Industry & manufacturing: why good shift leaders are so hard to find
Published on 29 September 2026 · 5 min read
I know industrial roles from both sides: from recruiting for new plant build-ups and from my own leadership responsibility in production, quality and logistics. Here is what matters.
The middle decides
Whether a plant runs well is decided on the shop floor: shift leaders, team leads and technical foremen carry the operation. Filling these roles takes more than a CV – production leadership experience, technical understanding and a way with people are what count.
Understanding technology means being able to judge
Electricians, PLC programmers, process and NPI engineers: these profiles can only be filled if you truly understand the requirements. From my time as global head of quality management for engines and e-drives, I know what a process engineer is measured by during ramp-up.
Industrial leadership is international
As Vice President Global Customer Logistics with around 450 employees, I learned that industrial leadership works across sites and languages. That is why I speak the same language as plant management, HR and candidates – in German, Italian, English, Portuguese and Spanish.
What this means for your business
Filling industrial roles means knowing the work from the inside. Those who have led production, quality and logistics themselves assess candidates differently.
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