integration on behalf of candidates and their families.
