The Client Opportunity                            

A small medical device company that specializes in wearable electromechanical/neuromodulation devices was relocating from Illinois to Pennsylvania. During the relocation of their headquarters, the CEO retained Ashton Tweed to find a local Supply Chain Director to help with gap analysis, strategic planning, and execution. The former Director was not working out for the company and they needed someone to replace him. It was decided to hire the new director on an interim basis because there wasn’t enough supply chain work to warrant a full-time equivalent.

 

The Ashton Tweed Solution                                              

In addition to the relocation, the company was in the process of redesigning one of their previously approved products, which would increase the supply chain needs in regard to manufacturing and design. Therefore they required a top Supply Chain Director that was local to their new location in PA and preferably had experience working with wearable devices.

The Ashton Tweed team began researching qualified candidates local to the new headquarters, which was a challenge within itself. As candidates were being screened, it also proved to be difficult to find candidates with wearable device experience, because it is a smaller market. Ashton Tweed thoroughly screened over 60 experienced candidates before facing a final obstacle. The company required the interim employee to work 10-20 hours per week and be onsite. However, most interim or contract employees in supply chain did not have the ability, or were not open to, being onsite.

Ashton Tweed managed to locate a handful of highly qualified candidates that were interested in the opportunity. The company immediately recognized one special candidate as a perfect fit. This individual had over 16 years of experience in supply chain management within the medical device space. In addition, this person had previously worked with neurostimulation wearable devices and knew the space well enough to quickly become familiarized with the company’s product specifications. As a bonus, this candidate had an MS in Electrical Engineering, an easy commute to their new headquarters, and some small company experience, which was ideal for their start-up organization.

 

The Benefits

During this extremely busy period, the company was thrilled to find a one-of-a-kind candidate in just a month’s time. The company followed through with their relocation and continued the process of re-designing their product without setbacks. The new Supply Chain Director jumped in seamlessly and was able to keep all timelines on schedule during and after the transition. Ashton Tweed helped negotiate a monthly retainer for the Director’s pay since hours had the potential to vary, and both parties remain very pleased.