1) Situace klienta (anonymizovaná):
A privately-owned North American manufacturing group specializing in modular fabrication and integrated systems faced urgent operational challenges at one of its Polish production facilities. The company, operating multiple sites across the Central and Eastern Europe, serves mission-critical sectors including defense and industrial infrastructure. Rapid growth and a leadership gap at the Polish plant created immediate pressure to restore operational discipline and meet rising customer demand. The absence of a Chief Operating Officer left the business exposed to execution risk and declining workforce accountability.
2) Výzva:
- Leadership gap at the operational level, with no COO in place
- Production delays and inability to meet demand reliably
- Supply chain inefficiencies and inventory tracking issues
- Workforce accountability concerns, with unclear roles and responsibilities
- Plant management uncertainty and lack of clear ownership
- Low morale and visible employee disengagement on the shop floor
- Inconsistent planning and unreliable material readiness
- Escalating risk of missed customer expectations
3) Prozatímní role (rychlost a vhodnost):
CE Interim rapidly deployed an Interim Chief Operating Officer to address the crisis at the Polish facility near Warsaw. The assignment was structured as a 9-12 month mandate, reporting directly to the CEO in the USA. The interim COO was selected for deep experience in operational turnaround, manufacturing scale-up, and cross-functional plant leadership. Key fit factors included proven ability to restore cadence in high-pressure environments, assess and restructure plant teams, and align operational execution with both local and USA group-level expectations. The rapid deployment ensured immediate leadership presence and operational credibility on site.
4) Co se stalo během mandátu:
Prvních 30 dní
- Conducted a rapid diagnostic of plant operations, workforce structure, and supply chain processes
- Established daily management routines and visible shop floor presence
- Clarified roles and responsibilities for plant managers, supervisors, and key staff in Poland
- Initiated immediate inventory and material flow assessment to identify bottlenecks
- Opened direct communication channels with executive leadership and plant teams
Prvních 6 měsíců
- Implemented weekly operational reviews and reporting cadence with plant and USA HQ stakeholders
- Strengthened supply chain management, improving material readiness and inventory accuracy
- Assessed and restructured local Polish plant leadership, addressing gaps in accountability and performance
- Introduced performance metrics and daily tracking for production output and workforce utilization
- Facilitated targeted training and coaching for supervisors and team leads
6 a více měsíců
- Consolidated operational improvements, ensuring sustained delivery reliability and compliance
- Supported the scale-up of manufacturing capacity to meet program-driven growth
- Aligned plant operations with group-wide standards for quality, traceability, and customer delivery
- Reduced escalation frequency through proactive issue resolution and transparent reporting
- Prepared the organization for a seamless transition to permanent leadership
Předání a odchod
- Documented all new processes, reporting routines, and accountability frameworks
- Transferred operational knowledge to the incoming permanent COO and plant management team
- Conducted final performance review and alignment session with executive leadership in CEE and in the USA
- Exited with operational stability restored and a clear governance structure in place
5) Přijatá opatření (zaměření na realizaci):
- Restored daily and weekly reporting cadence between the Polish plant and executive leadership in the USA
- Established clear decision-making authority and accountability at all plant levels
- Conducted comprehensive workforce assessment, identifying talent gaps and development needs
- Implemented inventory control measures and improved material tracking processes
- Strengthened supply chain planning and demand forecasting discipline
- Reorganized plant management structure to clarify ownership and reduce ambiguity
- Introduced visible shop floor leadership and regular team briefings
- Facilitated cross-functional alignment between operations, supply chain, and HR
- Developed and tracked key performance indicators for production and workforce efficiency
- Supported executive communication to maintain stakeholder confidence during transition
6) Dosažené výsledky (měřitelný důkaz):
- Operational control restored within 60 days, with visible improvement in plant discipline
- Workforce accountability increased, reducing unproductive time and clarifying roles
- Inventory accuracy improved, minimizing lost materials and production delays
- Supply chain reliability strengthened, supporting on-time delivery to customers
- Escalation incidents reduced as decision-making rhythm was re-established
- Plant leadership stabilized, with clear ownership and reporting lines in place
- Production output aligned with demand planning, supporting growth objectives
- Stakeholder confidence rebuilt through transparent reporting and governance
- By mandate end, the plant operated with sustained cadence and readiness for further scale-up
7) Proč CE Interim:
CE Interim delivered a rapid, precise interim COO deployment tailored to the urgency and complexity of the interim mandate in Poland. The selected leader brought senior operational credibility, cross-border execution fluency, and immediate control to a high-stakes CEE environment. CE Interim’s disciplined approach ensured alignment between headquarters in the USA and local operations, restored governance cadence, and built trust with both owners and plant teams. The engagement reduced risk, accelerated stabilization, and positioned the business for sustainable growth.
8) Výzva k akci:
If you require an interim COO to restore operational control and workforce accountability during a critical phase of manufacturing scale-up, CE Interim can provide the right leader quickly and safely.
CE Interim poskytuje prověřené dočasné vedoucí pracovníky do 72 hodin napříč zeměmi, kulturami a odvětvími. Specializujeme se na interim management s vysokým dopadem pro private equity firmy, rodinné kanceláře a globální korporace, které čelí přechodným obdobím: digitální transformaci, vstupu na trh, provoznímu zvratu, integraci po fúzi nebo krizi.
To, co nás odlišuje, není jen rychlost nebo hloubka naší sítě, ale také způsob, jakým vedeme. Každou zakázku osobně řídí vedoucí partner CE Interim: bývalí generální ředitelé, finanční ředitelé nebo provozní ředitelé, kteří stáli na vaší straně stolu a řídili organizace při rozhodování ve vysokých sázkách.
Díky globálnímu fondu talentů a operačnímu dosahu v Evropě, USA a na Blízkém východě neobsazujeme pozice, ale budujeme důvěru, vedeme transformace a dosahujeme výsledků.
Jako součást Valtus Alliance, největší světové aliance společností v oblasti Executive Interim Managementu, zajišťujeme bezproblémovou mezinárodní realizaci prostřednictvím více než 25 kanceláří a více než 80 seniorních partnerů ve více než 50 zemích.
