Headhunter operations & plant management: leaders with shopfloor DNA
As an experienced headhunter for operations and plant management we fill COO, VP operations, plant management and production management roles in mechanical engineering, chemicals and the process industry.
Plant manager and COO headhunting: why senior operations managers do not respond to job advertisements
Industrial value creation stands or falls with operational leadership. According to VDMA studies on productivity in mechanical engineering the quality of operational leadership is the decisive lever for efficiency gains — more so than technology investment alone.
The problem: experienced plant managers, COOs and VPs of operations are usually in stable, well-paid positions. They do not respond to job portals.
As a specialised headhunter for operations and plant management based in Düsseldorf we resolve exactly this dilemma — across mechanical engineering, chemicals and the process industry, with proven methodological expertise in lean, OPEX and Industry 4.0.
What operations headhunting gains you
- Hidden market: top plant managers and COOs are reachable almost exclusively through a personal direct approach
- OPEX validation: methodological competence (lean, six sigma, CIP) is verified against real project results
- Discretion: succession search without unsettling the workforce — we operate confidentially until release
- Shortlist in 4–6 weeks instead of months of searching — every week a production role stays open is expensive
- Industry 4.0 profiling: MES experience, OEE tracking and smart factory competence are examined systematically
- Six-month guarantee: a fee-free repeat search — security for your site
Executive search and direct search for operations leaders
As a specialised recruitment consultant for operations and plant management based in Düsseldorf we fill leadership roles that combine manufacturing understanding with strategic reach.
Executive search operations & COO
Filling strategic operations leadership roles: chief operating officer, VP operations, technical managing director, director supply chain.
To direct searchDirect search for plant and production managers
Targeted direct approach of plant managers, production managers and technical managers with genuine shopfloor competence.
To the plant manager searchOPEX diagnostics & methods audit
Structured assessment of lean, six sigma and Industry 4.0 competence against concrete transformation projects.
To aptitude diagnosticsOperations leadership across industries: where we recruit
Operations is a cross-industry function — and that is our strength. As headhunters we place leaders across sectors.
Filling strategic operations roles that steer complex value chains and ESG compliance across several sites.
Direct search for experienced plant and production managers with genuine shopfloor competence, validated against real results.
Filling cross-functional operational roles: supply chain director, head of purchasing, quality director, head of EHS.
Operations profiles of the future: who we find for you
Digitalisation, sustainability and global supply chain risk are changing what is expected of operations leaders. As an operations headhunter we fill the roles that drive this change.
Operational excellence meets digitalisation: leaders who combine lean principles with MES data and analytics.
Plant managers who do not merely accompany smart factory projects but lead them, from MES implementation onwards.
Global supply chain risk, single-source dependencies and geopolitical disruption make supply chain resilience a leadership task.
Carbon-neutral production, energy efficiency and ESG reporting are becoming operational obligations.
Operations recruiting in five steps: efficiency and discretion
In operations every week counts — an unfilled plant management role costs production capacity.
We define the role profile including technical requirements, OPEX methodology, leadership span and cultural fit.
Systematic identification of target candidates in the competitive environment: which companies they work for today.
Discreet personal approach with an in-depth technical OPEX interview, validating lean projects against results.
Presentation of hand-picked top candidates with complete competence, methodology and leadership profiles.
Aftercare during the onboarding phase. If the placement leaves within six months we repeat the search free of charge — stabilising your operational leadership for the long term.
Focus positions: operations & plant management
As a specialised operations headhunter we fill key positions along the industrial value chain.
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
- VP operations / manufacturing
- Technical managing director
- Director global supply chain
- Head of operational excellence
- Plant manager
- Head of production
- Head of maintenance & engineering
- Lean manager / OPEX lead
- Head of production planning
- Quality director / head of QM
- Head of EHS / occupational safety
- Head of quality assurance
- Six Sigma Master Black Belt
- Head of testing laboratory
- Head of Supply Chain
- Head of purchasing / CPO
- Head of logistics & distribution
- Strategic Sourcing Manager
- Head of production planning
Your personal headhunter for operations & plant management
Jan Bohlken
For more than 25 years Jan Bohlken has supported industrial companies from Düsseldorf with filling critical operations leadership roles — from plant management succession in a mid-sized business to a COO mandate in an industrial group.
As a specialised recruitment consultant for operations and plant management he knows the cultural differences between mechanical engineering, chemicals and the process industry and can assess cultural fit accordingly.
„In plant management the title does not count. What counts is the ability to bring people and machines into one working rhythm.“
Discretion, OPEX expertise and a guarantee: what you can expect from us
Appointing plant managers and COOs leaves no room for error. We protect your production capability.
Absolute discretion
Plant management successions require particular sensitivity. We operate confidentially without naming your company.
Valid OPEX diagnostics
We assess lean, six sigma and CIP competence not through certificates but through concrete transformation results.
Cultural fit & guarantee
Precise selection by leadership style, delivery strength and company culture — combined with our placement guarantee.
Frequently asked questions about headhunting for operations & plant management
Answers on executive search, direct search and recruitment consulting in operations, production and supply chain.
Experienced plant managers and COOs are usually in stable, well-paid positions and do not respond to advertisements. A direct approach in the hidden job market reaches leaders who are not only technically qualified but also have the composure for the role.
We concentrate on key positions along the industrial value chain: COO, VP operations, plant managers, production managers, heads of maintenance, quality directors as well as supply chain managers and heads of EHS — across mechanical engineering, chemicals and the process industry.
In our structured technical interviews we examine the practical application of lean management, six sigma and CIP systems against concrete transformation projects. Candidates must demonstrate KPI improvements, lead time reductions, OEE gains — not merely present certificates. We deliver doers, not theorists.
Absolutely. Digitalising production is now an obligation, not an option. We look specifically for managers with experience in MES implementations, predictive maintenance, OEE tracking and data-driven process optimisation — leaders who not only know the smart factory but build it.
Discretion is especially critical in plant management successions. We operate in the hidden market without naming your company. This prevents unrest among the workforce and protects your strategic plans from competitors.
We work with fixed service fees rather than on a contingency basis. The total fee is 25 to 33 per cent of the gross annual target salary and is invoiced in three parts: on assignment, on presentation of the shortlist and on contract signature. Aptitude diagnostics are included, as is a six-month placement guarantee.
Ask for placements with a comparable leadership span and plant size. A consultant who knows production structures can tell in conversation whether someone has genuinely carried responsibility for shift operations, maintenance and operational excellence.
Should an executive placed by us leave the company within the first six months we carry out one fee-free repeat search . Our aim is to stabilise your operational leadership for the long term.
Bohlken Consulting also opens doors for experienced operations leaders that are not visible on the open job market. If you are a plant manager, production manager, COO or supply chain manager planning your next step discreetly, talk to us in confidence.
Related industry expertise from Bohlken Consulting
Ready for your next key appointment in operations and plant management?
Every unfilled plant management role costs production capacity and transformation momentum. Talk to your specialised headhunter headhunter for operations and plant management in Düsseldorf — discreet, without obligation, at eye level.