Interim Production Directorin Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Context and Challenges of the Assignment
An industrial company is facing a key challenge around organizational structuring and strengthening managerial capabilities. The Production Manager, recently promoted internally, is stepping into the role within a demanding environment that requires robust flow management, work orders, and planning. In response, the leadership has identified the need for an Interim Production Director on a reinforcement assignment. The aim is to support this manager in gaining operational and strategic ownership of their scope. The objective is twofold: to ensure continuity of industrial performance and to enable a rapid increase in autonomy for the new manager.Key Objectives of the Assignment
This transition assignment had several objectives for the company.
- Structuring the management of production flows, from procurement through to finished-goods delivery
- Identifying levers to optimize industrial processes, in collaboration with Production and Supply Chain teams
- Establishing a sustainable operating model that can be transferred to the Production Manager
- Strengthening control over work orders and optimizing existing planning tools
Roles and Key Responsibilities
The mobilized Interim Production Director will structure, optimize, and transfer methodologies to strengthen industrial performance. Main roles include:- Rapid diagnostic of the current industrial organizationMapping flows, analyzing manufacturing processes, and assessing planning and control tools
- On-the-floor coaching of the Production ManagerManaging priorities, team leadership, handling disruptions, and communicating with support functions (supply, maintenance, quality)
- Implementation of a management methodDefining clear rules, sharing them with teams, and steering via simple, fit-for-purpose KPIs
- Optimization of production sequences Reducing downtime, improving throughput, and tightly managing WIP and priorities
- Interface with logistics and supply chainSmoothing upstream/downstream handoffs, strengthening coordination with supply, and securing critical procurements
Conclusion of the Assignment
The Interim Production Director drew on deep expertise in complex environments—machining, assembly, and supply chain. They played a pivotal role as facilitator and mentor to both the teams and the Production Manager.
The assignment ensured the continuity and resilience of the production function in a demanding industrial context. The newly appointed Manager was thus prepared to take over with autonomy, rigor, and vision.
This type of engagement illustrates the added value of interim management, at the intersection of performance and the development of internal talent.
* Pour des raisons de confidentialité, l’identité du Manager de Transition et celle du client ne peuvent être divulguées.