How an Interim Executive Director of Operations solved the challenges of an education materials business

This article examines the impact an interim executive had on a 15 million dollar education materials business when they brought in an Interim Director of Operations 2 days a week for 14 months to help address some of their challenges.

Company background

Prior to the interim executive joining the company, there were a number of challenges facing the company. The CEO saw a need to focus on process improvements, staff effectiveness, and management strength; and wanted to provide the foundation for future growth of the company.

Implementation by the interim executive director

To help address these concerns the interim executive restructured and resized the organization to meet the needs and objectives of the strategic plan; optimized the supply and distribution processes and channels in order to ensure quality while minimizing costs; developed a set of highly transparent, and widely accessible performance metrics.

Results achieved by interim executive director

Through all of this work, the interim executive was able to help the company achieve some impactful results. The bottom line effect was over $600,000. They produced a 20% reduction of inventory on-hand, and reduced customer backorders by 50%. Reduced warehouse space requirements by 20%, and reduced customer order time from six to four days, while renegotiating supplier contracts reducing costs. The client commented, “What we thought we would get was improved operations – but what we got was an entirely new, performance-based approach to all company activities – and the insights necessary to make substantial strategic changes.”

Cerius Executives is one of the largest North American providers of contract executives for part-time, temporary, interim and consulting assignments. These executives are available to step into companies on short notice, to fill a sudden gap in leadership, to run a key initiative which provides specialized skills and knowledge for a temporary period of time. For more information on how a Cerius executive can impact your company, call us at (949) 867-7119 or contact us at ceriusexecutives.com.

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