Chief Executive Officer

Reports to: The Board
Location: Midwest

THE COMPANY

Located in the Midwest, this small processing, services, and logistics company is backed by a boutique private equity firm.

THE POSITION

Reporting to the Board, this position will be responsible for doubling revenue and EBITDA over the next five years.  The CEO will work collaboratively with the Board of Directors in leading the transformation of the company from its current stage to a more mature organization capable of delivering on its long term vision.  Responsibilities include:

  • Full P&L Responsibility: Set the strategy for growth, take personal leadership to increase sales and oversee operations.  Create a strategic plan and annual operating budget for Board approval.  Maintain a strong relationship with the PE firm through joint strategy development, effective communication of results and close tactical partnership.  Deliver year over year increases in EBITDA.  Ensure that the budget, staffing and priorities are aligned with the company’s strategic plan.
  • Profitable Revenue Growth: Develop and implement the company’s overall growth strategy, including the retention, growth and effective deployment of a talented sales force.  Assess the structure and effectiveness of the current sales organization and implement best practices to attract and retain top performers.  Support the growth of core distribution sales.
  • Market and Product Expansion: Identify opportunities to expand existing market share in the rotational molder customer market.  Evaluate and oversee the implementation of geographic expansion and additional facilities to support the expansion.  Spearhead market research efforts to further define target markets with ROI/cost benefit analysis.
  • Sales Channel Management: Evaluate, define and implement effective strategies throughout the sales channels, while maximizing the ROI of company resources.  Determine value proposition for each channel segment – molders, processors, and plastic distributors.  Conduct ongoing research regarding target markets, competition and product offering.
  • Product Development: Evaluate and define the marketplace potential for new products.  Research, evaluate and make recommendations for product line additions with ROI analysis.
  • Operational Excellence: Effectively manage operations, ensure efficiency in asset utilization and provide oversight for best practices in inventory management.  Ensure the delivery of high quality services while managing for current and future growth.
  • Manage for Cash: Ensure the flow of capital permits the company to make continuous progress towards the achievement of its strategic mission and that those funds are allocated properly to reflect present needs and future potential.  Oversee the financial status of the organization including developing short and long range financial plans, monitoring the budget and ensuring sound financial controls are in place.
  • Processes: Establish effective decision-making processes that will enable the company to achieve its long- and short-term strategic goals and objectives.

 THE INDIVIDUAL

Candidates should have previous success growing and selling a company.  Ideal experience includes:

  • A willingness to invest in the company within the first six months along with the equity participation.
  • A track record of growing a small company through sales leadership with full P&L responsibility.  Ideally came up through sales to reach the GM role.
  • Prior plastics industry experience desired with processing, servicing, logistics, and warehousing variables.
  • Experience evaluating, recruiting, and building a high performance senior management team.  Knows how to facilitate cross-departmental collaboration and strengthen internal communications with staff throughout the organization.  Can create and promote a positive work environment that supports consistency throughout the organization’s strategy and operational methods.
  • High business acumen with a fundamental understanding of how to lead a processing and services business.
  • Experience with debt and managing for cash.
  • Proven ability to increase sales by expanding existing products/services into new geographic markets.
  • Experience increasing sales by launching new products into existing and new markets.
  • Demonstrated management competencies and an aptitude for overseeing sales, operations, finance, marketing, supply chain, human resources, IT, etc.
  • Proven ability to analyze market segments and effectively address customer needs (key drivers, decision making process, influencers).
  • Must be analytical and able to use data to drive strategy, with an ability to ask the right questions and get high performance from others.
  • Can provide inspirational leadership and direction to all executives, and ensure the continued development and management of a professional and efficient organization.
  • Aggressive, competitive, resilient, get-it-done attitude with a strong work ethic.
  • Excellent communication skills: presentation, public speaking, verbal and written.  Able to cultivate a strong and transparent working relationship with the Board and ensure open communication about the measurement of financial and strategic performance against stated milestones and goals.
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and rapport at all levels.
  • Demonstrated organizational and planning skills.
  • Strong software skills and understanding of sales management best practices including pipeline management, data analysis CRM, etc.

Please submit your resume to Martin Partners: