ANDRITZ Separation, belonging to the ANDRITZ Group is the world’s leading separation specialist, with the deepest knowledge, broadest technical resources, and most comprehensive service solutions. Having been partnered with the organisation for several years, establishing a great partnership and having played a great part in growing their engineering teams by successfully filling 9 roles over the past 2 years for the organisation, the team got in touch with us for their next crucial hire – a Head of Automation, in Selb (North Bavaria), Germany.

 

 

Challenge

Bavaria, despite being a hub for industry and engineering, is experiencing a significant shortage of automation talent, creating challenges for its industries that rely on advanced manufacturing and technology. The demand for experts in automation and robotics exceeds the current supply, and the limited talent pool proved a challenge when hiring for this position, particularly as the company had little brand awareness within the German location – given its roots in Austria.

This role also required a unique blend of technical expertise in project planning of automation systems, including PLC programming, and knowledge of control hardware and drive technology and initially, the client prioritized candidates with that team leadership experience over technical skills, a decision that later complicated the hiring process.

 

process technology

 

Solution

Christina has over 7 years of recruitment experience and manages our process technology and process automation sector here at CrimsonXT. Leveraging her industry expertise and established network within the process automation sector, she took on the role and within three weeks of receiving the job specification, had shortlisted five candidates. Soon after shortlisting, one of the top candidates withdrew from the process, so Christina quickly adapted, and following communication with the client, shifted her focus towards technical skills over leadership experience. She efficiently revised her search and, within two weeks, presented two new highly qualified candidates for the position.

Christina’s familiarity with the organisation’s corporate culture and needs, honed over years of partnership, allowed her to identify candidates who not only met the technical requirements but also had the potential to grow within the organization. By effectively communicating the company’s industry leadership to the candidates, Christina played a crucial role in enhancing the company’s employer branding – ensuring each candidate was fully informed and aligned with the company’s vision.

Christina’s familiarity with the organisation’s corporate culture and needs, honed over years of partnership, allowed her to identify candidates who not only met the technical requirements but also had the potential to grow within the organization.

Impact

The selected candidate, despite lacking direct leadership experience, was a perfect fit due to their 13 years of industry expertise, particularly in special purpose machinery and PLC technology. The candidate’s additional experience in technical guidance, supervision, and hardware planning positioned them as an ideal leader who could grow into the role. Since starting the role last year, the newly appointed Head of Automation has already implemented significant changes, restructured and optimised processes, and demonstrated their capability in managing experienced employees, reinforcing their role as a key technical leader in the subsidiary.

For Andritz Separation, filling this role was crucial. The automation department in Germany, predominantly based in Munich, now has a strong technical leader, who enhances the team’s ability to address technical challenges locally. This successful placement not only met the immediate needs of the team, but also strengthened our ongoing partnership, with plans to continue collaboration on automation roles across Germany.

 

 

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