Client in the Czech Republic – a traditional manufacturer in the electrical engineering industry (Interim project)   Project duration: 9 months   Focus of the project: Interim project - Kloepfel's consultant works in the position of head of the strategic purchasing department with full performance of all related activities and responsibilities. According to the current situation and the needs of the client, the goal was:

• After the forced departure of the client's employee in the given position, cover the period until the client secures a new employee.
• Ensure the continuity of the department's functioning in the challenging conditions of the client's economically complex situation and extensive organizational changes.
• Personnel consolidation and motivation of a weakened and destabilized purchasing team.
• Reintroduction of basic team management practices and management of team work activities
• Setting up systematic reporting of the development of purchase prices and costs.
• Setting the foundations of the strategic management of the department's activities with the priority of defining and gradually implementing the plan of activities to achieve the corporate goal (reduction of the cost base by 3%, at least by 10% for the upcoming period)
• Establishing principles for the development of commodity strategies.
• Temporary direct responsibility for key commodity categories, including negotiating new prices, and creating conditions for achieving savings in the future by leveraging competitive bidding of potential suppliers.
• Mentoring and coaching of a newly hired candidate for the permanent performance of the department head position.

  Evaluation:

• The client's expectations in connection with the above objectives were met.
• The fact that the contract for the temporary provision of a purchasing expert, initially agreed for 3 months, was repeatedly extended up to 9 months testifies to the client's satisfaction and the effectiveness of the use of Interim support.
• The use of Interim support in a situation where a new employee is hired for a job position, especially if his previous work experience is less than the position requires, has a significant benefit. It gives the new employee more time and space to familiarize himself with the new work environment, its specifics and tasks, thus reducing the stress load that is common in such situations. Such support is all the more important for a worker with less experience in a managerial position. He is not so exposed to the risk that he will be pushed into forming a habit of dealing with mainly operative urgent activities under the pressure of circumstances. He has more time and peace of mind to create his own way of working with the team that suits him, and also to set procedures and processes for working with the team on strategic tasks and activities with long-term benefit.
• During the work of the consultant in the function of Interim manager of the purchasing department, the purchasing department achieved current savings of approx. 300,000. Euros and potential savings for 2024 of at least 420,000. Eur.