CrimsonXT partnered with a US supply chain automation consultancy to appoint a new Vice President of Engineering to replace an outgoing executive. The company partners with warehouse robotic and material handling OEMs to design, engineer and implement complex automated systems utilising their advanced WES/WCS platform.

We first connected with the business at an Atlanta trade show in 2024 and started the partnership at the start of 2025. After the successful placement of a Senior Applications Engineer, they approached us with an urgent brief to fill the VP of Engineering role – a position central to their operations and growth plans.

 

 

Challenge

The VP of Engineering leads the company’s entire engineering function, overseeing Solutions Design, Electrical, Controls, and Mechanical teams, managing around 20 people across four sub-teams. The brief required a candidate with more than a decade of experience working with complex automation systems, proven leadership of sizeable technical teams, and ideally a background with a competing systems integrator.

As a smaller organisation, the company’s budget sat below the industry average, placing several potential candidates out of reach. The challenge was to identify someone with the right expertise and leadership capability who was also open to moving from larger organisations into a more agile, mid-sized environment.

 

warehouse automation racking material handling

 

Solution

Having built a relationship with the company and successfully hired for their engineering team previously, we had an established understanding of the company’s culture, leadership style and technical requirements, so were able to move quickly. Within a week of speaking to the COO, interviews were being scheduled.

Within a week of speaking to the COO, interviews were being scheduled.

Through a targeted headhunt, we shortlisted six candidates, four of whom were interviewed. Three soon progressed to later stages until the successful individual was offered and accepted the position. From brief to successful placement, the process ran across 8 weeks. Our knowledge of the outgoing VP’s team structure helped us identify candidates capable of meeting both the technical and leadership demands of the role. The successful hire brought 13 years of industry experience, a proven record leading large engineering teams, and hands-on expertise in complex automation systems – making them an ideal fit.

 

Impact

The new VP of Engineering is now steering the department through a growth phase, focusing on expanding the team, improving project delivery, and strengthening the company’s market position. Filling this role quickly has allowed the business to maintain their momentum on active projects, deliver on time and within budget, and position themselves strongly for future opportunities. We’re looking forward to supporting this business as their growth journey continues with more hires planned for H2 this year.

 

 

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