1) Client situation (anonymised):
A European industrial group, owned by a global private equity fund, operates in the high-end equipment sector with a footprint across Germany and Central Europe. The group’s Hungarian subsidiary, a mid-sized manufacturing entity, is responsible for end-to-end value chain delivery and is entering a decisive transformation phase. Rapid growth, digitalization, and ERP integration have exposed a critical gap in the customer service and sales operations interface. The urgency was driven by the need to maintain operational continuity and prevent disruption during a leadership vacancy.
2) The challenge:
- Leadership gap in customer service and sales operations following an unsuccessful corporate hire
- Fragmented product knowledge, undocumented and siloed within individuals
- Inconsistent and informal order-to-cash processes, lacking scalability
- Miscommunication between sales and manufacturing, leading to operational waste
- ERP system misaligned with actual business workflows
- Delayed decision-making and lack of process ownership
- Risk of embedding flawed processes into the new ERP platform
- Pressure from owners and board to maintain continuity and support growth
3) Interim role delivered (speed and fit):
An Interim Sales Operations Lead was rapidly deployed to the Hungarian entity to ensure immediate continuity and stabilize the order-to-cash function. The assignment was structured as a 9–12 month mandate, designed to bridge the vacancy gap and professionalize the function until a permanent leader could be appointed. The interim executive brought a strong manufacturing-linked sales operations background, cross-functional expertise, and experience in ERP logic design. Fit was ensured through cultural fluency, stakeholder management skills, and the ability to operate effectively within a high-performance, trust-based environment.
4) What happened during the mandate:
First 30 days
- Assumed direct leadership of the customer service and sales operations unit to prevent disruption
- Conducted rapid assessment of existing processes, knowledge gaps, and team capabilities
- Established clear reporting lines and daily operational cadence
- Initiated documentation of critical product knowledge with input from key factory experts
- Built immediate trust with cross-functional stakeholders, including sales, R&D, and manufacturing
First 6 months
- Codified order-to-cash procedures and triage protocols between sales, R&D, and manufacturing
- Aligned process logic with ERP redesign, embedding scalable workflows into system requirements
- Implemented structured communication channels for accurate client updates and lead time management
- Drove weekly performance reviews and KPI tracking to restore accountability
- Facilitated cross-functional workshops to institutionalize best practices and reduce miscommunication
6+ months
- Supported the recruitment and onboarding of a permanent function leader
- Monitored process adherence and reinforced knowledge transfer across teams
- Collaborated with the ERP implementation team to validate operational logic in live system tests
- Maintained stakeholder engagement and ensured continuity during leadership transition
- Prepared the function for steady-state operation under new permanent leadership
Handover and exit
- Delivered comprehensive process documentation and knowledge repositories
- Provided structured handover to the incoming permanent leader, including stakeholder maps and open issues
- Conducted final alignment sessions with the CEO, CCO, and ERP project team
- Exited with continuity maintained and no operational disruption
5) Actions taken (execution focus):
- Assumed interim leadership to cover the vacancy and stabilize daily operations
- Mapped and documented critical product and process knowledge with factory experts
- Established clear triage rules for order escalation between sales, R&D, and manufacturing
- Introduced structured reporting cadence and daily team check-ins
- Realigned order-to-cash workflows with ERP system requirements
- Facilitated cross-functional workshops to clarify roles and reduce process ambiguity
- Implemented weekly KPI reviews and performance tracking
- Built trust with local and international stakeholders through transparent communication
- Supported recruitment and onboarding of permanent successor
- Ensured structured knowledge transfer and process continuity at exit
6) Outcomes achieved (measurable proof):
- Order-to-cash process stabilized within 60 days, preventing operational drift
- Product knowledge codified and made accessible to all relevant teams
- Communication gaps between sales and manufacturing reduced, lowering rework and delays
- ERP redesign aligned with operational logic, reducing risk of future inefficiencies
- Weekly reporting and performance cadence restored, increasing accountability
- Stakeholder confidence maintained throughout the leadership transition
- No disruption to client delivery or service levels during the vacancy gap
- Permanent function leader onboarded with full process documentation and support
- Sustained process adherence and knowledge retention post-handover
7) Why CE Interim:
CE Interim delivered a rapid, precise interim solution that matched the client’s operational and cultural requirements. The interim executive was deployed quickly to prevent disruption, brought the right mix of manufacturing and sales operations expertise, and integrated seamlessly with both local and cross-border teams. Governance cadence and trust were established early, ensuring owners and leadership had clear visibility and reduced risk throughout the mandate.
8) Call to action:
If you need an interim leader to stabilize and professionalize a mission-critical function during a leadership gap, CE Interim can deliver the right executive quickly and ensure continuity from day one.
CE Interim delivers proven executive interim leaders within 72 hours across borders, cultures, and industries. We specialize in high-impact interim management for private equity firms, family offices, and global corporations facing moments of transition: digital transformation, market entry, operational turnaround, post-merger integration, or crisis.
What sets us apart is not just the speed or depth of our network, it’s how we lead. Every engagement is personally guided by a CE Interim managing partner: former CEOs, CFOs, or COOs who’ve been on your side of the table, steering organizations through high-stakes decisions.
With a global talent pool and operational reach spanning Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, we don’t fill roles, we build trust, lead transitions, and deliver outcomes.
As part of the Valtus Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of Executive Interim Management companies, we ensure seamless international execution through 25+ offices and 80+ senior partners in over 50 countries.
