Recruitment of an Operations Director – Executive Search for Bujalski

Executive Summary

As part of an executive search process for Bujalski Sp. z o.o.—a Polish manufacturer of acid-resistant steel tanks and structures based in Dywity near Olsztyn—we recruited an Operations Director responsible for managing the design and technology department and coordinating production processes at the factory.

We presented the first candidates to the client as early as the second week after the project began, and the candidate who was ultimately hired made the shortlist in the third week. In total, we presented five of the best-matched candidates, from whom the client selected a person with many years of experience in mechanical design and managing teams of design engineers.

The key challenge of the project was to find a candidate who met three criteria that rarely occur together: knowledge of American ASME standards, experience managing a design department in the pressure vessel industry, and a willingness to relocate to the Olsztyn area. Most candidates who met the technical criteria were eliminated during the relocation discussions—the final candidate was one of the few who decided to relocate for this role.

The newly appointed Chief Operating Officer brings to Bujalski over 12 years of experience in designing auxiliary systems for turbines, generators, and compressors, as well as in managing a multi-team technical department comprising mechanical designers, design engineers, and I&C specialists — which directly supports Bujalski’s continued growth in international markets, including the United States.

About the customer

The recruitment challenge

The recruitment of an Operations Director for a manufacturer of pressure vessels presented several significant challenges that substantially limited the availability of suitable candidates in the Polish labor market.

1. A very small group of candidates who combine technical and managerial skills

The ideal candidate combined skills that rarely come together in a single person:

• at least 6 years of experience in the pressure equipment industry
• At least 4 years of experience in a managerial or directorial role within a design department
• knowledge of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) standards, particularly Section VIII for pressure vessels
• knowledge of European directives and regulations (PED, ISO)
• proficiency in designing with SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and Inventor
• knowledge of TIG welding technology and pressure vessel testing procedures
• fluency in English in an international setting

In the Polish pressure equipment manufacturing industry, there are only a few dozen people who meet all of the above criteria—and most of them are in stable positions and are not actively looking for work.

2. A role at the intersection of engineering, technology, and operations management

The client was not looking for a traditional chief engineer or a pure production manager. The Chief Operating Officer at Bujalski was expected to combine three areas of responsibility:

• management of the design and engineering department —including the design and optimization of pressure vessels, approval of critical project documentation, and development of the engineering team’s expertise
• coordinating production processes — ensuring smooth cooperation between the design office and the factory production floor
• Client collaboration and regulatory compliance — direct contact with international clients (including those in the U.S.), oversight of compliance with ASME, PED, and other regulations, and participation in certification and quality control processes

This type of hybrid profile is particularly difficult to find, as most experienced design office managers focus exclusively on the design aspect, while production managers rarely possess equally deep engineering expertise.

3. Location barrier – a key challenge for the project

The biggest operational challenge of this project was the location of the Bujalski factory. The plant is located in Dywity near Olsztyn, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship—a region that is not a traditional hub of the Polish pressure vessel industry.

Candidates with experience in designing pressure vessels in accordance with ASME standards are primarily focused on:

• The Tri-City (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot) — due to its shipbuilding and petrochemical industries
• Silesia — due to its energy and heavy industries
• In Greater Poland and Mazovia —due to their international engineering centers

The position required on-site work at the factory, which meant that most potential candidates would have to relocate. Although the client offered relocation assistance, most of the initially interested candidates dropped out at this stage—willingness to move to Olsztyn proved to be a strict filter in practice, eliminating even candidates who were a very good fit in terms of qualifications.

4. The importance of aligning with the culture of a family business

Bujalski is a family-owned company with a 30-year history, now managed by the founders’ second generation. Its organizational culture combines the characteristics typical of a family-run manufacturing business—long-term relationships, direct communication, and strong local roots—with international ambitions and a modern technological approach.

The Chief Operating Officer was to become part of the company’s top management, working directly with the board. This meant that, in addition to strong technical expertise, it was essential to align with the organization’s work style and values —the ability to build relationships within the family-owned manufacturing company, while also being capable of implementing modern management standards in the technical department.

A wrong hiring decision at this level could significantly slow down the implementation of Bujalski’s strategic projects, including its expansion into the U.S. market.

Our Approach

Our approach to recruiting a Chief Operating Officer

Given the limited pool of candidates, the hybrid nature of the role, and the geographical constraints, the process was designed as a targeted executive search focused on directly reaching out to selected engineering candidates and conducting an early screening of key disqualifying criteria.

1. Clarifying the candidate’s actual profile

We began the process by redefining the candidate profile in collaboration with Bujalski’s management team—going beyond the standard job description and identifying which criteria were non-negotiable and which could be treated flexibly.

During the workshop with the client, we agreed that the key, non-negotiable requirements are:

• substantial, documented experience in design in accordance with ASME standards —not just claimed knowledge, but actual projects completed for the U.S. or international market
• Experience managing a multi-team technical department —comprising at least a dozen engineers with various specializations (mechanical designers, design engineers, instrumentation and control engineers)
• Willingness to relocate to the Olsztyn area — considered a hard requirement, verified at the earliest possible stage of the interview

We considered the following to be “nice-to-haves”: experience in a specific industry (food, pharmaceutical), knowledge of specific certifications beyond PED and ASME, and a formal education in materials engineering (rather than mechanical engineering).

2. Targeted Direct Search instead of posting ads

Given the nature of the role and the limited pool of candidates, the process did not rely on job postings but rather on directly reaching out to identified candidates. We conducted a survey of the Polish market, focusing on candidates working at companies that met one of the following criteria:

• manufacturers of pressure vessels and process equipment that export to Western markets
• companies in the petrochemical, energy, and refining industries, where knowledge of ASME standards is a requirement
• manufacturers of equipment for the pharmaceutical and food industries, where requirements similar to those specific to Bujalski are applied
• companies in the shipbuilding and offshore industries, where mechanical engineers work in accordance with advanced international standards

We focused geographically on the regions with the highest concentration of suitable candidates—the Tri-City, Silesia, Greater Poland, and Mazovia—fully aware that we would face the challenge of relocation.

3. Early assessment of readiness for relocation

The most important methodological decision in this project was to assess early on whether a candidate was willing to relocate to the Olsztyn area. Having learned the specifics of recruitment in this region, we asked about relocation within the first few minutes of the initial interview —before investing time in a full competency assessment.

This approach has allowed us to:

• save the client time — we didn’t present candidates who would have been eliminated during the location discussion anyway
• quickly narrow down the list to a select group of candidates who were genuinely ready for a major life change
• accurately present the relocation terms offered by the client (relocation package, compensation terms, company car) as part of the negotiation process from the very first contact

In practice, a significant number of candidates who met the technical criteria were eliminated at this stage—which confirmed that location was the main factor limiting the availability of talent for this role.

4. Selection based on a genuine assessment of skills and cultural fit

Each candidate who passed the initial location screening was evaluated during a 45-minute video interview conducted by a Fast Forward Solutions consultant. During the interviews, we assessed:

• specific projects completed in accordance with ASME and PED standards—with an emphasis on the scale, complexity, and role of the candidate
• experience in team management — team size, structure, working methods, examples of employee development
• Experience working with international clients —language skills, collaborative culture, participation in site visits and technical negotiations
• motivation to change jobs and a good fit with the family business culture — a willingness to build long-term relationships and work directly with management

Only candidates who passed this screening were included on the shortlist presented to the client.

5. Close collaboration with the client and a fast decision-making process

A key factor in our success was our direct collaboration with Bujalski’s management team and the client’s efficient decision-making process. The client’s recruitment process included:

1. Verification of CVs and recommendations by Fast Forward Solutions
2. online meeting with representatives from Bujalski
3. a follow-up, in-depth meeting with management—including the possibility of a visit to the factory in Dywity

Thanks to effective communication and quick decision-making on both sides, we were able to complete the entire process—from the project’s launch to the presentation of the final candidate— in just three weeks, and the first profiles were sent to the client just two weeks after the start.

The selected candidate

The selected candidate – an Operations Director with over 12 years of experience

The candidate ultimately hired is an experienced engineer and technical manager who has spent over 12 years building his career at a renowned Polish engineering firm that designs auxiliary systems for turbines, generators, and compressors. His career path—from intern, through lead designer and team leader, all the way to Director of the Technical Department —demonstrates the gradual development of both deep engineering expertise and management skills.

Experience and expertise

As Technical Department Director, the candidate managed a multi-team department comprising mechanical designers, design engineers, I&C specialists, and a technical documentation team. His responsibilities included optimizing design processes, developing procedures for an integrated management system, preparing the department’s budget and strategy, recruiting and developing the team, and reviewing documentation for critical projects.

At the engineering level, the candidate is proficient in SolidWorks —a key tool used by the Bujalski design office—and has many years of experience designing advanced mechanical structures and working with international clients.

Why this candidate?

The decision was based on a combination of extensive engineering experience and several years of managerial experience in leading a multi-team technical department—all within a single, stable organization, which demonstrates loyalty and the ability to build a long-term career.

Another key factor was his willingness to relocate to the Olsztyn area. In a project where location was the primary criterion for eliminating candidates, the decision to move was a clear sign of genuine commitment and motivation for long-term cooperation with Bujalski—which was an added value for a family-owned company with a 30-year history.

The process and key figures

The recruitment process for the Chief Operating Officer at Bujalski Sp. z o.o. was designed as a targeted executive search focused on the quality of candidates and the speed of execution, rather than on the number of profiles presented.

What does this mean in practice?

Narrowing the shortlist down to five carefully selected candidates allowed the client to focus exclusively on the profiles that were the best fit—without having to review dozens of resumes from candidates who would have been eliminated during the relocation discussions anyway.

The speed of the process was made possible by two key methodological decisions: verifying a candidate’s willingness to relocate early on, within the first few minutes of the interview, and conducting a targeted Direct Search focused on industries where knowledge of ASME standards is the norm. As a result, the first suitable profiles were presented to the client after just two weeks, and the final candidate was selected in the third week of the project.

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