Smart Factory Software – President and General Manager – Toronto

About the Company

Our client is a well-established Canadian software platform and solutions company that serves large manufacturing sectors such as automotive, CPG, as well as food and beverage. Their software increases production throughput and aids in clients’ journeys towards operational excellence. Though the firm boasts customers in 32 countries and has direct representation in 11 countries, it has only begun to scratch the surface of its broad Smart Factory addressable market.

Our client’s mission is to deliver the highest value to its customers with unparalleled industry solutions built on innovative technologies, deep technical knowledge, and feature-rich applications. The firm is widely recognized for the robustness of its technologies, ease of use, flexibility, and profound impact on client businesses.

Our client is Toronto-based and is a portfolio company of one of Canada’s most successful diversified technology companies.

Scope of Position

Due to a promotion by the current President, our client is undertaking a search for an executive to lead the company through its next stage of growth. The incumbent leaves a growing, profitable company with solid industry fundamentals, a superb reputation, high analyst rankings, a broad and loyal customer base, a motivated team, and a clear product roadmap and strategy for explosive growth.

Owning the strategy and driving its execution will be the responsibility of the President and General Manager. Reporting to the Group CEO, the President & GM will leverage the company’s positioning, momentum, and growing markets to significantly accelerate revenues and profits. It is expected that the successful candidate will bring a driving, hands-on, ‘lead from the front’ approach to that task while nurturing a collaborative culture of excellence.

This is an outstanding opportunity that features:

• Strong industry and company growth
• Highly entrepreneurial culture
• A chance to make a real difference
• Significant room for career growth

Functional Tasks

• Work with the Group CEO and members of the senior management team to refine the strategic and operating plans, priorities, and options.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the company to ensure the timely implementation and execution of the business and financial plans.
• Ensure that organizational capacity is in place by which to deliver on the company’s plans.
• Architect the organization ensuring that it has in place the human resources, processes, and operational capabilities by which to scale and the corporate culture to outperform.
• Provide ongoing direction, performance management, and developmental support to the team. Continue to build world-class capabilities. Focus the team to accelerate and drive the growth of the business, new market development, sector leadership, and profitability.
• Drive the revenue build process with substantive rapid growth as the goal. Refine and align the sales organization and processes to that goal.
• Maintain, improve, and create senior-level relationships with existing and potential customers and strategic partners.
• Ensure operational milestones are met on time, with high quality – and that they meet the cost objectives that are established; report on a monthly as well as a quarterly basis.
• Remain abreast of the industry, competitors, and trends with a view to ensuring that all alliance, acquisition, and investment opportunities are considered and the most attractive pursued.
• Lead the expansion of the company business with new customers. Engage with strategic stakeholders in those markets.
• Report regularly and proactively to the Group CEO on results and plans going forward.
• Adapt business model to capitalize on evolving customer needs and new competitive offerings.
• Implement and continually refine a product roadmap that incorporates customer feedback and ensures competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Key Performance Deliverables

In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.

• Specific measures of performance relating to growth, profitability, customer satisfaction, etc. will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.

Competency Profile

The following competencies define the role of President and GM:

• Strategic Approach: Develops a strategic plan to realize the vision. Revises strategy in light of changing circumstances. Takes a long-term view of organizational success.
• People Management: Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities.
• Results Orientation: Focuses strongly on achieving agreed-upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met.
• Initiative: Proactive. Seizes opportunities and acts upon them immediately.
• Customer/Client Orientation: Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service.
• Industry & Market Awareness: Seeks to anticipate and respond to industry and market changes/challenges.
• Commercial Acumen: Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles.

Preferred Experience / Education

• A highly intelligent, strategically minded executive with superb communication and interpersonal skills and a willingness to roll-up his/her sleeves.
• Minimum of 10-15 years of experience in leadership capacities.
• Previous experience in a SaaS software or technology-based company required.
• Track record of working with mid-sized enterprise software companies ($10-50mm) driving accelerated revenue growth over extended periods.
• Experience in Lean manufacturing or operational excellence with a sophisticated manufacturer AND/OR Management/IT consulting focused on Digitization/IOT in the manufacturing sector.
• Proven entrepreneurial experience with appropriate financial, market, and business acumen in scaling businesses.
• Experience in growing a P&L would be preferable.
• Strong team orientation well-suited to building consensus in a growing concern.
• Toronto-based or willingness to relocate to the area is ideal.
• A charismatic, inspirational leader rather than manager.
• Change management and business transformation experience within mid-sized companies.
• Highly competitive base, variable and equity compensation package to the successful candidate.