Elis UK

Electi Talent was engaged to appoint a General Manager for a high-value, single-site operation within a leading international circular textile services business. This was a pivotal leadership role, operating as the most senior on-site position, with full accountability for operational performance, commercial delivery, and customer outcomes.

The Challenge

This was not a typical General Manager position. The role sat at the intersection of: Manufacturing / production, Logistics and distribution, Contract-led industrial services. With responsibility for: Full P&L ownership, Leadership of 5 direct reports across key functions, End-to-end operational performance of a complex, fast-paced site, Ownership of existing regional client contracts Delivery against strict SLA frameworks, particularly OTIF In reality, this is as close to a Managing Director role as you can get at site level.

The Core Hiring Challenge:

The brief required a leader who could demonstrate strength in both:
  • Operational excellence (people, process, production, safety)
  • Commercial ownership (contracts, clients, performance, growth)
 The market reality:
  • Many candidates were operationally strong but commercially light
  • Others were commercially capable but lacked operational depth
Very few combined both at the required level

Market Complexity:

The talent pool was further constrained by:
  • A structural leadership gap created by:
    • The 2008 financial crisis
    • The impact of COVID-19 on progression pathways
  • A shortage of leaders who have developed across multiple operational disciplines
  • Increasing specialisation within careers, reducing breadth at GM level
Result:
A limited number of credible, well-rounded General Managers in the market

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Our Approach – The Electi 126 Method:

A standard approach would not surface the right individual.
We deployed our Electi 126 Search Methodology, built around precision, mapping, and multi-channel engagement:
1. Full Market Mapping
  • Mapped the entire commutable geography
  • Identified talent across adjacent sectors:
    • Industrial services
    • Workwear / textiles
    • Manufacturing (FMCG, process-led)
    • Logistics and distribution
  • Built a tiered talent pool based on capability, not just job title
2. Multi-Channel Strategy
  • Targeted headhunting of high-fit profiles
  • Smart advertising campaigns to attract passive but aligned candidates
  • Direct outreach via LinkedIn and network channels
3. Precision Qualification
Candidates were assessed against:
  • Depth of P&L ownership
  • Ability to operate at site leadership / MD-level accountability
  • Balance of operational and commercial capability
  • Leadership of functional heads and succession structure
  • Track record of delivering against SLA-driven environments
10 Leader
1.

Rapid Hiring Results

Filling 80% of open positions within a tight 7-week timeframe.

10 Leader
2.

Longevity

Ensuring new hires would remain with Johnsons for at least one year.

10 Leader
3.

Optimise Interview-to-Hire Ratio

Improving the interview-to-hire ratio to optimise HR resources

Search Activity & Performance:

  • 87 targeted individuals approached directly
  • 33 inbound applications generated
  • 4 high-quality candidates shortlisted within 2 weeks

Outcome:

  • Offer accepted within 4 weeks
  • Candidate onboarded within 8 weeks
For a role requiring this level of breadth and accountability, this represents exceptionally fast delivery

The Result:

The successful hire demonstrated:
  • Strong operational leadership within complex environments
  • Proven commercial ownership of contracts and performance
  • Experience operating at senior site leadership level
  • A leadership style aligned to performance, people, and accountability

Key Insight:

The most effective General Managers in this space are those operating just below MD level — not purely operational leaders, but commercially accountable business leaders.
These individuals are:
  • Rare
  • Highly selective
  • Unlikely to respond to traditional recruitment methods

Electi Talent Value:

This project highlights:
  • The importance of mapping over relying on applicants
  • The need for a multi-channel, insight-led search strategy
  • The ability to deliver speed without compromising on calibre

The smartest leaders will succeed with careful decision making and strategic recruitment, we can help you navigate this. Schedule a call with Louisa directly here to find out how we are challenging the industry norms.

Louisa Fleet, Managing Director

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