In the summer of 2022, the MD of a Photonics company reached out to me really for some advice off the back of a blog I had written. We talked about succession planning and creating the right leadership teams within a business. Interestingly this was a very similar conversation to one I was having with at least two other business leaders.

This MD had identified that the business might need to hire and or develop the leadership team so that everything was not entirely dependent on them in the future. The roles that were most in focus were an Operations Manager/Director and a sales/commercial manager/director. These were the two hats that took up the most time but were also crucial functions to evolve and perfect for the positive development and continuance of what is an excellent Photonics SME. The business knows its technology and strategy and is in a good vein of form.

The need was not immediate and there was still some clarification around the roles and person specifications to be outlined. We continued the conversation over a few months until a client contact of mine introduced me to a sales manager that they felt I might be able to help. This candidate was coming out of a contract that was being canceled due to a strategic realignment and was looking for their next challenge.

Following a discussion with the candidate we created a shortlist of companies to introduce them to with this Photonics company being the top prospect. The opportunity to have an impact and to bring not just sales knowledge and drive but a broader influence on the commercial direction of the business was attractive to the candidate.

These roles require a significant leap of faith for SMEs as the stakes are high for them. The potential for positive impact if the hire works out is significant but the process requires patience and it is only over time that a new Sales Manager can prove their worth, value, and return on investment.

The qualification process was well managed starting with an initial teams meeting, followed by a face-to-face meeting, and then a final face-to-face meeting to get deeper into the bones of the sales strategy and to ensure alignment. Happily, an offer was accepted that we hope will serve the client and candidate well for years to come.

Enigma People Solutions is an award-winning technology recruitment consultancy. We find technical leaders for the emerging and enabling technology industries. Visit our services page for more information. Visit our job search page for the latest vacancies in photonics, electronics, semiconductor, software and IoT in Scotland and the UK. Check out our blog page for the latest in the technology industry. You can get in touch with us hello@enigmapeople.com or call us on + 44 131 510 8150