Leading Hardware Manufacturer Seeks President/CEO
[POSITION FILLED] Schaffer Associates is recruiting for a President/CEO (“President”) of a leading hardware manufacturer based in the Southeast. Our Client is known for offering high quality products for the home at fair value. The Company markets through multiple channels in the United States and Canada, including distributors, co-ops, and online fulfillment, while its retail channels range from small- to mid-market chains to big box retailers and home centers. Partnering with offshore contract manufacturers, our Client manages it own supply chain, and imports and distributes over 1,500 SKUs.
Long respected as one of the premier brands in its category, our Client was recently spun off from a larger manufacturer and is now a standalone company. The President’s mission will be to lead the Company through this transformation, working in conjunction with the Company’s private equity partner and reporting to its Board of Directors. The President will have six direct reports: the CFO, the VP Sales and Marketing, Director of Human Resources, Director of Sourcing/Supply Chain, and Director of Information Technology, and Senior Manager Customer/Sales Service.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
To accomplish the mission of leading the Company through its business transformation to a standalone company, the President will be tasked with the following:
- Further developing and executing the strategy of aggregating the market in multiple channels of distribution;
- Building a high performance team from both legacy and new individuals;
- Creating a strong culture of transparency, creativity, and accountability; and
- Driving revenue, operating efficiencies, and shareholder value in sync with the pace of private equity.
As the chief architect for how the Company will commercially achieve incremental sales across key markets and distribution channels in all categories, the President must be able to accomplish the following:
- Act decisively and swiftly with respect to channel, product line, and customer profitability;
- Act with remarkable financial analytical skill and discipline; and
- Utilize a responsive, data-driven management approach for decision-making that reflects the importance of innovation in showrooms, trends in home centers, and dynamics of online consumer behavior patterns.
- Provide the leadership, plans, and clear direction to the organization as it sets forth as a standalone company;
- Infusing passion, trust, and confidence for people to become a high performance team that is fully engaged and motivated to win; and
- Increase shareholder value in conjunction with the Company’s private equity partner.
Education & Experience
The qualified candidate for President must meet the following education and experience requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business (an advanced degree is a distinct advantage).
- Experience in the following areas:
- As an operating president with an entrepreneurial spirit and track record driving organic growth in consumer products businesses
- Private equity
- Managing a P&L of greater than $60 million with strong profitability
- Managing a business effectively with an offshore supply chain and contract manufacturers
- Mergers / acquisition integration
- Exposure to SAP strongly preferred
- Recruiting, developing, and retaining talent, especially in sales and marketing
- Marketing and sales with both big box retailers and two-step distribution, direct and through distributors and specialty retailers
- Relocatable to a desirable Southeast location
This job posting is for information purposes only. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Schaffer Associates is a national management consulting firm specializing in executive search and organizational strategies for the hardware, home improvement, building materials, and consumer products industries. As the premier management consulting firm serving the industry, we help build organizations and leadership teams that foster corporate growth and success well into the future.
Call us at (704) 535-9939 or find us at www.SchafferAssociates.com